China, Portugal and the United States are among the 98 countries that Angola no longer requires a tourist visa for annual stays of less than 90 days per year, reports Lusa.
A decree, published on Monday, states that travellers from these countries are now exempt from tourist visas for a period of up to 30 days per entry and 90 days per year. Travellers will have to comply with “formalities applicable at border posts,” present a passport valid for longer than their period of stay and, whenever required, an international vaccination certificate.
Among the countries exempted from visa requirements are 35 European countries, which includes the entirety of the European Union as well as Russia, Turkey and six others.
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Among the 14 African countries exempted are Cabo Verde, Morocco and Botswana, while the 11 Asian countries include China, Japan, India, South Korea, Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Oceania has 14 countries on the list, including Australia and New Zealand, and 16 small states and islands in the Caribbean and Pacific region. In the Americas, the US, Canada, Brazil, Argentina and Mexico are among the countries exempted.
Countries not covered by the exemption will meanwhile benefit from a simplification of procedures for granting tourist visas, including a direction to diplomatic and consular missions to adopt a “simplified and unbureaucratic service” that guarantees such visas are granted within less than three working days, subject to conditions.
These changes aim to boost Angola’s struggling tourism sector. Removing obstacles and costs from the visa process has been found to be among the most important moves a government can make to increase international tourism.
