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Photo by Alessio Corradini, on the Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia, of two locals

I haven't been everywhere...
but it's on my list!


Photo by Alessio Corradini,
on the Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia,
of two locals



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  #1  
Old 13 Feb 2012
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Traveling in Angola
I'm doing some research on traveling into Angola and read the below article and was wondering if anyone can confirm the info.

Angola Border Post Tips | Drive Out

My vehicle will be registered in the UK and will be using a carnet in Africa. I'm certain I'll need a TIP at the Angolan border, but a bank letter and clearance certs??? :confused1:

Thoughts???

David
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  #2  
Old 14 Feb 2012
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I assume the bank letter is referring to a situation whereby the title is in the bank's name as you have a loan outstanding against the vehicle and you therefore need permission to travel to foreign countries.

The terminology is a bit strange but the clearance cert looks to be the authorization letter that you will have to get from a travel agent prior to receiving a visa. I remember absent mindedly tossing it into my bag after getting my visa but at the border they were quite insistent that I was missing some documentation and they needed it to let me in the country. Eventually I remembered the letter, and that seemed to pacify them so I would suggest that you should remember to not toss it away after you get your visa
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  #3  
Old 14 Feb 2012
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Hmm, well I won't need the bank letter than as I own my Cruiser outright. And I'll have to see about the clearance cert since I'm not going through a travel agency to get the visa but doing it on my own.

Any other thoughts or recommendations for crossing Angola borders?

David
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  #4  
Old 14 Feb 2012
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AfricaOverlander View Post
Hmm, well I won't need the bank letter than as I own my Cruiser outright. And I'll have to see about the clearance cert since I'm not going through a travel agency to get the visa but doing it on my own.

Any other thoughts or recommendations for crossing Angola borders?

David
Not sure wha the rules are now, but don't you still need a letter of invitation to get a visa? I did when I went through there a couple of years back.

To be clear, I used the travel agency to get the letter of invitation, not as a visa service agency, those are two separate functions. I got the visa on my on my own, just like you intend on doing.
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  #5  
Old 15 Feb 2012
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I crossed into Angola at Songolo 2 years ago in a Land Rover on a carnet. Passport and carnet stuff was straightforward (ie they knew what the carnet was and used it) Main confusion was over our visas, which were not the usual transit ones, but full 30 day visito ordinario s which were obtained in Brazzaville with help from Congo's minister for transport as I was with a slow moving cycling expedition with some friends in high places. Eventually they shrugged and went on to the final hurdle, which was did we have enough money to support ourselves? 3 credit cards were deemed sufficient!
I've heard airports are the really tough ones, mainly for corruption. My experiences at entry and exit (into Namibia) were nothing but friendly and straightforward. One of my favorite African countries. Enjoy all the time you can manage there.
Simon.
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  #6  
Old 17 Feb 2012
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MountainMan View Post
Not sure wha the rules are now, but don't you still need a letter of invitation to get a visa? I did when I went through there a couple of years back.

To be clear, I used the travel agency to get the letter of invitation, not as a visa service agency, those are two separate functions. I got the visa on my on my own, just like you intend on doing.
Rules are still the same according to the Angolan website. I know about the invitation letter and have some friends who will be assisting me with that, so I guess that means I won't have a clearance cert as that is part of what comes from a travel agency when obtaining a letter of invitation from them? Is this correct??

@mossproof, good to know they're more familiar with carnet's! When I was there in 07 they had no idea about carnet's. I've never done the DRC crossing, only the Katwitwi and Oshikango crossings in the south and I did cross once at Shangombo/Rivungu by dugout canoe in 09 on the Zambian border.

I've heard the roads in the south have improved quite a bit. You guys know anything about the road to Menongue from Katwitwi? What about petrol/diesel stations? Is it still recommended to carry 800 km worth of fuel?
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  #7  
Old 19 Feb 2012
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we were in Angola last year and they still do not know what a Carne is but you can do without a carne.

DO KEEP A COPY OF YOUR INVITATION LETTER THEY ASK FOR IT AT THE BORDER.

These numbskulls make up new rules as they go. We sat at the border for 6 hours to wait for somebody in SA to fax us the letters to a bank on the border in Namibia.
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  #8  
Old 21 Feb 2012
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Visa Requirement for South Africans
I went yesterday to the consulate in Durban they gave me an List with their requirements for an Visa, but I guess you need to have residence in South Africa !

2 Passport size Color Photos (recent)
Passport must be valid for more than 3 months
(Foreigners) must have permanent residence in the passport / with 90 days in South Africa
Company`s letter in Angola or invitation letter of the host in Angola, certified by the ministry of foreign affairs, with email address and telephone number of the company.
Copy of residential address (electricity bill)
Copy of medical cover
Copy of yellow card fever
Copy of round trip air tickets or reservation of the trip.
Copy of contribution card of NIP (registration of the company)
Work declaration of the company in South Africa
Takes 10 - 15 days
Visa application fees are 750 Rand (around 75 Euro)

I must say its quite a list maybe I give it a miss ! And spend more time in Namibia !
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  #9  
Old 21 Feb 2012
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Quote:
Originally Posted by michnus View Post
we were in Angola last year and they still do not know what a Carne is but you can do without a carne.

DO KEEP A COPY OF YOUR INVITATION LETTER THEY ASK FOR IT AT THE BORDER.

These numbskulls make up new rules as they go. We sat at the border for 6 hours to wait for somebody in SA to fax us the letters to a bank on the border in Namibia.
Well, as usual info on Angola is conflicting. Given the state of the country this does not surprise me. Interesting that up along the DRC border they recognize carnet's, but don't along the Namibian border... TIA!

Lot's of good info though. Thanks everyone for sharing. I'm in the process of getting my invitation letter and visa from the USA side. Hopefully it will be a smoother process than last time.

Anyone have a good RORO company they recommend for shipping into Walvis Bay? My Cruiser's in the UK.

David
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