What happened?

• The Government of Equatorial Guinea has been reviewing its development policy, with the aim of attracting foreign investors;
• As a result, entry visas have been reviewed and four new types of visas are to be issued;
• There was also a need to regulate the entry visas contemplated under article 21, subsection (b) of Organic Law No. 3/2010, dated May 30, Law regulating Foreigners in Equatorial Guinea; and
• In light of this, on December 2nd 2019, the President of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea passed Decree Number 49/2019, which regulates the different types of entry visas which are applicable in the Republic of Equatorial Guinea.

What are the consequences?

By virtue of the above-mentioned decree, the following entry visas have been created:

• The visas listed above shall be issued in valid passports or travel documents recognized by the competent authorities and whose holders meet satisfactory personal conditions to be admitted to the National Territory;
• The requirements corresponding to each category of entry visa to the country shall be established by Ministerial Orders of the corresponding Ministerial Departments, in accordance with the established competence;
• Entry into Equatorial Guinea must be within a period not exceeding half of the time established by each case, as of the date of issuance. Once this term expires, the validity of the visa will expire automatically;
• The visa granted may be cancelled at any time by the provisions of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, and National Security, without prior notice; and
• This Decree shall enter into force as of the date of its publication by the National Press (2nd December 2019).

What should my company do?

• Individuals and human resource managers of companies are encouraged to obtain a copy of the decree on the government’s official website and get acquainted with its provisions.
• The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is due to pass secondary legislation, so look out for our next client alert, where we will take you through what you need to know.

Related Article:

Visa, Immigration & Employment Requirements ▸