Mozambique Travel Information

Mozambique has suspended all visa applications and canceled all granted entry visas. For more information about coronavirus and entry, see the section Health. According to Abbreviationfinder, MOZ stands for Mozambique in geography.

Safety

Most trips to Mozambique are made without any special problems. However, the security situation in northern Mozambique is characterized by several violent attacks and conflicts in Cabo Delgado province.

Since October 2017, there have been several violent clashes, some fatal, between armed groups, security forces and civilians in Cabo Delgado Province. The situation has worsened during the spring of 2018. Most attacks have taken place in villages in the districts of Palma, Moc¨ªmboa da Praia, Macomia, Quissinga, and Nangade. These attacks have been targeted at civilian housing, and smaller public buildings.

It is currently unclear who is behind the attacks and whether the group has links to networks outside Mozambique’s borders. The authorities have deployed security forces in the area.

Between February and December 2016, there were regular fighting and shootings in several areas in Mozambique. On three routes along the main road EN1, between the Save River and Muxungu¨¦, between Nhamapandza and Caia, as well as between Vanduzi and Catandica, column driving with military cards was introduced. These escorts were regularly attacked, leading to injuries and deaths, including civilians. This column run was discontinued after a ceasefire came to a standstill.

Other areas of conflict were southern parts of Zamb¨¦zia province (especially between Nicoadala and Zero, as well as around Morrumbala), the area around Gorongosa in Sofala province, Manica province (especially in the Honde/Barue area) and partly also in Tete province, in the border areas towards Malawi.

No major fighting actions have been recorded since the ceasefire came into force on December 27, 2017. Therefore, military cards along the three roads were wound up in early January. However, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has maintained the travel council for these parts of the country due to the fragile security situation. At the same time, the political situation is uncertain after Renamo’s opposition leader, Afonso Dhaklama, died on May 3, 2018. The Foreign Ministry cannot exclude the flare-up of the conflict, although there is a ceasefire that seems stable at the present time.

  • Countryaah: Maputo is the capital of Mozambique. Check to find information of population, geography, history, and economy about the capital city.

The biggest threat to Norwegians in Maputo is violent assaults, both on the street and by house burglaries. Knives are often used in such situations. It is also a growing phenomenon in other cities and tourist destinations. Handbags, pocket theft and open cell phone theft also occur.

One should be vigilant at all times. Usually there are no police on beaches or islands. Avoid walking alone after dark, and do not show valuables or money openly. Avoid withdrawing cash from ATMs in the evening.

Keep car doors locked while driving, and be especially careful when arriving or leaving homes after dark. It is not recommended to pick up strangers or stop to help motorists or pedestrians. In some cases, this is something criminals use to trick motorists into stopping. If in doubt, drive directly to a police station.

If you are exposed to criminal activity, you should contact the local police immediately and report the situation. The embassy should also be contacted. If the passport is stolen, one should quickly contact the Norwegian embassy and inform the local immigration authorities. Foreigners are always required to carry identity papers proving legal residence in the country.

The embassy also recalls that there will often be an increase in crime in urban centers in Mozambique before Christmas and New Year.

Since September 2011, over a hundred Mozambicans with South Asian backgrounds have been kidnapped – mainly businessmen, but also their family members. The victims have experienced brutal treatment and large ransoms have been paid. Despite some arrests, police have been criticized for poor handling of such cases. The kidnappings appear to be largely financially motivated and have so far not affected tourists.

There is left-hand traffic in Mozambique. The traffic picture appears somewhat obscure, and traffic accidents are very common due to road conditions, the standard of many vehicles and poor driving culture.

Always drive carefully and defensively and pay attention to pedestrians along the roads. It is recommended to only make car trips on the road outside the big cities in daylight. Please note that there is limited availability of fuel and gas stations outside major cities.

Traveling by public transport can be risky due to poor vehicles, road conditions and driving culture. If in doubt, look for alternative means of transport.

Low-lying areas around large rivers are regularly hit by floods during the rainy season (October-April). This makes many roads impassable, and often leads to infrastructure damage, including roads and bridges. In general, very many gravel roads are difficult to reach during the rainy season. Seek advice from local celebrities before traveling outside of Maputo during the rainy season. When traveling to remote areas, make sure the first aid box is included.

Mozambique is also occasionally hit by cyclones, which occur in the period February-March. The northernmost provinces are most at risk.

Norwegian driver’s licenses are valid for up to 90 days. If you plan to stay longer, you should get an international driving license or apply for a Mozambican driver’s license. It is mandatory to have a driver’s license in the car. Be ready to present photo documentation at the request of the police.

