Travelling from the UK to Angola? What VISA should you get?
The application process for an Angolan visa is complex and time consuming. There are steps and requirements that need to be followed in order to submit a successful application. UKAngola has years of experience in preparing applications for Angolan visa. British nationals willing to travel to Angola for work or tourism must apply for a valid entry visa and/or work permit before travelling to Angola. If they do not, they will be detained at the airport on arrival and deported. There are countless reasons why one could be applying for a visa. As the leading Angolan visa agency in London we can assist with applications for these types of Angolan visas: STV (short-term visa), work visa, tourist/business e-visa, privilege visa, transit visa, and translation and authentication of supporting documents for the work visa.
Many companies use e-visa, which is not the correct visa for expats to enter Angola for work. The e-visa is only for travellers who plan to visit Angola for tourism and business (business = meetings). The Angolan consulate still issues short term visa and authenticates translated documents for official use in Angola (mainly for approval of work visa). We can process STV and authenticate documents on the day of application, or within 1-2 days. We therefore encourage all foreigners wanting to travel to Angola for work to apply for the correct visa to comply with the Angolan laws.
Expats working or going to work in Angola who do not have a work visa are required to apply for a short term visa (STV). The STV allows travellers to work provided that they have a Seaman’s Book, and once the STV is issued, the traveller has 72 hours to enter Angola. The STV is valid for 10 days and extendable for 10 more days. British nationals who get a work contract from a company registered in Angola must apply for a work visa. The work visa allows individuals to stay in the country for up to 12 months and can be extended twice with multiple entries.
British nationals willing to secure a job in Angola must have technical or scientific skills that Angola does not have. They are additionally expected not to have a criminal record, to have a contract or promise of employment, proof of all necessary qualifications, a declaration that the applicants will abide by Angolan laws, and proof of their company’s legal status in Angola. All supporting documents (CV, university/professional certificates, medical and police disclosure) must be translated into Portuguese by an official translator and authenticated by the Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO former FCO) and the Angolan Consulate in London. Holders of an Angolan work visa can engage only in the professional activity for which the visa was issued and work only for the employer who requested it. The employer is required to notify the Serviços de Migração e Estrangeiros (SME) of any change to the duration of the contract for compliance with the Angolan law.