U.S. Embassy in Angola: COVID-19 Information for travelers 

Last updated: June 10, 2021

All airline passengers to the United States ages two years and older must provide a negative COVID-19 viral test taken within three calendar days of travel.  Alternatively, travelers to the United States may provide documentation from a licensed health care provider of having recovered from COVID-19 in the 90 days preceding travel.  Check the CDC website for additional information and Frequently Asked Questions.

Country-Specific Information

• The majority of cases of COVID-19 are in the capital city of Luanda, but COVID-19 has been confirmed throughout the provinces.  Officials continue to monitor the individuals who have tested positive.  Please visit the Angolan COVID-19 Commission’s website for the most up-to-date case numbers.
• The use of a face mask is required in all public areas, including anytime you leave your house or hotel room, while using public transport, and in all establishments.  Face masks are not required if you are operating a vehicle alone or exercising outside.
• In the city of Luanda, individual and group exercise is permitted between the hours of 5 a.m. to 7 a.m. and from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.  Groups exercising together are limited to no more than five people.  Everyone is encouraged to adhere to social distancing.
• Within Luanda, health centers and hospitals are fully operational.  Restaurants are open Monday to Friday from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. for table service, and from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. for takeout and delivery.  Restaurants are closed for table service on Saturdays and Sundays, but open for takeout and delivery until 8:00 p.m.  In person dining is limited to 50 percent capacity with no more than four guests per table.  Stores, including supermarkets, can remain open until 6:00 p.m.  Museums and monuments, cultural and art fairs, libraries, and media centers must close by 6 p.m. and are limited to 50 percent capacity.  Movie theaters, night clubs, and casinos are closed.  Religious activities are limited to four days a week with no more than 50 percent capacity or 100 people and are limited to a maximum duration of two hours if held in enclosed spaces.
• Recreational use of beaches and public swimming pools remains suspended.  Recreational use of boats is permitted, up to 50% of capacity.
• Preschools, primary schools, secondary schools, and universities are permitted to hold in-person classes.

COVID-19 Testing

• Are PCR and/or antigen tests available for U.S. citizens in Angola?  Yes
• If so, are test results reliably available within 72 hours?  Yes
• RT-PCR testing for COVID is available at Luanda Medical Center (LMC), Sagrada Esperanca, Girassol, and Centralab clinics by appointment only.  Appointment requests should be made at least five days in advance of the date the test is needed.  The cost for the test varies between 120,000 and 187,500 kwanza.  If you would like the technician to come to your place of employment or home, there is an additional fee.
• A serological (rapid) test can be obtained at the following clinics:  Luanda Medical Center, Sagrada Esperanca, Girassol, Mediag, Cligest, Centralab, and Cedil.  The cost for the rapid test varies between 19,000 and 50,000 kwanza.  There is an additional fee if the technician comes to your place of employment or home.
• Please note that only the RT-PCR test (not the rapid test) will satisfy the requirements of airlines and international airports.
• For information on limited humanitarian exemptions to the CDC requirement that all travelers arriving to the United States present a negative COVID test, please review the following page: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/ea/covid-testing-required-us-entry.html

COVID-19 Vaccine Information:

• Has the government of Angola approved a COVID-19 vaccine for use?  Yes.  The government of Angola has approved the AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine.  Angola has also received the Pfizer vaccine, through the COVAX program.  The Sinovac and Sputnik V vaccines have not been officially approved but are being used in-country.
• Are vaccines available in Angola for U.S. citizens to receive?  Yes.  Anyone over the age of 18 is eligible to register.
• Which vaccines are available in Angola? The AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine, the Pfizer vaccine, Sputnik V, and the Sinovac vaccine.
• According to Angolan authorities, vaccines are available for any person in Angola over the age of 18.  In order to be eligible for the vaccine, a person must be registered at http://www.vacina.gov.ao.  If you are a member of an institution, the institution must be registered.
• Visit the FDA’s website to learn more about FDA-approved vaccines in the United States.
• The U.S. government does not plan to provide COVID-19 vaccinations to private U.S. citizens overseas.  Please follow host country developments and guidelines for COVID-19 vaccination.

