Most international travelers who wish to explore the geographical wonders or amazingly diverse culture of Angola need a visa to enter the country.
To help promote tourism in the country, the government of Angola introduced a simplified visa registration system for travelers from over 60 foreign nations.
They are now exempt from visiting an Angolan embassy to apply for a short-term tourist visa. Instead, they can apply for a pre-entry visa online and convert it into a tourist visa on arrival at international airports in the country.
This online pre-registration process is easy and straightforward. However, travelers who are not familiar with the visa rules may still find it a little difficult to navigate through the lengthy process. Here is a step-by-step guide to the application processes.
What is a Pre-entry Visa for Angola
An Angola pre-entry visa (also known as pre-visa registration) is an electronic travel authorization granted to citizens of a few eligible countries. Visitors from countries entitled for an Angolan pre-entry visa can get a tourist visa on arrival.
They can login to the official website of Angola’s migration and foreign services under the ministry of interiors and register their details.
Once completed, they have to print a copy of the document and show it to the immigration officials at the port of entry in Angola. The officials at the immigration counter will issue a physical (paper) tourist visa for a fee of US$120.
Be Prepared
Preparation is the key to a successful visa application. Applicants must do due research prior to starting the actual application process. They can contact the Angola embassy to understand about the documentation.
They need to gather all the required documents before login into the visa portal. The documents include flight tickets. This means that they have to book their accommodation and flights before applying for the Angolan pre-entry visa.
The official portal of the Angolan migration service has detailed information about the documentation needed for the pre-entry visa and their sizes and formats. Applicants must go through the portal to get a clear understanding.
Also, make sure to have good internet connectivity.
The Online Application Form
Foreigners who are planning to register for the Angola pre-visa have to login to the official website of the country’s immigration service. They can also check the status of the pre-entry visa (eVisa) on the same website. They can use their passport number and date of birth to get to know the visa status after completing the application.
On the very first page of the online application form, the applicants are required to mention the port of entry. They have to select from the drop-down list of airports.
Note that applicants cannot convert the pre-entry visa to a proper tourist visa in all international airports in Angola. Ensure to book flights that land at an airport wherein they can change the pre-visa to a tourist visa.
Once they enter the captcha, they can reach the disclaimer page
Disclaimer
The detailed disclaimer says that the eVisa (the electronic pre-entry visa) will be emailed to the applicant once the data entered is verified and validated.
The disclaimer asks the applicants to read the terms and conditions and reiterates the rights of Angola's immigration and foreign services.
It says that the personal and other data submitted through the online application form will be retained by the authorities for a period of two years. It further states that the government of the country as well as other related organizations attached to the ministry of interiors will have access to the data.
Applicants who have concerns about the processing of their data can reach the authorities at the official email address.
The disclaimer also advises the applicants to read the technical specification carefully and follow it while uploading documents. It warns that applications that do not meet the technical specification may result in rejection. It can also delay the visa processing.
Once an applicant agrees with the terms and conditions, he/she can move to the next page.
It is also to be noted that all data must be entered in stipulated time as the session gets expired after some time. Applicants may need to re-enter the data again.
Type of Visa
Only the tourist visa (pre-registration for the same) can be applied through this portal. The visa fee is US$120 and applicants must pay the amount by cash at the port of entry.
The page also lists the documents (including the sizes and regulations in this page). The applicants must strictly adhere to the specification failure of which can result in visa rejection.
Some of the documents needed are as follows:
- Photograph: Maximum size is 200 KB and the image format should be JPEG
- Passport: Maximum size is 70 KB and image format is JPEG
- Flight ticket
- Accommodation details
- International vaccination certificate
- Proof of funds: 200 USD per Day
Applicants can move to the next page by clicking the ‘continue’ button. They can also visit the previous and home pages by clicking the respective buttons.
Personal Details
All applicants must share a number personal information while applying for the visa: They are as follows:
Forename/first name: This is the official given/first name of the applicant. It must match that in the passport.
Surname: Official second name of the applicant as given in the passport.
