A volcano erupted on White Island, New Zealand on 9 December 2019. Follow the instructions of local authorities. Updates are available from the New Zealand Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency Management.
Call 115.
Call 112.
Call 113.
Exercise a high degree of caution in Angola overall.
Exercise a high degree of caution in Angola overall due to the risk of civil unrest and violent crime. See Safety
Reconsider your need to travel to Cabinda, Lunda Norte and Lunda Sul.
Reconsider your need to travel to Cabinda, Lunda Norte and Lunda Sul due to the risk of civil unrest and violent crime. See Safety
Full travel advice: Safety
Full travel advice: Health
Full travel advice: Local laws
Full travel advice: Travel
Full travel advice: Local contacts
The crime rate in Angola is high. Crimes are often violent.
Common crimes include:
Attacks can occur at any time. The risk of violent crime is much higher at night.
Kidnapping is a risk in and around Luanda. Victims are usually foreigners. They are often abducted from their vehicles by criminals seeking a ransom.
Armed criminals also target vehicles for smash and grab robberies when they are:
To protect yourself from violent crime:
HIV/AIDS is common. Get urgent medical advice if you're a victim of violent crime, especially rape.
Police support may be limited.
Civil unrest, public protests and events that draw large groups of people can turn violent.
Hotspots for civil unrest include:
Militant groups claiming independence are active in Cabinda province. Clashes with security forces can occur.
Armed gangs have attacked foreigners outside Cabinda city. They have warned that attacks will continue, including:
Lunda Norte and Lunda Sul provinces are diamond-mining areas. There's potential for civil unrest and associated crime. Violence against foreigners in these provinces occurs.
To protect yourself during periods of unrest, avoid protests and large public gatherings.
More information:
Swimming in freshwater lakes and rivers can be unsafe due to:
Respect local wildlife laws.
To protect yourself if you're visiting a wildlife park:
Flash flooding may occur during the rainy season from October to May.
Flooding may result in:
Follow the advice of local authorities.
Get comprehensive travel insurance before you leave. Your policy needs to cover all overseas medical costs, including medical evacuation. The Australian Government won't pay for these costs.
If you can't afford travel insurance, you can't afford to travel. This applies to everyone, no matter how healthy and fit you are.
If you're not insured, you may have to pay many 1000s of dollars up-front for medical care.
Confirm:
Consider your physical and mental health before you travel, especially if you have an existing medical condition.
See your doctor or travel clinic to:
Do this at least 8 weeks before you leave.
More information:
Not all medication available over the counter or by prescription in Australia is available in other countries. Some may even be considered illegal or a controlled substance, even if prescribed by an Australian doctor.
If you plan to bring medication, check if it's legal in Angola. Take enough legal medicine for your trip.
Carry a copy of your prescription or a letter from your doctor stating:
You may need DFAT to authenticate your medical documents.
More information:
Polio (poliomyelitis) outbreaks occur in Angola.
Before you travel, complete both:
If you're not sure if you're vaccinated, check with your doctor or travel clinic. Do this at least 8 weeks before you leave.
HIV/AIDS infection rates are high. Take precautions before you do anything that puts you at risk of infection.
Malaria is a high risk.
Outbreaks of insect-borne diseases are common, including:
Zika virus infections occur. If you're pregnant, the Australian Department of Health advises that you:
Yellow fever is common in Angola. Yellow fever is a potentially fatal virus spread by mosquitoes. It's prevented by vaccination. Get vaccinated before you travel.
To protect yourself from disease:
Consider taking medicine to prevent malaria.
Waterborne, foodborne, parasitic and other infectious diseases are common. These include:
Serious outbreaks sometimes occur.
To protect yourself from illness:
If you're bitten or scratched by an animal, seek medical help straight away.
Get urgent medical advice if you suspect food poisoning, or if you have a fever or diarrhoea.
More information:
Medical facilities in Angola are very limited.
Luanda has several clinics run by expat organisations.
Other health care is extremely basic. Resources are in short supply, including:
Medical treatment is expensive. Clinics normally expect you to pay cash before they'll treat you.
If you become seriously ill or injured, you'll need evacuation to South Africa or somewhere else with appropriate facilities. Medical evacuation can be very expensive.
You're subject to all local laws and penalties, including those that may appear harsh by Australian standards. Research local laws before travelling.
If you're arrested or jailed, the Australian Government will do what it can to help you under our Consular Services Charter. But we can't get you out of trouble or out of jail.
If you're detained or arrested, Angola may not automatically notify the Australian Government. Ask police or prison officials to tell the Australian High Commission in Pretoria, South Africa.
Penalties for drug offences include mandatory jail terms.
More information:
It's illegal to use cameras, binoculars, GPS devices or maps near government buildings or infrastructure.
If you do this, local police may detain or question you.
