Angola - Business TravelAngola - Business Customs

Business Customs

U.S. companies serious about the Angolan market need to dedicate time and attention to develop direct contacts with local distributors and clients.  Building technical and after-sales service capacity in Angola is also important to business success.  Angola holds strong historic ties to Portugal, but rather than sales through this channel, the most effective business contacts and success are direct establishment of Angolan-based distributors or partners.  U.S. companies with Portuguese or Brazilian sales can effectively leverage these marketing and staff resources as they expand into Angola.  Angolan buyers report that sales through South African distributors can increase costs, cause delivery delays, and often result in poor after-sales service.  Western business practices including the use of business cards are the norm.   Many Angolan company and government representatives use email addresses through third countries and international service providers due to the unreliable email service through Angolan providers.

A limited number of business class hotels exist in Angola and are mostly concentrated in Luanda.  Internet service is available in major business hotels, but is generally slower than in the United States.  There are some internet cafes in Luanda and in most provincial capitals.

Business appointments especially with government officials are often not confirmed until hours before the appointment time making advance planning challenging. Companies should be prepared to be flexible. Business travelers who intend to spend extended time in Angola are highly encouraged to obtain a local mobile telephone for use while in Angola.

Travel Advisory

There is no U.S. Department of State travel alert or warning for Angola as of August 2019  For details on Angola travel safety and health please review the Visa Requirements at  U.S. Department of State – Travel Information

Acquiring an Angolan visa can be a lengthy process. Business travelers should begin arrangements well in advance of planned travel dates.  U.S. citizens are required to obtain visas before arriving to Angola, and visa approvals may take several weeks, although a new on-line visa application process (see below) is being implemented.  The Angolan Government can require that the applicant apply for a visa in their country of citizenship, unless residency can be established in a third country.  For business travelers, an invitation letter is required with the visa application from the business visitor’s primary in-country business contact. For clients of the U.S Commercial Service utilizing contracted services such as a Gold Key, the U.S. Embassy Angola can issue an invitation letter upon request. 

Over the last year, the Government of Angola implemented an online visa application process, which reduces the time to obtain a visa.  More recently, on May 23, 2019 the Angolan Government announced the Border Visa, which officially entered into effect on July 22, 2019.  This new visa process allows for foreigners to apply on-line, receive approval and obtain a visa at the Angolan border point of entry under some circumstances.  For more details, please visit the Government of Angola Immigration Services’ website http://www.smevisa.gov.ao/default.aspx
 
According to U.S.-Angolan Government reciprocal arrangements, a 2-year multi-entry visa should be issued to U.S. citizens.
For the most current details on visa application requirements, U.S. travelers should consult the Angola Embassy in Washington, D.C.  or the closest consulate in Houston, Texas, or New York, New York.

Angola requires proof of a valid Yellow Fever vaccine before allowing entry into the country, so travelers should have their yellow International Immunization Card ready to present upon arrival.

U.S. companies with Angolan business contacts who plan on travel to the United States should direct them to the U.S. Embassy Angola website for visa application details, https://ao.usembassy.gov/visas/

Currency

Credit card use (Visa and Mastercard only) is limited to the major hotels with few service providers or retailers accepting credit cards. Most banks offer ATM machines, though not all accept international credit cards. In general, Angola is primarily a cash economy and companies operating in Angola are required to charge only in local currency, the kwanza. Currency exchange services are available at the airport, currency exchange houses, and major hotels. While major hotels can procure cars, drivers and translators for business customers, few hotels will include the charges for such services in the hotel bill; therefore, customers may need to arrange direct payment in local currency.

Telecommunications/Electronics

Telecommunications:  Angola’s telecommunications infrastructure continues to improve.  International cellular and voice over internet services are fairly common in Luanda and other major cities.  Estimates for 2018 were 13 million (IWS) representing around 43.4 percent of the population compared to a sub-saharan Africa regional average of 72% and with a penetration forecast to reach 73% in 2023 .   Most use mobile phones rather than home computers to access the internet; mobile broadband access is available to just 5,951,453 internet users as of Jun 30, 2017, equivalent to 15.8 percent of the population (2019 IWS).
 
Angola Cable, a multinational telecommunications consortium is composed of majority shareholder Angola Telecom, Unitel, MSTelecom, Movicel and Startel.  The consortium built the South Atlantic Cable System (SACS), a submarine cable linkage between Luanda and Forteleza, Brazil, in mid 2019.  The SACS was designed to reduce the data transmission latency between Africa and the U.S. by connecting to the Monet Cable System, (Brazil to the U.S.).  Angola Cable is also part of West Africa Cable System (WACS) consortium, a submarine communications cable running along the west coast of Africa, and up to Europe.
Angola’s two main cellular phone operators, Unitel and Movicel, provide service to all provincial capitals and most towns. Visiting business representatives can purchase a mobile phone easily and affordably for coordination of in-country business meetings as required. 

Electric: Electrical outlets in Angola supply electricity at 220-240 volts AC.  Outlets accommodate European standard electrical socket types: The "Type C" Europlug and the "Type E" and "Type F" SchukoTransportation.

Electric:

Electrical outlets in Angola supply electricity at 220-240 volts AC.  Outlets accommodate European standard electrical socket types: The "Type C" Europlug and the "Type E" and "Type F" SchukoTransportation.

Transportation

Taxis are available in Luanda, but for safety reasons only pre-arranged bookings with established taxi companies are recommended. Most business travelers hire a car and driver.  Luanda is a congested city with heavy traffic, especially during the morning and late afternoon rush hours.  Public transportation, including informal street taxis, is not considered safe.  Several licensed transportation companies operate 24/7 and have some English language capacity. The current rate for a car with driver is equivalent to approximately USD 150 per day payable in kwanza. Credit card payments are not accepted by taxi companies; currency exchange services are available at the airport and major hotels.

