Arrival in Guinea-Bissau

Most international air arrivals use Aeroporto Internacional Osvaldo Vieira in Bissau, also known as OXB or GGOV. The usual sequence is passport control, immigration and customs. Visa requirements depend on nationality, purpose and way of entry. Official guidance for travellers from the United Kingdom, Germany and Spain reports visa requirements, while airport visa-on-arrival arrangements have been reported as unstable. A reported charge for German nationals was EUR 80 or 30 units of local currency, but boarding and pre-application conditions can change. Land-border visa availability is unclear, and the reported e-visa portal has been paused. Confirm the current requirement with a Guinea-Bissau diplomatic mission and the airline before travelling; an airline can refuse boarding without accepted visa evidence or pre-approval. Carry a passport valid for at least six months after arrival. Travellers should also carry the visa, onward or stay documents where relevant, insurance details and copies of essential papers. A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required for arriving travellers aged one year and above. Vaccination is generally recommended from nine months of age, and the International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis becomes valid ten days after vaccination and remains valid for life. A travel-medicine consultation four to eight weeks before departure allows time to review malaria prevention, medicines and vaccines such as hepatitis A and B, typhoid and routine or MMR vaccination. Meningococcal and rabies vaccination depend on season, itinerary and exposure. Malaria occurs nationwide, with Plasmodium falciparum dominant, so a clinician should assess chemoprophylaxis. Travel insurance should include medical evacuation, because severe cases may require treatment abroad. Keep personal medicines in original packaging; local supplies can be limited. Children travelling without both parents may need signed parental consent and proof of birth or family relationship. Keep copies of the child’s passport, visa, vaccination certificate, insurance and prescriptions, and retain the entry stamp. At customs, declare restricted or taxable goods and currency when required. Guinea-Bissau’s legal currency is the FCFA/XOF, issued within the UEMOA and BCEAO system; the fixed reference is EUR 1 = XOF 655.957. The economy is strongly cash-based, card acceptance is limited and ATMs are few. Use official exchange channels and carry suitable cash; euros and US dollars are useful for exchange. Published currency-declaration thresholds conflict between XOF 2,000,000 and XOF 5,000,000, so confirm the applicable threshold with customs or a consulate before departure. Taxis and local buses serve Bissau, but taxis may be shared and vehicle quality varies. US travel guidance discourages Bus Rapides and Toca-Tocas. Roads can be poor, night driving carries additional risk, and the rainy season generally runs from about May or June to November. Arrange a trusted pickup and confirm the first-night address and access path in advance. Confirm with the accommodation whether water and electricity are available, because regular water supply is not guaranteed and power outages can last several days. EAGB is the functional water and electricity provider, but continuity is limited; keep contingency cash, drinking water and a power plan. Bissau has a risk of street crime and pickpocketing. Carry identification, a passport or residence permit as appropriate, avoid demonstrations and military sites, and do not photograph military, police or port facilities. Political conditions and curfews can change. Outside Bissau, obtain local advice and prefer paved roads. Transport, accommodation and public infrastructure may offer limited accessibility. For a longer stay, apply for a residence authorization or residence title through the responsible local authority and keep evidence of lawful stay. Entry permission does not automatically grant a right of residence. Renewable permits have been reported with validity periods from one to five years and costs of up to EUR 70 in local-currency equivalent, but eligibility, documents, timing and exact fees vary. For health care, a centro de saúde or the Serviço Nacional de Saúde is usually the first local point of access; regional hospitals may provide referral care, and Hospital Nacional Simão Mendes is the central and tertiary reference in Bissau. Treatment commonly requires payment in advance or cash. Pharmacy stocks and ambulance capacity are limited. Numbers reported for general emergencies and ambulance services are 112 and 1313, but response can be unreliable outside Bissau.