1. Country Profile 

The Gambia is a small country located in sub-Saharan Africa along the West Coast. It is bounded by Senegal to the North, South and East, and the Atlantic Ocean to the West. It is a narrow strip of land not more than 500km from East to West and less than 40km from North to South all along the length of the country. A river runs through the entire length of the country, the River Gambia. The total area of The Gambia is 11,300 sq. km.  

2. The Gambia’s Comparative Advantage

Peaceful Country – safe place to operate a business

· One of the safest countries in Africa.

· The “melting pot” of West Africa, The Gambia’s eight different ethnic groups live peacefully among one another, where Islam sits peacefully with Christianity in mutual respect and dignity.

Competitive Labour Costs – cheap labour force, helping lower operational cost

· Abundant semi-skilled and unskilled labour force.

· Average wages at US$1.25 - US$2.50 a day (unskilled), which is substantially lower than many West African countries.

Highly Stable Economy – investors profit from a liberal, market-based economy

· Sustained fiscal and monetary discipline.

· Flexible exchange rates.

· Reliable laws.

English Speaking Country– easy for business operations

· English is the country’s official language and most commonly spoken language in the business arena.

· Schooling all in English, providing an English-speaking labour force.

· Closest English-speaking African country to Europe.

Business Friendly Environment – easier than ever to start a business and access other West African economies

· Starting a business is significantly less complicated when compared to other Sub-Saharan African countries. Significant improvements in cross-border trading.

Market Access - The Gambia benefits from unrivalled access to a large and growing market:

· West Africa 

The Gambia’s membership to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) trading bloc ensures easy market access to over 300 million people

· International Markets

1. Well-functioning customs and port services.

2. Low import duties with duty waiver incentive scheme for GIEPA SIC and EPZL holders.

3. Simplified administrative and business registration and custom procedures.

3. Priority Sectors for Investment:

The Government has identified a number of sectors as priority areas, and investing in these sectors will give access to attractive and special investment incentives.  These sectors include:-

Agriculture:

Aimed at modernizing and increasing productivity of the sector through the following actions:

· Increased Food Security activities;

· Transformation from Subsistent  to Commercial Agriculture including development of agricultural chains and market promotion;

· Increased  Production and Productivity.

Agriculture is the most important sector in the Gambian economy. The country has over 480,000 hectares of good quality arable land, of which an estimated 180,000 hectares is currently under cultivation. With abundant land, favourable climate, rich soils, relatively low labour cost and close proximity to Western markets, The Gambia offers good opportunities for investment in the agricultural sector.  These are complemented by the availability of outlets in the expanding tourism industry, the large concentration of consumers in the urban areas and the ever growing export markets, which provide ample opportunities for investment in the sector, including:   

· Crop production and processing (Rice, Maize, Millet, Sorghum, Groundnuts, Sesame, and Cashew)

· Horticulture production and processing (fruits and vegetables)

· Floriculture

· Poultry production

· Livestock production and processing  

· Animal feed production

· Agro-processing and packaging  

· Machinery manufacturing and servicing

· Provision of cold storage and silos facilities for horticulture and livestock products

· Establishment of Financing Facilities e.g. an Agricultural Development Bank to increase access to financing in the sector.

Fisheries

The fisheries sector has significant potential for further development in The Gambia. Although it has a coastline of only 80 Kms, The Gambia’s waters can be fished year round and are relatively well populated by a wide variety of demersal and pelagic fish and crustaceans. Total annual fish production in 2002 was circa 43,000 metric tonnes (mt), of which only 573 tonnes was exported in 2003. Most exports are aimed at EU markets. It is believed that the Maximum Sustainable Yield for all species in Gambian territorial waters stands at between 150,000 mt. and 200,000 mt.

Species:

· Demersal Species: Sole, grunts, seabreams, carangids and cephalopods.

· Pelagic Species: Bonga, sardinella, red mullet, shads, catfish, jacks and snapper.  