The general condition of roads and related infrastructure is poor, even within the city limits of Luanda. Gasoline is available in most urban areas. Rental cars are available for hire in Luanda and some major provincial cities. Driving outside of metropolitan areas can be dangerous due to poor road conditions, especially at night.

As in the United States, Angolan rental car agencies have price schedules that vary depending upon length of rental and class of car. Most prices include insurance. An international driver’s license is not required, but is recommended.   Hiring a local driver is highly recommended, as driving through unmarked streets, confusing routes, and dangerous traffic can be a daunting task for a visiting traveler.

The U.S. Commercial Service Angola can schedule a vehicle and driver for U.S. companies to support contracted Gold Key and other contracted service meetings and programs.

Air Transportation
Most air traffic to Angola arrives at the 4 de Fevereiro International Airport in Luanda. International carriers serving the Angola market include: Air France, TAAG Angola Airlines, Emirates, Ethiopian Airlines, Kenya Airways, Lufthansa Airlines, South African Airways, Brussels Airlines, LAM-Linhas Areas de Mocambique, TAP Portugal, KLM-Royal Dutch Airlines, Egypt Air, and Royal Air Maroc.  Domestic flights TAAG and SonAir are also available to Luanda and other regional airports in the country.

Language

Portuguese is the official language of Angola. Few Angolans speak English at a level appropriate for business transactions, particularly in the government.  Therefore, an interpreter is usually necessary. The daily rate for qualified interpreters ranges from USD 500-700 equivalent in local currency.

The U.S. Commercial Service Angola can schedule an interpreter for U.S. companies to support contracted Gold Key and other contracted service meetings and programs.

Health

Medical facilities and services are available in Angola.  While still limited, the quality of healthcare is improving with the expansion of private medical clinics and hospitals including: Girassol, Sagrada Esperança, Multiperfil, and the Luanda Medical Center.
Payment for services is generally required before delivery of services. Medical providers will accept U.S. dollars or local currency.  Few facilities accept credit cards.  Adequate care for medical emergencies is limited to Luanda, where there are some good private clinics that usually have 24-hour service provided by a physician with specialists on call.

A list of physicians is available at the US Embassy Angola website.
Few doctors speak English, but due to the heavy concentration of Cuban doctors in Angola, Spanish is common.  Routine surgeries such as appendectomies can be performed.  Local pharmacies provide a limited supply of prescriptions and over-the-counter medication, but travelers should carry an adequate supply of properly-labeled medications routinely require when living in or visiting Angola. 
Travelers to Angola should consult the CDC guidance webpage for travel
Angola requires proof of a valid Yellow Fever vaccine before allowing entry into the country, so travelers should have their yellow International Immunization Card ready to present upon arrival. Anti-malaria medications are also strongly recommended.

Local Time, Business Hours and Holidays

Throughout the year, Standard Time in Angola is one hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time. Generally, business hours are weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Most offices observe a five-day week, but many stores are open on Saturdays and Sundays. All banks are open weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., and some banks operate on Saturdays from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 a.m.
Below are listed Public Holidays for the January 2019 – July 2020 period.  Many companies and government offices observe a “bridge” holiday on Monday or Friday when the official holiday falls on a Tuesday or Thursday. 

2019 Calender Year
January 01                     New Year’s Day
February 04                  Start of Liberation War
March 5                           Carnival
March 08                         International Women’s Day
April 04                            Peace and Reconciliation Day Angola
April 19                          Good Friday
May 01                            Labor Day
September 17                Nation’s Founder and National Heroes Day 
November 02                 All Soul’s Day 
November 11                 Independence Day Angola 
December 25                   Christmas Day 
 
2020 Calender Year
January 01             New Year’s Day
February 04          Start of Liberation War
February 25          Carnival
March 08                International Women’s Day
March 23              Battle of Cuito Cuanavale Day
April 04                 Peace and Reconciliation Day Angola
April 10                 Good Friday
May 01                   Labor Day 

Temporary Entry of Materials or Personal Belongings

For transit in and out of Angola, the government has tightened regulations on currency movement.  Effective April 15, 2016, Angolan citizens are permitted to carry up USD 10,000 into or out of the country with Angolan residents subject to a USD 5,000 limitation.  The 50,000 kwanzas (local currency) has not changed.  Officials at the Luanda airport regularly search departing passengers for currency and will confiscate amounts over these limits.

The temporary entry of goods or equipment into Angola is permitted for up to 12 months and can be renewed for up to 12 additional months. Temporary imports must be accompanied by all normal customs documents and are subject to a deposit to Angolan Customs of 100 percent of the duties and taxes on the declared value were it to have been imported normally. Regulations state that Angolan Customs refunds this deposit within three months after the temporarily imported goods are exported from Angola.

Temporary imports for display at a trade show should also be accompanied by a letter from the show organizer verifying participation in the event.  Depending on the product, a pre-shipment inspection may be required. The customs deposit may be waived for official trade shows when accompanied by a formal letter from the Ministry of Foreign Relations.
Angola does not accept Carnet for the temporary import of goods.

Travel Related Web Resources

US Department of State – Travel Information
U.S. Embassy Angola - Consular Services for American Citizens
Angolan Government Migration and Foreigners Service (SME)
Angola Embassy in the United States
Angolan Consulate in Houston
Angolan Consulate in New York