Third-party insurance (liability insurance) is mandatory. This can be purchased at most land border crossings. One should have two warning triangles and reflective vest in the car at all times. Reflective vest should be used for repair and loading or unloading of a vehicle. It is also mandatory to have a fire extinguisher in the car.

Police officials sometimes try to take bribes from tourists. One should not pay bribes to anyone. If you are stopped by the police, ask for an explanation of the offense and ask for a written fine that can be paid at a police station.

Social unrest and riots of a political nature have occurred on some occasions, most recently in September 2010. Such situations are unlikely to occur again. Therefore, one should follow local media for up-to-date information, and avoid all demonstrations and spontaneous clashes of people.

Mozambique was declared mine free in 2015. All known land mines have now been removed.

Piracy/piracy is a threat in the Indian Ocean, and has occurred as far as 1,000 nautical miles off the coast of Somalia. There have also been incidents in Mozambican waters, most recently in 2010. Despite a sharp decline in the number of pirate attacks in the Indian Ocean over the last two years, it cannot be ruled out that piracy will again pick up and also hit Mozambican territory.

In February 2006, central Mozambique was hit by an earthquake measuring 7.5 on Richter’s scale. The quake did not cause major destruction. This was the first quake in a very long time and the danger of new quakes is not considered very great.

Norwegian citizens staying for a shorter or longer period in Mozambique are encouraged to register at http://www.reiseregistrering.no/.

Norwegian citizens are encouraged to have valid travel insurance. Third-party insurance is required when driving.

In a crisis or emergency, the public can contact the embassy: emb.maputo@mfa.no or

+258 21 48 01 00

Outside the opening hours of the embassy, ​​the public can contact the UD’s 24-hour operating center:

+47 23 95 00 00

, e-mail: UDops@mfa.no

Major Landmarks in Mozambique

Entry

Please note that entry regulations may change. The Foreign Service is not responsible if the following information on entry regulations or visa requirements is changed at short notice. It is the responsibility of the traveler to ensure that travel documents are valid for entry and to familiarize themselves with the current entry rules for each country.

Norwegian citizens need a visa to stay in Mozambique. It is possible to buy a visa upon arrival at the border crossings but the Mozambican entry rules can change quickly and without notice. Therefore, to avoid delays and confusion that may arise from language issues at border posts, visitors are advised to obtain a visa in advance through the Mozambican Embassy in Stockholm. You can find more information about the application process on their website.

A standard visa is valid for entry and stays of up to 30 days. If the stay is of a longer duration, or if you want to travel to neighboring countries and back, you can apply for a three-month multiple entry visa in advance. In order to obtain a visa, the traveler should have at least six free pages in the passport.

However, for a visa with a duration of three months, you can only stay in Mozambique for up to 30 consecutive days. The fine for stays beyond this period is currently (January 2017) at MZN 3000 per day at the border crossings. The renewal of the stay with the immigration authorities in Mozambique is somewhat lower, but here is only a single extension of 30 days.

If you are traveling in the region, it is also possible to contact the Mozambican High Commission in South Africa, one of their consulates, or the Mozambique High Commission in Swaziland to obtain a visa through them.

Please note that the passport must have a validity period of six months after entry. In Mozambique it is necessary to be able to identify, and passports with a valid visa must always be brought. Emergency passports are not accepted upon entry into Mozambique. Emergency passports can also not be used when traveling to or via South Arika.

It is the responsibility of travelers to ensure that travel documents, including visas, are valid. Tourists coming to Mozambique by car must take out third-party insurance at the border.

According to foreign exchange export rules, it is only legal to bring MZN 500 out of Mozambique. Imports and exports of physical currency are held in the maximum amount of USD.

Health

Coronavirus (covid-19): Coronavirus has been confirmed in Mozambique. Mozambique has suspended all visa applications and canceled all granted entry visas. Furthermore, Mozambican authorities have introduced mandatory quarantine for all travelers. The quarantine is set to last for 14 days. The embassy will update the websites as soon as further information is received..

Norwegian travelers to Mozambique should keep abreast of the development of the corona virus. Follow local authorities’ advice, guidance and instructions on how to deal with the situation. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs does not create travel advice because of the risk of infection. It is the Public Health Institute that provides infection protection advice when traveling.

You can find more information and guidance from the Norwegian health authorities on the website of the Norwegian Institute of Public Health. See also UD’s answers to frequently asked questions about travel and coronavirus.

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Capacity and standards in hospitals and healthcare professionals in Mozambique are low, and it is recommended to use private clinics/hospitals. In case of serious illness or injury, medical evacuation to South Africa may be necessary. It is important to have travel insurance that covers the evacuation of the sick and injured. Malaria, HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis are considered to be the biggest health challenges in Mozambique.

