Equatorial Guinea previously had one of the most difficult visas to get in all of Africa, except if you were a US citizen. Thankfully those days are gone and since 2023 the government has introduced an e-visa system which is available to everyone who needs a visa to enter the country. Here is our guide on how to get the visa for Equatorial Guinea.
Note - The website is run by a third party site for the official site. Many e-visas are done through government websites and there are third party sites that will usually offer the same service and charge extra fees. For Equatorial Guinea they use a third-party site but this is the actual site. They will charge a service fee and there is no way around this.
This is the link you will use for the e-visa website: https://equatorialguinea-evisa.com/
Who needs a visa?
The following countries are visa free for Equatorial Guinea:
- Tunisia
- Turkey
- UAE
- Barbados
- Cameroon
- Gabon
- Chad
- Central African Republic (CAR)
- Republic of Congo
If you are not from one of these lucky countries, then you will need to apply for the online e-visa.
What do you need to get the visa?
To apply online you will need to upload the following documents:
- Passport
- Proof of accommodation
- Travel insurance
- Bank statement (online it says stamped by the bank – we have never had the stamp and never had an issue)
- Yello fever vaccination
- Return flight tickets
- Passport size photo
- Visas issued in the last 3 months (if any -again we have never uploaded anything to this section and not had any issues).
- Purpose of travel letter – this can just be a letter details your basic itinerary and why you want to come to Equatorial Guinea. It does not say on the website’s home page that you need this but is definitely helpful to upload.
How much does the visa cost for Equatorial Guinea?
The visa fee is only $50 however there is also a service fee for applying through the website (which there is no way to avoid). The service fee is an extra $25. The total of $75 is paid online and you can use foreign Mastercard and Visa to pay.
How long is it valid for?
Once your visa is issued you have a 90-day period to use it. Once you enter the country your visa is valid for 30 days. At the top of your visa it will have the days of your intended visa however your visa will be valid for a 30-day period and these dates do not restrict your stay.
This visa is only issued for a single entry and if you wish to re enter Equatorial Guinea you will need to reply for another visa.
Do I need to have a Letter of Invitation (LOI)?
No. For the Equatorial Guinea E-visa you do need an LOI for the visa application. Your visa when issued will have details at the bottom for a local contact, but if you don’t put anything down this will be blank. The airport won’t ask you for a contact when you arrive.
How long does it take?
The visa is usually issued within 72 hours. In our experience it usually takes around 48-72 hours to get the visa issued to your email address.
Do I need to show anything when in arrive in Malabo?
In our experience the only thing they will ask to see when you arrive in Equatorial Guinea will be your passport, your printed out e-visa and your yellow fever vaccination card. They do have the right to ask for the other documents that you used to apply for your visa however this never happens.
If you have only recently got your yellow fever vaccination card, please not that many countries in Africa will only consider the vaccination card valid if it is older than one week to 10 days. So, if by chance you decided to do a last-minute trip to Africa and get your yellow fever vaccination done just before your trip, this could be an issue.
The arrival process in Malabo is usually quite uneventful. You will hand over your documents and they will give you a simple stamp in your passport. No big full-page sticker just a small stamp.
What is the easiest way to travel to Equatorial Guinea?
The easiest way to travel to Equatorial Guinea is to join a Saiga Equatorial Guinea group tour which run several times a year. For tour start dates check out the Equatorial Guinea section of our website here .
To secure your place on our next Equatorial Guinea group tour send us an email to [email protected]