Entry and Exit Requirements

• Are U.S. citizens permitted to enter?  Yes
• Is a negative COVID-19 test (PCR and/or serology) required for entry?  Yes
• Anyone arriving in Angola must present proof of a negative RT-PCR COVID-19 test; passengers may take the test up to 72 hours prior to travel.
• Passengers are also required to complete an online Travel Registration Form.
• Are health screening procedures in place at airports and other ports of entry?  Yes
• As of January 16, 2021, upon arrival at the Aeroporto Internacional Quatro de Fevereiro in Luanda, all arriving passengers on international flights, regardless of citizenship, may be required to take a COVID test at the airport before being allowed to enter the country.  This test may be at the traveler’s expense.  Anyone testing positive will be required to enter institutional quarantine.
• Authorities advise that the requirement to conduct COVID testing at the airport will extend time spent to pass through customs.  Passengers are encouraged to be prepared for delays that may include standing for long periods of time, possibly outside.
• International travelers arriving in Luanda with a tourist visa are advised that immigration authorities may hold their passport from their arrival in Angola until the traveler presents a second negative COVID-19 result following ten days of quarantine.
• International flights have resumed in a limited capacity. Flights to or from Australia, Nigeria, and the United Kingdom have been suspended as of December 26, 2020.  Suspensions of flights to and from Brazil, Portugal, and South Africa have been lifted. These flights will resume on a gradual basis.
• The Angolan government requires a negative COVID test 72 hours prior to leaving the country, a negative COVID test upon arrival at the airport, and negative test to leave quarantine; see below for information on testing.
• Land borders remain closed for all but commercial transport.
• Domestic flights between Luanda and the remainder of the country’s provinces resumed on September 14, 2020.

Movement Restrictions

• Is a curfew in place?  No
• The Angolan government recommends staying indoors and away from public areas between the hours of 10p.m. and 5a.m.
• Are there restrictions on interstate travel?  Yes
• Travel in and out of Luanda Province requires special permission from the Government of Angola.
• The Angolan government requires proof of a negative serological (rapid) COVID-19 test 72 hours prior to boarding domestic flights.

Quarantine Information 

• Are U.S. citizens required to quarantine?  Yes
• The Angolan government has instituted mandatory home quarantine for anyone entering the country, regardless of citizenship.  Government regulations require arriving passengers to re-test ten days after arrival and be released by the health authorities in order to leave quarantine.  For those unable to quarantine at home, or for those who test positive upon arrival, the Government of Angola has set up multiple quarantine sites throughout the country, including two quarantine sites just outside of the capital city of Luanda.
• Arriving business travelers who will be in Angola for a duration of 72 hours or less are not required to undergo quarantine.
• Asymptomatic COVID patients may be allowed to isolate at home.  Anyone with symptoms, anyone considered vulnerable, or anyone who is not able to isolate appropriately in their home will be required to go into a government-run health center.

Transportation Options

• Are commercial flights operating?  Yes
• Is public transportation operating?  Yes
• Public transportation is limited to 75 percent capacity.

Fines for Non-Compliance (if applicable)

• Failure to comply with the Angolan government’s measures carries penalties that vary from fines to potential criminal charges.
• Not using a mask or using one incorrectly (not covering both the mouth and nose), carries a fine of 15,000 to 20,000 kwanzas.
• Business and restaurants that operate outside of the proscribed rules face fines of 400,000 to 500,000 kwanzas and possible temporary closure.
• Leaving the quarantine area of Luanda (without a negative COVID test result) carries a fine of 250,000 to 350,000 kwanzas.  Criminal charges may be brought against anyone who leaves this area.
• Anyone under home quarantine who leaves their home may face a fine from 250,000 to 350,000 kwanzas.  They will also be placed in institutional quarantine and could face criminal charges.  Anyone who is under home isolation (for a suspected/confirmed case) and violates their isolation faces fines of 350,000 to 450,000 kwanzas, possible criminal charges, and mandatory institutional isolation.

Consular Operations

• American Citizen Services:  Anyone requiring services, including passport applications or renewals, Consular Reports of Birth Abroad, or notarial services must schedule an appointment online in advance.  Appointments are limited to ensure the safety of our staff and our clients.
• Visa services:  Routine processing of non-immigrant and immigrant visas has resumed; however, appointments are limited. For non-immigrant visa appointments, please schedule through our online scheduling system.

Local Resources:

• For updated information on the State of Calamity, please visit the Angolan government’s official website. Visit the local government’s Ministry of  Health website for updated information on COVID-19 in Angola.