Entry/Exit Requirements

A valid passport, visa, and proof of onward/return ticket are required for U.S. citizens to enter Guinea-Bissau.  The Bissau-Guinean Embassy in Washington, DC, suspended operations in January 2007.  The Embassy of Guinea-Bissau does not have a website.  Due to Guinea-Bissau’s lack of consular representation in the United States, it can be difficult for U.S. citizens to obtain the required visa for entry into Guinea-Bissau.  Since most flights destined for Guinea-Bissau must pass through Dakar, Senegal, or Lisbon, Portugal, most travelers are able to apply for visas at the Bissau-Guinean embassies in those countries.  Although it is possible to obtain a visa upon arrival in Bissau if arrangements are made in advance, there are no clear instructions for how to make those arrangements.  On December 9, 2014, Guinea-Bissau re-reopened its border with Guinea after having closed it on August 12.  To date there have been no confirmed cases of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in Guinea-Bissau.

Guinea-Bissau remains an unstable threat environment for which additional security precautions are required. The U.S. State Department rates Guinea-Bissau as a critical threat country for political violence and crime. All official U.S. government travelers (including personnel assigned to the U.S. Embassy in Dakar), must have Regional Security Office (RSO) approval and are required to receive an RSO country-specific security briefing prior to travel.

The U.S. Department of State is unaware of any HIV/AIDS entry restrictions for visitors to or foreign residents of Guinea-Bissau.

Information about dual nationality or the prevention of international child abduction can be found on our website.  For further information about customs regulations, please read our Customs Information page.