Living in Mozambique as a French National: E-Visa, Maputo, Safety, School and Health

Mozambique offers its residents an Indian Ocean coastline, a coastal capital and a French education network: according to the AEFE, the Gustave-Eiffel lycée is a school under agreement from the very first nursery year to the final year. The official language is Portuguese, which matters for administrative procedures; civil-status records and diplomas are translated accordingly.

The points of caution concern safety and health: France Diplomatie describes armed robberies, assaults and burglaries on the rise in Maputo and the other large centres, a risk of kidnapping for ransom in Maputo and Beira (with no current targeting of foreigners or tourists, according to the page, but without ruling out the risk), a dangerous road network and a very limited healthcare system. Preparation before departure consists in choosing the visa, the neighbourhood and the health cover. See also the guide to the Mozambican healthcare system.

Maputo is home to the French embassy (Julius Nyerere Avenue), which is also responsible for Eswatini, and the Gustave-Eiffel lycée. France Diplomatie reports armed robberies, assaults and burglaries, above all in the city centre and the neighbourhoods frequented by the international community; it recommends not carrying valuables in public, staying alert with mobile phones, varying routes and reporting any threat to the embassy.

The zones of vigilance are precise (map updated by France Diplomatie): the whole province of Cabo Delgado (including Pemba), the islands of Ibo and the Quirimbas, the eastern third of Niassa and the border with Tanzania as far as Malawi, as well as several districts of Nampula are formally advised against; the west of Niassa and the towns of Nampula and Nacala are advised against except for compelling reasons; the rest of the country is under heightened vigilance.

According to France Diplomatie, the passport must be valid for six months beyond the end of the stay and have at least two blank pages. For a tourist or business stay of less than 30 days, the e-visa is requested on the official portal, 5 to 7 days before departure, with a photo, a copy of the passport, a return ticket, proof of means of subsistence, paid hotel bookings and a professional invitation letter where applicable; it costs about €40 (MZN 650 for the visa plus MZN 2,400 service fee). Other purposes are handled at the Mozambican embassy in Paris (82 rue Laugier, 75017) or at the embassy in the country of residence.

• Visitor visa (family, friends): requested before departure at the embassy; the host must declare the arrival to the migration service (SENAMI) within 5 days, on pain of a fine of MZN 1,000 a day.
• Extension: online or at the regional migration office; visa overstay: USD 50 a day.
• Identity document: carry a certified copy of the passport or of the DIRE (resident card), as fines may penalise the absence of an identity document.
• Work: see the page on working in Mozambique.

The “Economic reference points” block above presents inflation and the metical exchange rate. The official pages consulted publish no rent scale: amounts are requested from local agents and the employer, and checked in writing before signing a lease. The customs allowances on entry are 400 cigarettes or 250 g of tobacco, 2.25 litres of wine and 1 litre of spirits, 50 ml of perfume and items worth USD 50; an imported vehicle requires a temporary import authorisation on entry.

Given the France Diplomatie recommendations, the choice of housing takes account of security (guarding, fencing, access), night journeys to be avoided and proximity to the school. For families: expat family insurance.

The Lycée français international Gustave-Eiffel, at 203 Rua do Rio Raraga in Maputo, has 581 pupils across 16 levels, from the very first nursery year to the final year, all approved except the very first nursery year; no level there is followed through the CNED (AEFE record). The school’s logo indicates a status under agreement. Enrolment, tuition fees and grants are requested from the school and the consular section of the embassy.

For children, insurance is chosen with a paediatrics and vaccination component: France Diplomatie notably recommends rabies for young children in rural areas and reports cholera in disadvantaged neighbourhoods. The page on healthcare reimbursement in Mozambique compares the cover solutions.

• drive on the left; absolutely avoid night driving outside towns; do not exceed 500 km of travel a day so as to arrive before nightfall (dusk falls around 5:30 p.m. from June to August);
• avoid shared minibuses (“chapas”), which are in poor condition and driven dangerously; keep your distance from uncovered lorries, which may throw up materials;
• avoid cycling on roads outside towns;
• limit night-time walks, including in residential neighbourhoods, and avoid valuables in public;
• carry a certified copy of the passport or the DIRE; register with the Ariane system for alerts.

The France Diplomatie pages give no emergency numbers for the police, ambulance or fire brigade: it is useful to save those of your contract’s assistance, of the hospital identified in advance and of the embassy.

France Diplomatie describes care facilities as “very poor, especially in the provinces”, with few doctors, and recommends having serious medical procedures carried out abroad if possible, South Africa being the nearest destination. An assistance contract covering all medical costs and repatriation is imperative. Cholera sees cyclical outbreaks in the suburbs and disadvantaged areas, notably in Beira (Sofala), Maputo and Nampula; the vaccination record may be checked at the border.

The French vaccination schedule must be up to date; hepatitis, typhoid, rabies and tuberculosis are discussed with a doctor; the WHO recommends a poliomyelitis vaccination certificate dating from less than twelve months. Malaria is prevented by protection against mosquitoes and preventive treatment. See also repatriation and assistance.