Angola work visa

Any foreigner who will carry out paid work for a public or private employer in Angola needs a work visa; neither the tourist exemption nor a tourist visa allows paid activity. The Government of Angola states that work visas, like study, medical and residence visas, are requested from the Angolan diplomatic mission or consular post in the applicant's country of origin or habitual residence.

Citizens of Brazil, Cape Verde, France and Portugal benefit from bilateral agreements with specific rules; for Portuguese and French professionals, for example, long-term work visas cover stays of 12 to 36 months and are to be decided within 30 working days.

The Embassy of Angola in Budapest publishes a detailed list: a letter from the contracting company addressed to the mission requesting the visa; the signed application form; the passport with copies of the main pages and migration stamps; three colour photos; a medical certificate from the country of origin; academic and professional certificates; a criminal record certificate from the country of origin or residence; a CV; a signed undertaking to respect Angolan law; and the work contract or promise of employment.

The employer side must supply an opinion from the competent authority (the Ministry of Public Administration, Labour and Social Security for public entities, or the supervising body of the sector for private companies), a copy of the Diário da República publishing the company's articles, its licence for the economic activity and current proof of tax compliance. Foreign documents must be translated into Portuguese and authenticated.

Fees are set by each mission. The Budapest embassy charges USD 250, paid by bank transfer, with the receipt added to the file. Confirm the current amount and payment method with the Angolan embassy or consulate responsible for your country of residence.

The employer in Angola prepares the request letter and its corporate documents, and you assemble your personal documents with Portuguese translations. The file is lodged at the Angolan mission responsible for your country of residence, where an interview and biometric data may be required. Once the visa is issued you enter Angola and the SME handles the stay that follows.