Reality Brief: Bissau

Current alerts

• Political transition

  Military-controlled transitional government until elections planned for December 2026; demonstrations banned.

  Published on March 18, 2026 · France Diplomatie, Travel advice: Guinea-Bissau, safety

Alerts checked on October 2, 2026 against the sources cited.

Essentials before you arrive

• An entry visa is compulsory; apply at a Guinea-Bissau embassy (in Paris, 94 rue Saint-Lazare, or in a neighbouring country such as Senegal). A visa at Bissau airport is possible if your contact has notified immigration, in an emergency or if your country has no embassy; it is paid in cash, sometimes at a higher price.

  France Diplomatie, Travel advice: Guinea-Bissau, entry and residenceGOV.UK (FCDO), Guinea-Bissau travel advice: entry requirementsGuide: Entry and residence

• A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required.

  GOV.UK (FCDO), Guinea-Bissau travel advice: entry requirementsCDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), Travelers' Health: Guinea-BissauGuide: Entry and residence

• There is no emergency service able to handle a serious accident: medical evacuation, at your own expense, is always preferable. No air ambulance is based in Bissau (the nearest is in Dakar, 1 h 30 away). Repatriation insurance is essential.

  France Diplomatie, Travel advice: Guinea-Bissau, entry and residenceFrance Diplomatie, Travel advice: Guinea-Bissau, safetyGuide: Health

• Malaria is present. See a doctor before departure about prevention and vaccines; any fever requires prompt medical attention.

  France Diplomatie, Travel advice: Guinea-Bissau, healthCDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), Travelers' Health: Guinea-BissauGuide: Health

• Ambulance and fire 1313, police 117 (according to the UK).

  GOV.UK (FCDO), Guinea-Bissau travel advice: getting helpGuide: Health

• The currency is the West African CFA franc (XOF): bring some before arriving. Withdrawals are very limited and unreliable; cards are accepted only in some large hotels in Bissau.

  France Diplomatie, Travel advice: Guinea-Bissau, useful informationGuide: Money and banking

• Since the electoral process was interrupted in late November 2025, a military-controlled transitional government has run the country until elections planned for December 2026; demonstrations are banned. Stay away from gatherings.

  France Diplomatie, Travel advice: Guinea-Bissau, safetyGuide: Safety and emergencies

Living in Bissau

• In Bissau and its suburbs, bag-snatching increases during holidays. No handbag or visible valuables, no walking at night; if attacked, do not resist.

  France Diplomatie, Travel advice: Guinea-Bissau, safetyGuide: Safety and emergencies

• Since the electoral process was interrupted in late November 2025, a military-controlled transitional government has run the country until elections planned for December 2026; demonstrations are banned. Stay away from gatherings.

  France Diplomatie, Travel advice: Guinea-Bissau, safetyGuide: Safety and emergencies

• Roads are very poor and night travel is dangerous (unlit vehicles, highway robbers on secondary roads). During the rainy season (July to September), some tracks become impassable.

  France Diplomatie, Travel advice: Guinea-Bissau, safetyFrance Diplomatie, Travel advice: Guinea-Bissau, useful informationGuide: Safety and emergencies

• For the Bijagós archipelago, avoid pirogues: go through a hotel or camp with boats that meet safety standards.

  France Diplomatie, Travel advice: Guinea-Bissau, useful informationGuide: Safety and emergencies

• No direct flight from France: connections via Lisbon and Casablanca; flights to Dakar are frequent but sometimes unreliable.

  France Diplomatie, Travel advice: Guinea-Bissau, useful informationGuide: Getting around

Field experience

• Tip

  Pharmacies, clinics and hospitals

  Listed in OpenStreetMap (not exhaustive): pharmacies (10), clinics (3), hospitals (4). Locate those near your home in the first days and check opening hours and on-call services locally.

• Tip

  Where to shop for food

  Listed in OpenStreetMap (not exhaustive): markets (3), supermarkets (18). Compare a few basic prices between market and supermarket before settling into habits.

• Tip

  Banks, cash machines and exchange

  Listed in OpenStreetMap (not exhaustive): banks (15). Withdraw and change money at these official places, preferably during the day, never in the street.

• Tip

  A shop for your SIM card

  Listed in OpenStreetMap (not exhaustive): phone and internet (3). Go with your passport: SIM registration is often mandatory.

• Emergency numbers

  Ambulance and fire 1313, police 117.

  1313117

  GOV.UK (FCDO), Guinea-Bissau travel advice: getting help· Oct 2, 2026

• Embassy of France in Guinea-Bissau

  Passport: France

  Reachable during office hours; out of hours, French consulate general in Dakar: +221 33 839 52 62.

  Bairro de Penha, Avenida Combatentes da Liberdade da Pátria, 1011 Bissau+245 955 393 280+221 33 839 52 62

  France Diplomatie, Travel advice: Guinea-Bissau, entry and residenceFrance Diplomatie, Travel advice: Guinea-Bissau, safety· Oct 2, 2026