Angola has introduced a new digital platform for visa applications as the country continues to modernise immigration services and move more procedures online. The Immigration and Foreigners Service (SME) has launched evisa.ao, which replaces the previous online visa portal, smevisa.gov.ao. Users attempting to access the former website are now automatically redirected to the new system.
The new platform brings several stages of the visa process together in one digital environment. Applicants must create personal accounts before submitting applications, allowing them to provide identification and contact information, upload supporting documents and monitor the progress of their requests.
The system covers applications for tourist and business visas and is part of a broader programme by Angola’s immigration authorities to modernise and digitalise their services. The Ministry of the Interior reviewed the operation of the new portal during a meeting in Luanda on August 27.
Under the revised process, applicants complete an online form, submit the required documentation, pay the relevant fee and await a decision. The SME says applications are processed within 72 hours. Required documentation can include a valid passport, an international yellow fever vaccination certificate, proof of travel and accommodation, as well as evidence that the applicant has sufficient financial resources for the trip.
One of the most significant changes is the introduction of online payment for visa fees. Under the previous arrangement, travellers could obtain online pre-authorisation but generally paid the visa fee when the document was issued on arrival in Angola.
However, the new portal’s fee schedule does not yet display specific amounts, indicating that some elements of the platform remain under development. Applications will only enter the processing stage once payment has been confirmed, while fees already paid are non-refundable.
Applicants are also allowed to make one correction to an application without charge. Further changes may require a fresh application and another payment.
The new system does not alter Angola’s existing visa exemption arrangements. Citizens of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and several other countries can still enter Angola without a tourist visa for stays of up to 30 days per entry, subject to the applicable conditions. The exemption permits a maximum of 90 days in a calendar year.
The new e-visa platform is therefore primarily relevant to travellers who remain subject to visa requirements or need prior immigration authorisation because of their purpose or duration of stay. The move marks another step in Angola’s wider digital transformation, bringing applications, payments and tracking into a single government-operated online system.