Living in Equatorial Guinea as a French National: Visa, Residence, Malabo and Daily Life

Equatorial Guinea, which covers 28,051 km², combines an island part (Bioko island, where Malabo is located) and a mainland part (Río Muni, with Bata). It has about 1.6 million inhabitants (World Bank). The official capital is Ciudad de la Paz; Malabo and Bata are the main cities. The official languages are Spanish, French (since 1997) and Portuguese (since 2011), and the currency is the CFA franc (XAF), according to France Diplomatie.

The country has grown rich on oil: the Zafiro field came into production in August 1996, GDP increased tenfold between 1999 and 2009, and hydrocarbons represent 86% of GDP and 97% of exports. The fall in prices in 2014 plunged the economy into recession, with GDP falling by 33% between 2014 and 2019. For a French resident, this means facilities and roads that are often recent, but also high prices, rents judged prohibitive for housing at European standards and uneven public services.

The French nationals who settle there are most often company employees, teachers or diplomatic staff. To go further, see working in Equatorial Guinea, the healthcare system, healthcare reimbursement and retirement in Equatorial Guinea. Updated economic indicators appear in the block above.

French nationals must obtain a short-stay visa, with a duration of 90 days at most. It is requested at the Equatorial Guinea embassy in Paris (29, boulevard de Courcelles, 75008) or online at equatorialguinea-evisa.com; France Diplomatie specifies that it is not possible to obtain the visa on arrival. The French embassy in Malabo indicates a fee of 110 euros and specifies that the Equatorial Guinea embassy in Paris is hard to reach by telephone: it is preferable to go there in person.

The documents required include the short-stay visa application form, a passport valid for at least six months, two ID photos, a criminal record extract, an invitation letter (“Carta de Llamadas”) from the person or body responsible for the trip endorsed by the Ministry of National Security, a mission order for professionals, the international vaccination booklet (yellow fever compulsory), a return air ticket and a hotel reservation or a residence address. Additional documents may be requested. On entry, the border police take fingerprints and a photo.

For a long stay (beyond 90 days), a residence card (“Residencia”) or a temporary residence permit (“Permanencia”) accompanied by a multiple-entry visa (“Alternativo”) is required. The residence card is valid for one year and is renewed every year; its issue and renewal may require an HIV test, hepatitis B and C tests and a syphilis test. Files are processed at the Ministry of National Security, with highly variable delays, and the rules may change without notice. Identity checks are frequent: always carry your papers or copies.

Currency must be declared on entry into and exit from the territory, and international transfers are subject to exchange controls. A pet must be accompanied by its vaccination booklet, with rabies vaccine and annual boosters. Register on the register of French nationals living abroad if the stay exceeds six months.

Malabo, on Bioko island, is home to the French embassy (Carretera del Aeropuerto), the international airport and most economic activity. France Diplomatie reports that the districts of Semu, Ela Nguema and Ewaiso are particularly affected by crime, and that the promenades of Malabo and Bata should not be frequented alone, especially at night. Bata, on the mainland, is the other hub, with healthcare facilities and a French school.

The housing stock is limited in Malabo and Bata according to the French embassy: villas and apartments at European standards come at rents judged prohibitive, and as power and water cuts are frequent, a generator and a borehole are necessary. Ask the employer to cover housing and this equipment, and check in writing the lease duration and the split of charges. The 90-day checklist helps you organise the move.

Outside the two cities, the north-eastern region known as the “three borders” (around Ebebiyin) and the border areas of the mainland, notably in the north with Cameroon, call for particular vigilance. The vigilance level is heightened across the whole country: avoid gatherings, especially near public buildings.

Roads are generally recent and in good condition, and fuel is satisfactorily available in the cities. There is no public transport service and accidents are frequent; a 4x4 is not essential but may be useful in heavy rain or mountainous areas, and two-wheelers are advised against. To drive, you need an Equatorial Guinea licence or a temporary authorisation issued by the local authorities (Trafico); registering a vehicle is slow and costly. Car insurance has been compulsory since 1 January 2025, but many drivers do not have it. In case of an accident, call the police on 113 or 114, notify your insurer and, if there are injuries, go to the nearest police station and inform the embassy quickly.

Four airlines operate weekly flights between Malabo and Paris; Equatorial Guinea airlines are still on the European Union air safety list, which bans their operation in the Union. Credit cards are theoretically accepted in Malabo (banks, airport, some shops, upmarket hotels), but technical difficulties often prevent their use: plan CFA francs in cash.

The climate is equatorial, with high humidity: the dry season runs from November to February across the whole territory, and a second dry season takes place in July and August on the mainland. Swimming calls for precautions (stingrays possible at the water’s edge) and the forests shelter dangerous snakes, with no quick access to antivenom serum.

France Diplomatie recommends avoiding travelling at night (road insecurity and possible abusive police checks), favouring a rented vehicle with a driver, not leaving valuables visible in a vehicle and stopping at roadblocks while remaining courteous, as “passage fees” may be requested. Taxis, legal or not, are involved in thefts and assaults, notably against women: it is advised not to use them alone, even by day. The risk of piracy is high in the Gulf of Guinea: pleasure sailing is strongly advised against and air transport is preferred to ferries between the island and the mainland.

On legislation and customs, avoid photographing public buildings (ports, airports, presidential palaces, barracks, police stations) and official convoys without authorisation, do not carry binoculars and show restraint in publicly expressing your opinions.

The French embassy cites, in Malabo, the French lycée (referred to as “Le Concorde” on the embassy’s home page) and, on the mainland, the MLF school in Bata (the Mission laïque française, a French schools network). Enrolment, levels and fees are set by each establishment; a school scholarship can be requested through the consulate for a French child enrolled in an approved establishment. See expat family insurance.

France Diplomatie considers an assistance contract or insurance covering all medical costs, including hospitalisation, surgery and medical repatriation, indispensable: even with repatriation insurance, medical evacuations can be complex. Yellow fever vaccination is compulsory. See assistance and repatriation and expat health insurance; Expavy helps you compare contracts according to your status.