· Currently frozen shrimps and prawns account for over one third of all fish exports.

There exist immediate opportunities for vessel operator/traders to supply the existing processing plants with fish, either by supplying fish under contract, or on some form of joint venture basis with the plants. There are also longer term opportunities for companies with an established market presence to source products, either raw or processed from The Gambia.

Tourism:  

Tourism is one of The Gambia’s fastest growing industries, contributing about 16% of GDP and constituting the largest source of formal non-farm employment. Every year tens of thousands of holidaymakers visit The Gambia from various parts of the world.  

The Gambia has excellent potential for further tourism development due to the ease with which it can be reached from the main European markets, the relatively good value for money offered by package tours to the country and its distinctive advantages. These include a favourable climate, excellent beaches, an unspoiled countryside, an agreeable ambience, and above all, a friendly and hospitable population.   

Present policy focus in the industry emphasizes the up-market approach, which seeks increased investor participation in five-star hotel projects and quality service apartments. Consolidating and refurbishing the Tourism Development Area (TDA) along the wide Atlantic coast especially reserved for top-of-the market hotel projects, continues to be a major policy thrust to develop tourism in The Gambia. The ease of transportation on the Kombo coastal road covering the entire TDA, the continuous enhancement of electricity supply and telecommunication extensions in the TDA, and the setting up of the Gambia Tourism Board as an independent body to coordinate all aspects of project implementation in, and development of the tourism industry, including, importantly, the grading and classifying of hotels and related resorts, all represent a systematic effort at improving the enabling environment for increased private sector investment in the industry. 

Information & Communications Technology:

Harness ICT as a tool to foster growth and employment through modernisation  and expansion of  the existing telecommunication infrastructure as well as  increasing the Country’s Bandwidth.

Manufacturing

The Gambia’s manufacturing sector continues to be under developed with a limited manufacturing base focused mainly at the domestic market, and utilizing a limited range of skills and technology. The Government’s strategy is to build on the small domestic base to encourage companies to supply the Gambian and regional markets, and subsequently develop products which can be exported to the EU and the US. Particular opportunities exist in the following areas: 

· Food and drink processing and packaging

· Machinery manufacturing and servicing (particularly for the agriculture, food and fisheries industries)

· Plastics for the consumer market, and for the construction industry

· Stainless steel fabrication  

· Basic electronics assembly  

· Pharmaceutical manufacturing or packaging

· Healthcare products (complimentary medicines, medical devices etc.)

· Cosmetics

Energy

Due to the rapid growth in the population of The Gambia in recent years, demand for energy has far outstripped the ability of the State owned utility, NAWEC, to supply.  

The provision of reliable electricity to The Gambia has become a priority for the Government and there are opportunities at all levels. Generation capacity is substantially below demand, and particularly with the development of industry and tourism upcountry, opportunities will arise there also.  The distribution system, while adequate for existing generating levels will also need investment.

Investment will be geared towards provision of aadequate, affordable and reliable energy supply to support socio-economic development. Strategies envisaged will include: increasing  generation, transmission and distribution capacities; exploiting renewable energy potentials and improving energy efficiency.

Mining  

The Gambia does not have large discovered deposits of precious minerals or gems, but there are deposits of lower value minerals in certain areas. Successful mining of sand for valuable minerals is taking place near the coast South of Banjul, in a high amenity area under strict environmental control.  Opportunities exist initially in exploration for minerals and oil and gas, and the Government of The Gambia is very supportive of these efforts. 

River and Air Transportation

Opportunities exist in this sector to improve existing services, add new services or provide services not currently available, including transportation along the Gambia river.

The Port of Banjul is the major port in The Gambia and is one of the most efficient and safest in the region. Its location, 26 miles from the Atlantic Ocean on the Gambia River, allows access to both ocean going vessels and smaller vessels which can navigate up to 300 miles into the interior (the Gambia river). Particular opportunities exist in the following areas:  

· Increased passenger air links, both direct to Europe and the USA, but also to regional hubs.

