The Angola evisa website is up and running again!

SME e-Visa

Hi all,

I crossed with the evisa from Namibia to Angola at Oshikango/Santa Clara recently.

If you are in the stages of applying for your evisa, please note that you are meant to start the application process and then get some sort of confirmation email that you're in the system. You need to get this confirmation email before you hit 'submit' on your evisa application. Otherwise, problems.

To the border:

Definitely bring the printout of the two-page evisa approval with you, along with the USD. I also had printouts of all the documents I applied with:

- hotel booking
- bank statement
- proof of leaving Angola (ROC bookings in lieu of flight tickets)
- yellow fever

But none of them were checked, just the evisa approval.

The whole process took about an hour because their internet was slow, but the border officials were patient and relaxed and helpful. It was all very official, I got a big bill and then handed it to the person who accepts payments, who issued me a big receipt for my payment.

I have some other information that might be useful:

My partner is South African and got a 30-day stamp on arrival, no paperwork, no visa, no payment.

AND!

Both of us were able to secure a further 30-day extension to our tourist stay in Angola at the (patient, friendly) SME office in Benguela. Him to his entry stamp, mine to my tourist visa.

If you decide to apply for an extension, first go into the SME office and they will show you the list of requirements:

- Two passport photos, recent (no date stamp required)
- Colour photocopies of your passport bio page and visa/stamp page
- Notarized letter of why you want to extend (the notary is picky about what they will notarize...it needs to be a proper formal letter with all your info in the header and addressed correctly)
- Application form completed in black pen (you pay for the form)
- We paid 8,000 kwanza each

We do not speak any Portuguese. It was much appreciated that their staff would entertain extensive google translate discussions with us.

The extensive discussions were because we were requesting a 30 day extension from the end date of our visa/stamp, and the rule is that they give you 30 days from the date you apply for the extension. We played the slow bicycle travel card, I'm not sure if this was what persuaded them.

It took two days to get the extension.

Have fun.