Same-sex relationships were decriminalised in January 2019. However, there are local sensitivities. Avoid public displays of affection.
More information:
Some Australian criminal laws still apply when you're overseas. If you break these laws, you may face prosecution in Australia.
More information:
Angola recognises dual nationality.
If you're an Australian-Angolan dual national, local authorities will consider you to be an Angolan citizen. This may limit your access to consular services if you're detained or arrested.
Dual nationals who visit Angola may have to perform compulsory military or civil service.
If you're a dual national check with your nearest embassy or consulate of Angola before you travel.
More information:
You need a visa to visit Angola as a tourist.
Apply for a visa online with Angola's Serviço de Migração. You can't get a tourist visa on arrival without pre-approval before your visit.
In other situations, you'll need a visa too. Contact an Angolan embassy or consulate to arrange it.
Renewing a visa can take at least 10 weeks. While you wait, Angolan authorities will keep your passport. You won't be able to travel. Plan ahead to avoid complications.
Penalties for visa offences include fines, detention and deportation.
Entry and exit conditions can change. Contact an Angolan embassy or consulate for details about visas, currency, customs and quarantine rues.
You'll need a valid yellow fever vaccination certificate to enter Angola. Some airlines want to see one when you leave.
Check yellow fever requirements for other countries you are visiting.
Find out about returning to Australia after exposure to yellow fever.
More information:
If you're travelling through South Africa, you must meet South African entry and transit requirements.
South Africa has specific requirements for:
It won't accept provisional travel documents, such as 1-page travel documents.
More information:
Some countries won't let you enter unless your passport is valid for 6 months after you plan to leave that country. This can apply even if you're just transiting or stopping over.
Some foreign governments and airlines apply the rule inconsistently. Travellers can receive conflicting advice from different sources.
You can end up stranded if your passport is not valid for more than 6 months.
The Australian Government does not set these rules. Check your passport's expiry date before you travel. If you're not sure it'll be valid for long enough, consider getting a new passport.
Your passport is a valuable document. It's attractive to people who may try to use your identity to commit crimes.
Some people may try to trick you into giving them your passport. Always keep it in a safe place.
If your passport is lost or stolen, tell the Australian Government as soon as possible:
ATMs can be hard to find in Angola.
If you have amounts over US$10,000, declare it on entry. This covers all forms of currency, not only cash.
Travellers can take up to US$10,000 out of Angola. Different rules apply to residents.
More information:
Carry your identity documents at all times.
Photocopies are only valid if they are notarised by an Angolan Notary Public.
Police and military checkpoints are common. If you fail to produce valid proof of identity, you can be given a large fine.
Travel outside Luanda can be difficult and dangerous.
Infrastructure is heavily damaged from Angola's 27-year civil war.
Landmines and unexploded remnants of war are a danger:
If you need to travel outside of Luanda:
Foreigners need official permission and documents to travel to:
If you travel here without permission, authorities may detain you or restrict your movements.
We recommend you reconsider your need to to these areas.
Seek official travel permission and documents from:
To drive in Angola, you need:
You must get your IDP before leaving Australia.
Road accidents are common due to:
Street vendors, motor scooters and pedestrians on the roads also pose safety risks.
You're 4 times more likely to be killed in a car accident in Angola than in Australia.
Fuel shortages can occur. Plan your road travel accordingly.
More information:
Public transport is overcrowded, poorly maintained and unsafe.
Airports in regional centres in Angola have very limited facilities. Most runways are in poor condition. This is worse in the wet season, from October to May.
Flight delays often occur.
DFAT doesn't provide information on the safety of individual commercial airlines or flight paths.
Check Angola's air safety profile with the Aviation Safety Network.
More information:
Depending on what you need, contact your:
Call 115.
Call 112.
Call 113.
Always get a police report when you report a crime.
Your insurer should have a 24-hour emergency number.
Contact your provider with any complaints about tourist services or products.
Read the Consular Services Charter for what the Australian Government can and can't do to help you overseas.
Australia has a consulate in Angola. It provides limited consular and passports services. You must make an appointment first.
You can get full consular help from the Australian High Commission in South Africa.
33 Rua Amilcar Cabral, Mutamba
Luanda, Angola
Phone: (+244) 923 214 101
Email: australia.consulate.angola@gmail.com
Postal address:
Caixa Postal 6269
Luanda, Angola
292 Orient Street
Arcadia
Pretoria, South Africa
Phone: (+27) 12 423 6000
Fax: (+27) 12 342 8442
Email: consular.pretoria@dfat.gov.au
Website: www.southafrica.embassy.gov.au
Facebook: Australian High Commission in South Africa
Twitter: @AuHCSouthAfrica
Check the High Commission website for details about opening hours and any temporary closures.
In a consular emergency, if you can't contact an embassy, call the 24-hour Consular Emergency Centre on:
Be the first to know official government advice when travelling.