· Air cargo services

· Airport services

· Sea cargo services, both for The Gambia and transhipment to regional markets

· River transportation both for cargo, passengers and tourists.

Health

· Sustaining gains registered in immunization coverage

· Reducing infant and maternal mortality.

· Combating the problems of HIV/AIDS, Malaria and other diseases through the strengthening of the primary, secondary and tertiary health care.  

Education:

Interventions in education will focus on enhancing the Human Capital base of the country through improving access and quality at all levels of Education and linking skills to the job market.

4. INVESTMENT INCENTIVES

The Gambia offers attractive incentive packages to investors, categorised under Special Investment Certificate or Free Zones Licence.

Special Investment Certificate

Special Investment Status shall be conferred to investments which fulfill the following eligibility criteria:

· The establishment of a company or partnership under the laws of The Gambia;

·  Investment in fixed assets of at least ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND United States Dollars or its equivalent at the time of application for the incentives;

Investors upon whom “special investment” status has been conferred will entitle them to benefit from the following incentive package for a period of five years:-  

· Exemption from withholding tax and tax on dividends;  

· Exemption from customs duties on the following items:-

o The approved capital equipment, machinery, appliances, furniture and fittings imported to be used by the project or business;

o The approved quantity of semi-finished products, spare parts, raw materials and other supplies to be used in the production process;  

· Exemption from sales tax on the items mentioned in paragraph (b);  

· Exemption from turnover tax;  Preferential treatment for land allocation for the site of the proposed investment and the provision of infrastructural facilities;  

· Special and attractive scheme of accelerated depreciation as set out in the Second Schedule to the Investment Promotion Act.

Free Zones License

As a strategy for developing the export potential of the country, the Government is also developing Free Zones in specially selected locations to enable investors to operate in an environment that has the ideal set of infrastructure and special tax incentive regimes.     Eligibility Conditions

· Transactions in the Free Zones shall be denominated in foreign exchange;     

· Investment in the Zones should be sufficiently viable both commercially and financially;

·   Sufficient generation of domestic value added to quality finished product for conferment of origin status;  

· Employment generation and training of nationals;  

· Ability to export a substantial portion (70%) of output in foreign markets;  

· Positive contribution to the formation of domestic productive capital;

Free Zones Incentive Package   

· Exemption from all taxes and customs duties payable on all imports provided that the imports are used or to be used exclusively within the Zones, and subject to any other limitations specified by the regulations made pursuant to the Act;  

· Where import duty or sales tax has been paid by a Zone Investor in respect of any goods on their importation into the customs territory, no refund shall be allowed merely because the goods are to be later transferred into any of the free zones;  

· Exemption of customs duty, excise duty and sales tax on goods produced within or imported into any of the Zones, unless the goods are entered for consumption into the national customs territory;  

· Exemption of import duty on capital equipment;

· Full exemption of corporate tax or income tax for the first 10 years from the date of approval of license in the case of trading activities in the Zones, thereafter tax shall be pegged at a rate not exceeding six per cent per annum;  

· For activities related to tourism, corporate tax or income tax shall be charged at the rate of ten per cent for the first 20 years, and shall revert to the normal rate thereafter;

· Full withholding of corporate or income tax on dividend and other payments during the period of tax holiday;  

· Full relief from payment of municipal taxes;

· Zone investors shall also be exempted from payroll tax or other restrictions or prohibitions on import or export trade with the exception of trade in firearms, military or other illegal goods.

5. Business Guide: Doing Business in Gambia

Business Registration

Businesses in The Gambia may be registered as a company, a sole proprietorship, a partnership, or other forms of business (namely co-operatives, subsidiaries of other companies).  The process of registering a business in The Gambia has been simplified and requires the submission of the following documents with the Registrar of Companies:

· Memorandum of Association  

· Articles of Association  

· Receipts of payment of Stamp Duty & Business Registration fees- from the Income Tax Department.

