Angola — Visas and Healthcare
Passports and Visas
Applications for visas must be made in advance in the travelers' home country. A valid yellow fever vaccination certificate is also essential for entry to Angola (the alternative is to face the risky mandatory immunization at the airport).
Americans
US citizens require a passport and a visa to enter Angola.
UK Nationals
UK citizens require a passport and a visa to enter Angola.
Canadians
Canadians require a passport and a visa to enter Angola.
Australians
Australians require a passport and a visa to enter Angola.
South Africans
South African nationals require a passport and a visa to enter Angola.
Irish Nationals
Irish citizens require a passport and a visa to enter Angola.
New Zealanders
New Zealand nationals require a passport and a visa to enter Angola.
Healthcare
Yellow fever vaccinations are required for entry to Angola if coming from infected countries. Malaria, hepatitis A and B, rabies and polio are all prevalent in the country, which has poor medical facilities excluding those in Luanda. Travelers should practice food and hygiene measures. Drinking water should be treated or bought in sealed bottles (avoid ice cubes in drinks) and care should be taken with hygiene and food, particularly street food. It is wise to take Malaria prophylaxis when traveling through Angola. In Luanda there are one or two good private clinics, but these are extremely expensive and require on-the-spot payment. Comprehensive medical insurance is therefore necessary, with provision for medical repatriation by air. The water supply is unsafe to drink, visitors should avoid eating unpeeled fruit and vegetables and the Milk in Angola is unpasteurized and should be boiled; alternatively use tinned milk reconstituted with purified water.
Safety
Most foreign governments warn against non-essential travel to Angola due to threats to personal safety and civil unrest. However visitors careful with personal security and traveling in a group should encounter few problems. Travel after dark is not recommended. Risks for travelers is crime, particularly in the capital, Luanda, where muggings, car-jackings and armed hold-ups are commonplace. Many civilians are armed. Those for whom travel outside of Luanda is essential should travel only with sponsors who have made arrangements for safety and security support. Particularly dangerous are the north and south Luanda Provinces, where the police and armed forces have been active expelling illegal immigrants and unlicensed diamond prospectors. Cabinda Province is also dangerous; kidnappings and attacks on foreigners have occurred. Travelers should be cautious due to the widespread poverty, disease and shattered infrastructure and the vast amount of unexploded ordnance still present throughout the country. Due to recent violent attacks, the border between Angola and the DRC, as well as Angola and the Republic of Congo have been closed until further notice. There have been reports of scams by airport officials in Luanda who try to extort money from visitors without a yellow fever vaccination card.
