Entry requirements · Equatorial Guinea

Traveling to Equatorial Guinea

What to do before you leave, checked against official sources.

Visa
E-visa before departure · 90 days
Yellow fever vaccine
Required
Safety
Increased caution

Yes, you need a visa

With a US passport, apply for an e-visa online before you leave: it allows a stay of 90 days.

The former exemption for US citizens no longer applies: e-visa required before arrival.

Our advice: apply one to two weeks before you leave, even if the answer often comes sooner.

Apply on the official site

Entry and visa

Visa depends on your nationality, no visa on arrival
  • Whether you need a visa depends on your nationality. Check with the passport selector above or with an Equatorial Guinea embassy.
  • If you need a visa, you cannot get it on arrival. In France, you apply at the Embassy of Equatorial Guinea in Paris, 29 boulevard de Courcelles, 75008 Paris.
  • France Diplomatie also mentions a website, equatorialguinea-evisa.com, but we could not confirm that it is an official portal. To be safe, go through the embassy.
  • The application includes the signed form (stay of 90 days maximum), two photos, a passport valid for at least 6 months, a criminal record certificate, an invitation letter (“Carta de Llamadas”) stamped by the Ministry of National Security, a round-trip ticket and a hotel booking or an address.
  • Official sources give neither the fee nor the processing time. Our advice: apply at least two to three weeks before you leave, since the invitation letter must be stamped beforehand. A rejected document or a blocked payment can delay everything.
  • On entry, show your vaccination card with yellow fever. The border police take your fingerprints and a photo. Currency must be declared on entry and on exit.
  • Beyond 90 days, you need a residence card or a temporary permit. The rules can change without notice.

Checked on October 17, 2026 · Source: France Diplomatie, Equatorial Guinea, Entry and stay (updated September 15, 2026)

Health

Travel vaccinated against yellow fever
  • Yellow fever: get the vaccine at least 10 days before you leave. Official sources do not agree: France Diplomatie's Entry and stay page says it is mandatory, with the card to be shown on entry, while its Health page and the Institut Pasteur require it from 9 months of age for travelers coming from an at-risk country. To be safe, travel vaccinated: the vaccine is strongly recommended in any case.
  • Reminder: since 2016, a single dose is valid for life for most adults, and so is the certificate (WHO). A second dose is recommended before a new trip if you were vaccinated before age 2, during pregnancy, or if you live with HIV or a weakened immune system. Keep your yellow card (international certificate of vaccination) with your passport, and ask the vaccination center for advice if you are unsure.
  • Malaria circulates year-round throughout the country. Protect yourself from mosquitoes and see your doctor about preventive treatment. Any fever during your stay or within 3 months of returning means you should see a doctor without delay.
  • A polio risk has been identified: check your vaccination with your doctor. Hepatitis A is recommended. Typhoid, hepatitis B and rabies are worth discussing depending on your trip.
  • Public hospitals are few and poorly equipped. On Bioko Island, the La Paz and Guadalupe clinics handle most emergencies. On the mainland, France Diplomatie recommends the INSESO hospital in Bata.
  • Drink only sealed bottled, filtered or boiled water. Insurance covering all medical costs and repatriation is a must, and medical evacuation can still be complicated.

Checked on October 17, 2026 · Source: France Diplomatie, Equatorial Guinea, Health (updated August 26, 2026), France Diplomatie, Equatorial Guinea, Entry and stay (updated September 15, 2026), Institut Pasteur, Equatorial Guinea page

Money

CFA franc, cards often out of order
  • The currency is the Central African CFA franc (XAF), issued by the BEAC, at a fixed rate with the euro: 1 euro = 655.957 CFA francs.
  • In Malabo, cards are in principle accepted in banks, at the airport, in some stores and in upscale hotels. But technical problems often prevent you from using them: do not rely on them alone.
  • Currency must be declared on entering and leaving the country. International transfers are subject to exchange controls.
  • At roadblocks, the police may demand “passage fees”. Stay polite.

Checked on October 17, 2026 · Source: BEAC, frequently asked questions (CFA franc parity), France Diplomatie, Equatorial Guinea, Useful information (updated September 15, 2026), France Diplomatie, Equatorial Guinea, Entry and stay (updated September 15, 2026), France Diplomatie, Equatorial Guinea, Security (updated September 15, 2026)

Safety

Heightened vigilance throughout the country
  • According to the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs (France Diplomatie), the whole country is under heightened vigilance, with no area strongly advised against. Be especially careful near the borders of the mainland, particularly to the north with Cameroon and around Ebebiyin, in the tri-border area.
  • Crime is rising in Malabo, notably in Semu, Ela Nguema and Ewaiso, and in Bata. Do not walk alone at night on the paseos (seafront promenades). Taxis have been involved in robberies and assaults, especially against women: choose a car with a driver.
  • ID checks are frequent. Always carry your documents, or copies of them, and stop at roadblocks.
  • Avoid driving at night. There is no public transportation.
  • The risk of piracy is high in the Gulf of Guinea. Recreational boating is strongly advised against, and ferries between the island and the mainland have been attacked: fly instead.
  • Useful numbers: police 113, gendarmerie 114, fire department 115.
  • Also check your own government's travel advice, which may be stricter.
  • For French travelers: French Embassy in Malabo, +240 333 09 20 05. Consular section (a French number): +33 5 33 52 00 88.

Checked on October 17, 2026 · Source: France Diplomatie, Equatorial Guinea, Security (updated September 15, 2026, map of March 6, 2026), France Diplomatie, Equatorial Guinea, Useful contacts

On the ground

Spanish and French, type C/E plugs, code +240
  • The official languages are Spanish, French and Portuguese. The capital is Ciudad de la Paz, and the main cities are Malabo and Bata.
  • Type C and E plugs, 230 V and 50 Hz.
  • Equatorial Guinea is on UTC+1 all year: same time as Paris in winter, 1 hour behind in summer.
  • The country calling code is +240.
  • To drive, you need a local license or a temporary permit issued by the authorities (Trafico). Car insurance has been mandatory since January 1, 2025.
  • Do not photograph public buildings, ports, airports or official convoys without permission. Binoculars, even small ones, are strongly discouraged.

Checked on October 17, 2026 · Source: France Diplomatie, Overview of Equatorial Guinea (updated September 10, 2026), France Diplomatie, Equatorial Guinea, Useful information (updated September 15, 2026), France Diplomatie, Equatorial Guinea, Useful contacts (+240 numbers), WorldStandards, plugs and voltage by country, timeanddate, Equatorial Guinea time zone

When to go

Dry season from November to February
  • The climate is equatorial and very humid. The dry season runs from November to February throughout the country, with a second dry season in July and August on the mainland.
  • In Malabo, the most humid period runs from mid-March to mid-November. The temperature varies little, between about 23 °C and 31 °C.
  • Bata, on the mainland, gets more rain. October is the wettest month, and July, in the middle of the second dry season, the driest.
  • The national holiday (Independence Day) is on October 12.

Checked on October 17, 2026 · Source: France Diplomatie, Equatorial Guinea, Useful information (updated September 15, 2026), WeatherSpark, climate in Malabo, WeatherSpark, climate in Bata, Wikipedia, Public holidays in Equatorial Guinea

Rules can change without notice: before you leave, always check with the embassy of Equatorial Guinea and your own government's travel advice.

Discover Equatorial Guinea