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Bissau Entry Requirements

Bissau Entry Requirements

Visa, immigration, and customs information

Important Notice Entry requirements can change at any time. Always verify current requirements with official government sources before traveling.
Touch down at Osvaldo Vieira International Airport, Bissau's lone commercial runway. Immigration clears fast if your papers are in order: passport, visa (or proof you don't need one), return ticket, and yellow-fever card. Officers stamp dates by hand, eye the ink before you walk away. Baggage reclaim waits 50 m beyond. Hold on to the stub you got at check-in because staff match it to every bag. Landside you'll find ATMs and a bureau de change. But both shut at 20:00. Arrive later and you'll need euros or dollars for the cab into central Bissau.

Visa Requirements

Entry permissions vary by nationality. Find your category below.

Visa-Free Entry
90 days within any calendar year

Travelers with biometric ECOWAS passports, Cape Verde, Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo, may enter without prior clearance.

Includes
Benin Burkina Faso Cape Verde Côte d'Ivoire Gambia Ghana Guinea Liberia Mali Niger Nigeria Senegal Sierra Leone Togo

National ID cards are not accepted. You must carry the ECOWAS passport.

Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA/eVisa)
90 days single entry

All other nationalities, including United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, EU/Schengen states, Japan, Brazil, and India, must secure online approval before boarding.

Includes
United States United Kingdom Canada Australia Germany France Netherlands Spain Italy Japan Brazil India China Russia South Africa
How to Apply: File the form at https://evisa.gov.gw; upload your passport bio-page and yellow-fever card, pay by Visa/Mastercard, and download the PDF approval letter within 3, 5 working days. Print two copies, one for boarding, one for the border.
Cost: Mid-range fee comparable to West African neighbors

Airlines will refuse boarding without the printed approval letter; a screenshot or mobile PDF won't pass check-in.

Visa Required
30, 90 days depending on issued visa

If you can't apply online, diplomatic, service, or nationalities not yet in the eVisa system, head to an embassy or honorary consulate.

How to Apply: Reach out to the nearest Guinea-Bissau embassy (Lisbon, Dakar, Havana, Beijing) or honorary consulate. Allow two weeks plus postal time.

Honorary consulates in several European cities accept applications by post. Confirm fees and return-courier requirements before you send anything.

Arrival Process

Bissau's terminal is compact. The whole arrival drill rarely tops 45 min when your paperwork is straight.

1
Immigration Control
Queue at the sign marked 'Estrangeiros'. Hand over passport, printed visa approval letter (if required), and the arrival card you picked up on the plane or at the counter. Officers may ask for proof of where you'll stay in Bissau, hotel voucher or host address.
2
Baggage Claim & Customs
Grab your bags, then pick the green channel (nothing to declare) or red channel (goods to declare). Random handheld scans happen.
3
Exit to Landside
The taxi cooperative booth sits right outside. Agree the fare before you climb in. Landside Wi-Fi does not exist.

Documents to Have Ready

Passport valid ≥ 6 months
Checked at airline desk before departure and again on arrival.
Printed eVisa approval letter (if applicable)
Mobile copies occasionally refused. Keep hard copy.
International Certificate of Yellow-Fever Vaccination
Mandatory for all passengers > 1 year old. No photocopies accepted.
Return/onward ticket
Proves intention to leave within permitted stay.

Tips for Smooth Entry

Keep small-denomination euros or CFA on hand for visa-on-arrival fees if the system crashes. Change comes back in CFA.
Fill in the arrival card on the plane to avoid holding up the queue.

Customs & Duty-Free

Guinea-Bissau sticks to WAEMU rules, moderate duty-free allowances and strict checks on farm products entering Bissau.

Alcohol
1 bottle spirits (≤ 1 L) OR 2 bottles wine (≤ 1.5 L total)
You must be 18 years or older. Larger quantities trigger duty at 45% CIF value.
Tobacco
200 cigarettes OR 100 cigarillos OR 50 cigars OR 250 g smoking tobacco
Age limit 18; open packets may be rejected.
Currency
Declare amounts ≥ XOF 1 000 000 (≈ EUR 1 500) or equivalent in foreign notes
Declaration form available at red channel. Keep copy for exit.
Gifts/Goods
Cumulative value up to XOF 50 000 (≈ EUR 75) per person
Electronics like laptops, cameras, and phones slide through as personal effects if you carry only one per category.

Prohibited Items

  • Fresh meat and dairy, risk of foot-and-mouth disease
  • Counterfeit currency or coins
  • Narcotics and psychotropic substances

Restricted Items

  • Firearms and ammunition demand advance police clearance. Contact Direcção-Geral de Polícia in Bissau at least 15 days before arrival.

Health Requirements

Proof of yellow-fever vaccination is compulsory for entry to Bissau. Other shots are simply advised.

Required Vaccinations

  • Yellow fever (age ≥ 9 months or 1 year depending on airline)

Recommended Vaccinations

  • Hepatitis A recommended for stays > 1 month
  • Typhoid
  • Meningitis ACWY for dry-season travel
  • Routine boosters (MMR, DPT)
  • Malaria prophylaxis not vaccine but strongly advised

Health Insurance

There is no statutory health cover. Buy travel insurance that covers medical evacuation to Dakar or Lisbon, because serious trauma cases are flown out of Bissau.

Current Health Requirements: COVID-19 rules have been lifted; still, check 48 h before departure since restrictions can snap back with little warning.

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Important Contacts

Essential resources for your trip.

Embassy/Consulate
The Portugal Embassy (av. Domingos Ramos, Bairro de Penha) and Senegal Embassy (rue 14) handle consular chores for third-country nationals when their own mission is missing in Bissau.
Check your government's travel advisory website for 24 h emergency line.
Immigration Authority
Direcção-Geral de Migração e Fronteiras, https://evisa.gov.gw
For visa applications and official information
Emergency
Police 117, Fire 118, Medical 119
English not always spoken. Ask hotel reception to place calls when possible.

Special Situations

Additional requirements for specific circumstances.

Traveling with Children

Minors need individual passports. If only one parent travels, bring notarized consent from the other or a court order proving sole custody. Birth certificates help prove the link if surnames differ.

Traveling with Pets

Dogs and cats need an import permit from the Ministério da Agricultura, applied for 10 days ahead, plus a rabies shot given ≥ 30 days but < 12 months before arrival and a vet health certificate issued within 48 h of travel. Bissau has no quarantine facility, so advance approval is non-negotiable.

Extended Stays

Apply for a 'prorrogação' at the Migration office in Bissau city before your initial visa expires. Bring two photos, proof of funds, and a letter explaining why you need more time. Overstay fines are settled at the airport on exit and can hold up your departure.

Continue Planning Your Trip

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What to bring on your trip for Bissau

Budget Guide

Trip costs and money tips for Bissau