What is the change? Angola and Mozambique have reached an agreement to provide each other’s nationalities with preferential visit visas.

What does the change mean? The arrangement is expected to significantly improve visa procedures and allowances for Angolan and Mozambican nationals traveling to each other’s countries.

  • Implementation time frame:  Ongoing. The agreement will go into effect 30 days after each country confirms it by completing all required country-specific legal formalities. Angola has already completed the legal formalities and Mozambique is expected to do so imminently. 
  • Who is affected: Angolan and Mozambican nationals traveling to each other’s countries.
  • Impact on processing times: The agreement requires visit visas to be issued within five working days of the date of application. Processing times are expected to be further reduced by eliminating the number of visa renewals that Angolan and Mozambican nationals may require and by extending the number of permissible activities that can be undertaken on the basis of a visit visa.
  • Business impact: Affected business people who travel regularly between Angola and Mozambique will save time and money because they will only have to apply for visas no more than once a year. Angolan or Mozambican nationals will also be allowed to undertake limited work activities on the basis of a visit visa.

Background: Under the agreement, Angola and Mozambique will issue multiple-entry visit visas with a validity of 12 months to nationals from each other’s countries. The additional benefits of the agreement are the following:

  • Visit visas should be issued within five working days of the application submission date.
  • Visitors will be allowed to remain in Angola or Mozambique for up to 90 days (consecutive or cumulative) per 180-day period.
  • Although foreign nationals are ordinarily not permitted to undertake any remunerated activity in Angola or Mozambique if the sole immigration document secured is a visit visa, visitors will be allowed to:
    • Undertake market research.
    • Develop exploratory contracts of commercial or similar nature.
    • Conduct negotiations of investment projects.
    • Assemble equipment in country.
    • Provide technical assistance in country.
    • Speak at conferences or training facilities.

BAL Analysis: The change will facilitate business travel and reduce the inconvenience of having to apply for a work visa in certain circumstances and a visit visa as frequently as required under the current visa regimes of Angola and Mozambique. BAL will continue monitoring developments and will update clients when an implementation date is announced or visa issuance begins.

This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice group. For additional information, please contact your BAL attorney.

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