Go to the Single Window Business Registration Offices at the Ministry of Justice

 Guidelines On The Requirements For Business Registration

A. Memorandum and Articles Of Association

   Photocopy ID of all shareholders (passport or ID card)

B. Go to the Single Window Business Registration Offices at the Ministry of Justice in Banjul or the Kanifing Municipal Council for the following:

Submit a complete registration form with the registration fee of GMD 1,000 and the applicable incorporation fee below:

Incorporation Fee Structure

Time to Complete: 1 day (once all the required documents are in place)

Types of Business

The different broad categories of business that can be registered under the Laws of The Gambia include Sole Proprietorships, Partnerships, Limited Liability Companies and Organisations/Associations. The Enterprise Support Department in an effort ease transactions leading to business registration both for local and international investors, has sequentially streamlined the different processes involved for the different categories.

Sole Proprietorships 

· Obtain a Tax Identification Number (TIN) if you do not have one;

· Complete two Business Registration Forms at GRA at no cost;

· Make a minimum Income Tax Deposit of D5,000 plus D500 Business Registration fee all at GRA;

· Obtain an Income Tax Clearance;

· Provide copies of the Income Tax Clearance, TIN Card and Business Registration form to the Registrar of Companies at Ministry of Justice in Banjul;

· Get issued a Business Registration Certificate by the Registrar of Companies at the Ministry of Justice.

Partnerships

· The first thing is to get a Legal Practitioner to prepare a Partnership Deed. Cost varies between D10,000 - D20,000. GIEPA can connect you with a number of Legal Practitioners to prepare your Partnership Deeds;

· Get the Partnership Deed registered at the Registrar General’s Office at the Ministry of Justice at D100;

· Obtain a Tax Identification Number at GRA at D50.00 for the partnership you wish to register;

· Complete two Business Registration Forms at GRA at no cost;

· Make a minimum Income Tax Deposit of D10,000 + D1,000 for Business Registration all at GRA;

· Obtain an Income Tax Clearance from GRA;

· Get issued a Business Registration Certificate presenting the Tax Clearance Certificate, TIN and Registered Partnership Deed at the Registrar of Companies Office at Ministry of Justice in Banjul;

· Obtain a Municipal Trade License from the Municipal Authority under which the business location falls 

Limited Liability Companies

· Get a Legal Practitioner to prepare your Memorandum and Article of Association. Fees vary from D10,000 - D20,000;

· Obtain a Tax Identification Number at D50 from GRA if you do not have one;

· Complete 2 Business Registration Forms at no cost at GRA;

· Make a minimum income tax deposit of D10,000 + a fee of D1,000 for business registration;

· Make a payment for Business Registration at the Company Registrar’s office at Ministry of Justice which is equal to 6% of share capital of the company to be registered. This is upon presenting the above documents;

· Get a Notary Public / Commissioner of Oath to notarize the CO1 and CO6 forms as stipulated in the Company’s Acts. The cost for this varies between D500 - D1,000;

· Get issued a Certificate of Incorporation by the Registrar of Companies at the Ministry of Justice in Banjul;

· Obtain a Municipal Trade License from the Municipal Authority under which the business location falls.

Organisations/Associations

· Get your constitution done preferably by a Legal Practitioner or Development Expert. This should spell out Members of the Executive Board and their specimen signatures;

· Obtain a Letter from the Department of Community Development;

· Obtain a Tax Identification Number at D50 from GRA;

· Make a payment of D100 at GRA for Stamp Duty;

· Get a Notary Public/Commissioner of Oath to notarize the CO1 and CO6 as stipulated by the Companies Act. These forms can be obtained from the Office of the Registrar of Companies;

· Pay the incorporation fee of D1,000 at the Office of the Registrar of Companies at the Ministry of Justice in Banjul;

· Get your organisation/association issued a Registration of Incorporation Certificate by the Registrar of Companies at the Ministry of Justice in Banjul;

· Obtain a Municipal Clearance from the Municipal Authority under which the business location falls.