Marital status: An applicant should mention whether he/she is single, married, divorced or widowed.
Date of birth: The date on which the applicant is born as appeared in the passport.
Country of birth: The country in which the applicant is born as appeared in the passport.
Gender: The gender of the applicant as shown in the passport.
Profession: The occupation of the applicant.
Home address: The address of the applicant in his/her home country. This includes the house number, names of the town, city, state and country and postal code.
Passport Details
Passport No: Every passport will have a unique number on its information page. Applicants should enter this number in this field.
Country of issuance: The country that issued the passport as mentioned in the passport.
Date of issuance: The date on which the passport was issued.
Valid till: The expiry date of an applicant’s passport. From this date onwards the passport is deemed invalid.
Date of entry in Angola: The date on which the applicant will arrive in the country.
Date of departure: The date on which the applicant will leave the country. Note that an Angolan tourist visa is valid for 30 days and the tourists can extend the visa for another 30 days. After that, their stay in the country will be considered illegal.
Contact details
Telephone number: Applicants must ensure that there is no error in the phone number. This is the contact number that the authorities will use to reach them in case of emergencies.
Email address: The electronic mailing address of the applicant. This will typically have the name of the applicant and name of the service provider.
Accommodation Details in Angola
All applicants should also share their accommodation details in Angola.
Place of accommodation: The name of the hotel/resort wherein the applicant is planning to stay. It is important that he/she book their rooms before applying for a pre-entry visa for Angola.
City: The name of the city in which the hotel/resort is located.
Street: The name or number of the street.
House no: If they are staying in a house, they have to mention the number of the house.
Contact Details in Angola
Full name: The name of the contact person in Angola.
National ID no: His/her national identity number.
Date of issuance: The date of issuance of the national ID.
Date of expiry: The date of expiry of the national ID.
Contact details: This includes the telephone number, email address and home address of the person.
Once an applicant enters all the details, he/she will get a reference number for future communication. They need to mention this number in all communications with the Angola immigration and foreign services.
Uploading Passport-size Image
The next step is to upload the photograph of the applicant. Applicants are strictly required to adhere to the specifications mentioned on the website. The size of the photograph should not exceed 200 KB and it should be in JPEG format.
Uploading Passport Information Page
The next task is to upload the information page of the passport that will typically have the passport number and other personal details of the applicant. The scanned copy should be in JPEG format and its size should not exceed 70 KB.
Uploading Supporting Documents
Applicants can choose to upload all the supporting documents together or separately. They can also upload these files in both JPEG or TIFF formats. The compiled size should not exceed 15360 for TIFF files or 350 KB for JPEG files.
Supporting Documents to be Uploaded Include:
International vaccination certificate: This is issued by the World Health Organization and is sort of a medical report. It shows that the applicant is vaccinated against certain communicable diseases.
Proof of accommodation: Hotel/resort reservation details.
Proof of livelihood: Documents that support the applicant’s economic solvency.
Ticket reservation details: Applicants need to upload the scanned copy of the flight tickets.
Applicants can re-upload all the documents if they find something is amiss. They have to click the ‘reset all’ button. Once the uploading is completed, they have to click the ‘uploading completed’ button to proceed to the preview page.
Preview of Pre-entry Visa
On this page, they can preview the data submitted by them. Note that the same information will appear on the pre-entry visa. It should be error-free and must match that in the passport. Otherwise, they may be denied a tourist visa on arrival in Angola.
If there are any errors, they can go back to that page and enter the correct data.
After the reviewing the page, they can submit the document. They do not need to make the payment at the time of online application if they are doing it by themselves. If they are going through an agent, they may be asked for a service fee. However, it is important to verify with the embassy about the service charges.
Note that without an approval mail for the pre-entry visa from the Angola migration and foreign service, applicants cannot get a visa on arrival in Angola. They are also required to carry a printed copy of the Angolan pre-entry visa with them
The approval mail usually gets delivered within six working days. However, some embassies may take up to ten days to process a pre-entry visa.
Once they receive the mail, they can plan their journey.
