Sub Saharan Africa

We recommend that you obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling, including cover for medical repatriation by air ambulance.  You should check any exclusions, and that your policy covers you for all the activities you want to undertake. For general information on how to do this see travel insurance.

If things do go wrong when you are overseas see how we can help.

 

Register with our LOCATE service to tell us when and where you are travelling abroad or where you live abroad so our consular and crisis staff can provide better assistance to you in an emergency.

 

Our Embassy in Angola does not issue standard passports. Before leaving, you should ensure that your passport is valid for at least six months and has several unused pages remaining. Applications made in Luanda for new passports are processed by the British High Commission in Pretoria. This can take approximately three months. If you are willing to pay for a courier to and from Pretoria this process will be quicker.

 

In an emergency only, the British Embassy in Luanda can issue an Emergency Passport. However, Emergency Passports are valid for a single journey only back to the UK using agreed transit points as necessary, or to Commonwealth countries providing prior arrangement exists with the authorities of the Commonwealth country concerned. The British Embassy in Luanda will be able to advise you which of these options suits your circumstances, and can supply the name of local courier companies in Angola.

 

There are occasional shortages of petrol and diesel. Power and water can be cut off for days without notice. Residents should therefore keep generator fuel stocks and water tanks topped up.

 

There is a severe shortage of hotel accommodation in Luanda. Most hotels are fully booked for as much as two or three months in advance. The Embassy is unable to help in acquiring hotel rooms.

 

Not all UK mobile phone companies have roaming arrangements with Angola. SMS text messages may not get through or for those that do you may not be able to receive the reply. Mobile coverage outside the main urban areas is patchy. When travelling outside Luanda it advisable to carry a mobile phone with contracts to both Unitel and Movicel as coverage for each provider varies throughout the country.

 

Credit cards are only accepted in a very limited number of hotels and restaurants, although this is increasing. Always ask whether your card will be accepted before incurring expenditure. The number of ATM's is growing in Luanda and other cities. You should check with your card issuer to see if your card will be accepted. You should be alert to the risk of robbery if you draw cash from an ATM. Travellers' cheques are not accepted. Funds may be sent from the UK to Angola (but not in the other direction) by Western Union who have a number of agencies in Luanda and elsewhere and whose details are listed on their website. You should bring enough cash for your needs or ensure that your sponsoring company or agency has made suitable arrangements.  US dollars are widely used. Old series Dollar bills (with small heads) are not accepted, nor are damaged or torn Dollar bills.

There are limits on the amount of cash that can be imported and exported. The limit is currently the equivalent of 15000 US Dollars. Imports over this limit should be declared and the relevant forms completed on arrival. If you wish to re-export currency over the 15000 limit you will need to show your original declaration form to the customs authority at the airport.

If currency over 15000 US Dollars is acquired whilst in Angola, you will need to obtain prior authorisation from the National bank to export the currency.

Undeclared imports or exports of amounts over the equivalent of 15000 US Dollars are liable to seizure. The limits are subject to change. You should check the current limits with the Angolan embassy or the National Bank.

It is illegal to take any Kwanzas (the local currency) out of the country. Destruction of Kwanza notes is illegal. You can expect to be searched at the airport to ensure you are not leaving the country carrying Kwanza.