Other Operational Requirements

· On registering a business, employers must ensure compliance with Payroll Tax payments to GRA on behalf of employees both Gambians and Non-Gambians on a monthly basis in line with the Income Tax Act of The Gambia. Payments of Income tax by employers on behalf of employees can only be effected with upon acquiring a TIN Card by the employee. It is advisable to ensure employees obtain their TIN cards in good time to avoid tax penalties to be borne by their employers;

· Quarterly income tax returns are also an obligation on businesses failure of which within 15 days of the end of each quarter attracts a penalty. Businesses in services will be required to register for Sales Tax Payment with GRA calculated at 20% for Telecommunications and 15% for other service sectors;

· Employers are also obliged to pay Expatriate Quota Tax Contributions for their non-Gambian Employees on an annual basis. The categories are indicated below

Non-Gambians within ECOWAS: D10,000 + D100 for the form

All other Non-Gambians: D40,000 + D100 for the form

Applicable Taxes

Goods and Customs Clearance Procedures

The Port of Banjul is considered as one of the safest and most efficient port in the sub region. Goods arriving in The Gambia by sea, land, or air can be cleared within 24 hours, which is the fastest in the sub-region. The process of clearing goods in The Gambia involves The Gambia Ports Authority (GPA), Customs and Excise Department (Gambia Revenue Authority), and shipping Agencies, all working in the same premises and offering One- Stop services to importers and exporters.

The following documents are required in the clearing of goods:

· Bill of Lading

· Certificate of Origin

· Delivery Order

· A Gate Pass

2.02.4 Licenses and Permits

Given the impact of global warming amongst other environmental degradation factors, The Gambia has adopted several measures to reduce the decline and to improve the environment. For this reason, any project that may have potential impact on the environment would be subject to an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) conducted by the National Environment Agency (NEA) before any license or permit is granted. These projects include hotels, roads, bridges, mining, large-scale agricultural projects, processing and manufacturing industries, fish processing, waste disposal, installation of electrical lines, etc. 

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Process

· Identify a project site;

· Submit a project or fill out a screen form (obtained from NEA);

· NEA screens the proposal for potential environmental impacts;

· An Environmental Impact Assessment is carried out;

· A decision is made (Approved or Rejected).

Work Permit

Apart from persons possessing special immigration status, all other immigrants require a residential and employment permit in order to reside and work in Gambia.

Residential permit ‘B’ is the permit issued to experts, their spouses and children.

Residential Permit ‘B’

This permit is issued for both residence and employment, and in connection with policies laid down by the Government.  It is usually issued to skilled expatriates and owners of big business as follows:

· The Director of Immigration can only issue permits ‘B’ to a skill expatriate worker in the executive managerial and middle management position in accordance with the directives and instructions given from time to time through the expatriate quota allocation Board specifying Government’s Immigration Policy. In other words residential permit ’B’ can only be issued to a skilled expatriate worker if there is a quota position for him to occupy.

· Residential Permit for Dependants

The names and ages of the dependant or the holder of any residential permit shall be endorsed on the permit.  Such names so endorsed shall be deemed to be in possession of residential permit.

Validity of Residential Permit

All residential permits expire on the 31st December each year for example a permit issued on February 1st 2017 will expire on 31st December 2017. Please note that application forms can be obtained at a very minimal fee from the Ministry of Interior.

Fees for Residential Permit B

For ECOWAS Nationals – D10,000 per annum
For Non-ECOWAS Nationals – D40,000 per annum

Investment and Related Laws

The Gambia Investment and Export Promotion Agency Act 2015 and Regulations are the main law governing investment in The Gambia. The Act and Regulations provide guidance on investing in The Gambia and clearly indicate the priority sectors for the country, guarantees to investors, investment incentives eligibility criteria, procedures, the institutional framework and answers to questions that investors usually consider in making an investment decision.

Below are other laws and regulations that impact on businesses in The Gambia:

· Environment Act 1994;

· Value Added Tax Act 2012;

· Business Registration Act 2004;

· National Environment Management Act – NEMA 1994;

· Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticide Control and Management Act 1994;

· EIA Guidelines;

· Environment Quality Standards Approved.

Applying for Incentives

As the Agency responsible for administering incentives to investors on behalf of Government, the following documents need to be submitted to the Agency in order to do an appraisal with a view to determining the eligibility of the project for the award of either a Special Investment Certificate (SIC) or an Export Processing Zones Licence (EPZL).

· A detailed project proposal document (soft and hard copy);

· A copy of Certificate of Incorporation;

· Copies of the company’s Articles of Association and Memorandum of Association;

· A copy of the Business Registration Certificate;

· A completed GIEPA application form;

· A copy of Tax Identification Number (TIN);

· Evidence of funding for the project;

· List of goods to be imported (soft and hard copy);

· The Food Safety and Quality Assurance (if applicable);

· Environmental Impact Assessment (if applicable);

· Award fee of US$1,000. 

Investment Laws and Regulations

The Gambia Investment and Export Promotion Agency Act 2015 and Regulations are the main law governing investment in The Gambia. The Act and Regulations provide guidance on investing in The Gambia and clearly indicate the priority sectors for the country, guarantees to investors, investment incentives eligibility criteria, procedures, the institutional framework and answers to questions that investors usually consider in making an investment decision.

Risk Management and Dispute Resolution

The Constitution of The Gambia guarantees and safeguards against nationalization and expropriation of investments. The Gambia Investment and Export Promotion Agency Act 2015 also contain provisions against expropriation of properties of investors.

The Gambia is also a member of the International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) and the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) of the World Bank Group. 

6. Investment Policy

The Gambian Investment Policy is predicated on the following premises:

1. The Gambia is a democratic state dedicated to freedom, peace, progress and justice.

2. It has a stable constitutional regime that guarantees fundamental rights and liberties, including private property rights.

3. It is committed to a liberal, free market economy and an open society.

4. The State is constitutionally obliged to pursue a policy of encouraging and protecting beneficial investment, both domestic and foreign, which is regarded as one of the driving forces in economic development as reflected in the membership of The Gambia in such organizations like MIGA (Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency) and WTO (World Trade Organization).

6.The Gambia seeks to be a trade and an investment gateway to the sub-regional ECOWAS market by reason of its geographical location and close proximity to the European Union markets as reflected in the Trade Gateway Initiative.

Land ownership and titles

Foreign investors have access to land, and the GIEPA plays a limited facilitation role. Under the terms of the GIEPA Act (2015), foreign investors can purchase or lease private property or State-owned land, dispose of it and or transfer their interests. In practice, since the independence of the country in 1965, property ownership (freehold) has required approval by the National Assembly and the President. Consequently, leasehold is the main title form used. The GIEPA Act (2015) mandated the GIEPA to create, for State land, a database of serviced land, sites and buildings available for investment. In practice, this database has yet to be established and SIC holders can, for the time being, benefit from having a letter of recommendation from the agency in facilitating the procedures with the Ministry of Lands and Regional Government. In the case of customary land investors are responsible for identifying the land and negotiating directly with the local authorities. 

Leasehold on State land can take different forms and durations, and restrictions apply to foreigners willing to access residential land or use undeveloped non-residential lands. Under the State Lands Act (1991), land in the Banjul, Kombo Saint-Mary, Kombo North, Central and South regions is State land. State land also includes forests, wildlife parks, reserves, land 500 metres north and south of the Gambia River, and land held by public institutions. State land can be leased for 99 years, except for agricultural and industrial lands, for which the duration of the lease is determined by the Minister of Lands and Regional Government and the sectoral ministers on the basis of the size of the investment. The State Lands Act (1991) stipulates that foreigners can have access to residential land only for up to 21 years, in areas no larger than 2,500 square metres located more than 1.5 km outside the high water mark, as designated by the Minister of Lands and Regional Government. In addition, undeveloped non-residential lands cannot legally be leased or assigned to foreigners, and, if they are leased, the lease can be terminated without compensation. 

The process for accessing titles to State land is lengthy. Applications are processed by the Department of Lands and Surveys of the Ministry of Lands and Regional Government. The Department needs a confirmation from the Planning Authority that the expected use of the land is in conformity with the approved plan (for land use), before making a recommendation to the Minister of Lands and Regional Government. The Department also needs to ensure that the lease will not conflict with prior interests. A survey and demarcation of the land are required, and they must be approved by the Ministry before the lease is registered. Renewal is possible, provided that the land use does not change. The Doing Business 2017 indicator on registering property ranks The Gambia 124th of 190 countries, with five procedures taking an average of 66 days at a cost of 7.6 per cent of the property value (World Bank, 2016c). However, this information applies only to Banjul. Registration can require between a week and one year. Plans are in place to reduce the average time to three months.

Taxation

A VAT regime was introduced in 2013 and the corporate income tax was lowered from 35 per cent to 30 per cent in 2015. In recent years, the GRA has also worked towards creating an environment conducive to business. For instance, it improved the processes related to filing and paying taxes.25 The revenue to GDP ratio increased from 16 per cent in 2012 to 18.75 per cent in 2014 (IMF, 2015). However, the number of taxes as well as the time, cost and human resources needed to comply with administrative requirements and payments are still excessively high. In addition, predictability is low and advanced tax rulings are not allowed. To counterbalance such complexity, generous incentives are granted, notably to large investors or companies based in EPZs, but these are subject to heavy reporting requirements and have not produced meaningful results to date in terms of investment attraction, employment creation and increased production.

The large number of taxes makes tax filing and payment procedures cumbersome, both for businesses and for the GRA. The administrative requirements for resident and non-resident companies are the same. The fiscal year is the calendar year, except when an agreement is concluded for a “special year”, and taxes are payable quarterly or annually depending on their nature (table 1.2). The country ranks 171st of 190 countries on the paying taxes indicator of Doing Business (World Bank, 2016c). On average, firms make 49 tax payments per year, and spend 326 hours per year filing, preparing and paying taxes. This includes both central and local government taxes. Fiscal procedures lack predictability and controls are pervasive. Businesses can choose to have audited or unaudited accounts. The GRA can issue an unlimited number of amended assessments within six years after the tax year.

COME TO GAMBIA

 VISAS

The Government of the Republic of The Gambia and the Government of the People’s Republic of China have signed an agreement on Mutual visa exemption for holders of Diplomatic, Service passports and passports for Public Affairs.  Therefore, only holders of ordinary passports require visas.

ENTRY INTO THE GAMBIA:    

Subject to the conditions of the Immigration Act any person who is seeking to enter into or reside in The Gambia must be;  

(a) A person who possesses special immigration status;

(b) In possession of valid pass or permit

(c) A dependent of a person who falls within the provisions of paragraph (a) above.

Requirements

· A passport with a Visa (if not exempted from the requirements of being in possession of a valid visa for entry into The Gambia)

· Employment documents,

· International certificates of health valid for such entry

· visible means of support 

· A return ticket or cash equivalent to the cost of an air ticket

· A visa valid to the final destination if Gambia is the transiting country

· Entry clearance where applicable 

Note: Visa for entry into The Gambia can be obtained from all Gambian Embassies, missions and consulates abroad or any accredited representative of the Government of the Gambia or from immigration officers at various official ports of entry of The Gambia i.e Visa on arrival.

Citizens of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) do not require a visa for entry into The Gambia. However, they must be in possession of a valid passport or other official identification documents. They are entitled to remain in the Gambia for 90 days, after which regularization of stay will be required.

VISA APPLICATIONS FROM OUTSIDE THE GAMBIA:

Visa from outside the Gambia are issued by the Gambia Embassies, Missions and Consulates abroad.

VISA FEES

The Fee for a Gambian Visa is D3000 OR its equivalence in foreign currency.

COUNTRIES THAT DO NOT REQUIRE VISA OR CLEARANCE TO ENTER THE GAMBIA

1. ECOWAS COUNTRIES

 2. COMMON WEALTH COUNTRIES

 COUNTRIES THAT NEED VISA AND/OR CLEARANCE

  AFRICAN COUNTRIES:

1. ALGERIA

2. ANGOLA

3. BURUNDI

4. CAMEROUN

5. CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC

6. CHAD

7. CONGO BRAZAVILLE

8. COMOROS ISLAND

9. DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO

10. DJIBOUTI

11. EGYPT

12. ERITREA

13. ETHIOPIA

14. EQUITORIAL GUINEA

15. GABON

16. LIBYA

17. MADAGASCAR

18. MOZAMBIQUE

19. RWANDA

20. SOMALIA

21. SOUTH AFRICA

22. SOUTH SUDAN

23. SUDAN

CARRIBEAN COUNTRIES

1. BAHAMAS

2. HAITI

3. JAMAICA

4. SANTA DOMINGO

MIDDLE EAST COUNTRIES

1. AFGHANISTAN

2. BAHRAIN

3. IRAN

4. IRAQ

5. ISRAEL

6. JORDAN

7. KUWAIT

8. LEBANON

9. OMAN

10. PAKISTAN

11. PALESTINE

12. QATAR

13. SAUDI ARABIA

14. SYRIA

15. YEMEN

OTHERS

1. EAST TIMOR

2. INDONESIA

3. MAURITIUS

4. PHILIPPINES

5. SOUTH KOREA

6. SRI LANKA

7. SEYCHELLES

COUNTRIES THAT NEED ONLY VISA TO ENTER THE GAMBIA

WESTERN EUROPE

1. AUSTRIA

2. FRANCE

3. PORTUGAL

4. SPAIN

5. SWITZERLAND

6. TURKEY

7. GREECE

8. Denmark 

NORTH AMERICA

1. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

EASTERN EUROPE

1. ARMENIA

2. AZERBAIJAN

3. BELARUS

4. BOSNIA HERZEGOVINA

5. CZECH REPUBLIC

6. ESTONIA

7. GEORGIA

8. KAZAKHSTAN

9. KYRGYZSTAN

10. LATVIA

11. LITHUANIA

12. MOLDOVA

13. ROMANIA

14. RUSSIA

15. SLOVENIA

16. SLOVAKIA

17. TAJIKISTAN

18. TURKMENISTAN

19. UKRAINE

20. UZBEKISTAN

21. LATVIA

22. SYPRUS

COUNTRIES THAT NEED ONLY CLEARANCE TO ENTER GAMBIA.

AFRICAN COUNTRIES

1. KENYA

2. NAMIBIA

3. TUNISIA

4. UGANDA

5. ZIMBABWE

ASIAN COUNTRIES

1. CHINA

2. INDIA

3. JAPAN

4. MYANMAR

5. MONGOLIA

6. THAILAND

7. VIETNAM

LATIN AMERICAN COUNTRIES

1. ARGENTINA

2. BRAZIL

3. CHILE

4. COLOMBIA

5. COSTA RICA

6. EL SALVADOR

7. GUATEMALA

8. HONDURAS

9. MEXICO

10. NICARAGUA

11. PANAMA

12. PARAGUAY

13. PERU

14. URUGUAY