Although health services have gradually improved since the end of the civil war in 1992, Mozambique’s health system remains among the poorest and poorest in the world. Access to medical care is particularly precarious outside the major cities and the north of the country.

The public health services in Mozambique are of very low standard. There are some private hospitals and clinics in Maputo that can be used for less serious illness, but in more severe cases evacuation to South Africa is recommended.

Malaria is widespread and malaria prophylaxis should be taken throughout the country. Good precautions are sleeping under mosquito nets, using mosquito spray / roll-on electricity and wearing clothes that cover the skin when you are out in the evening.

Cholera is present throughout the year and flares up occasionally. To avoid cholera, one can boil the drinking water or buy bottled mineral water. It also helps maintain good personal hygiene. Cooked and fried foods are normally considered harmless.

Bilharzia occurs – avoid contact with stagnant water/rivers.

HIV/AIDS is prevalent, 11.5 percent nationwide and in some places significantly higher. It is recommended to bring condoms, they are not always available.

In the autumn of 2007, Mozambique introduced a requirement that travelers from/via certain countries must have a vaccine against yellow fever. Travelers must present a vaccination card to confirm this if they come from/via:

Angola, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Colombia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ivory Coast, Ecuador, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, French Guiana, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Kenya, Congo, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Panama, Peru, Rwanda, São Tom¨¦ and Pr¨ªncipe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Surinam, Tanzania, Togo, Trinidad Tobago, Chad, Uganda, and/or Venezuela.

Hepatitis vaccine is recommended. See also updated vaccine information on the Norwegian Institute of Public Health’s websites.

Medication deficiencies occur regularly in Mozambique. However, most medicines can be obtained in South Africa. The labeling of medications can be deficient, so it is important to consult a doctor before taking it.

The Norwegian Institute of Public Health’s websites provide official health professional travel advice and health professional guidance to Norwegians when traveling abroad.

Practical information

According to allcitycodes, the area code for calls from Norway to Mozambique is +258. The telephone network is well developed in and around the larger cities, but the line can be poor in peripheral areas and in the north of the country. The time difference between Norway and Mozambique is +1 hour at the Norwegian winter time, while you have the same time in the summer.

Maputo is usually a stable power supply and is at 220 volts and 50Hz. At certain times of the year (rainy season), the power supply may be erratic, with regular power outages. On the other hand, access to electricity north of the country is poor and somewhat unreliable.

You can buy starter kits with prepaid mobile phone cards for cheap money in our own stores, however, these sim cards must be registered before they can be used. Mcel and Vodacom have nationwide networks that also cover the largest cities, while Movitel has invested heavily in outskirts. There are also well-developed 3G networks in the big cities. The Internet domain in the country is.co.mz. The currency unit in Mozambique is metical. The currency is not convertible.

Norwegian travelers are advised to bring cash in USD as well as to have enough funds available on Visa cards.

To the extent credit cards are accepted, Visa is most commonly used. Most major hotels, shops and restaurants accept Visa, Mastercard and American Express. In Maputo and in the major cities, it is problematic to withdraw local currency with ATM Visa card. Skimming of cards at ATMs occurs.

Usual opening hours are: Bank 08.00 – 15.00, public offices 07.30 – 15.30, shops 09.00 – 18.00.

There is little Norwegian tourism in Mozambique, but there are some Norwegian travel companies that arrange trips to the country (including Hvitserk and Magellan tours).

The national airline LAM flies routes to/ from Johannesburg, Harare, Durban, Nairobi and Dar-es-Salaam in addition to a number of domestic routes. It should be noted that since 2011, the Mozambican Aviation Administration IACM has been on the EU flight ban list because, in the EU’s opinion, serious deficiencies in the institution’s routines and capacity have been revealed. However, the IACM was removed from the EU flight ban list in May 2017. Therefore, the national airline LAM is again allowed to resume flights to the EU.

They are a common practice among embassies and international organizations to use other alternatives (SA) where possible, but to use LAM when the only alternative.

The Portuguese company Tap operates with direct routes between Europe (Lisbon) and Mozambique. South African Airways also flies to Mozambique via Johannesburg. Qatar Airways flies from Oslo via Doha to Maputo, and Emirates flies from Europe with stopovers in Dubai and Johannesburg. Kenya Airways flies to Maputo from Nairobi, and Ethiopian Airlines has direct flights from Maputo to Addis Ababa. Stockholm and Frankfurt. In the autumn of 2015, Turkish Airlines started a direct route between Maputo and Istanbul, with a connection to Oslo.

Tourist buses between Maputo and South Africa often run and are good. It is safest to get a taxi outside the larger hotels. The largest car hire companies operate in Maputo (Avis, Hertz, Europcar).

National holidays are: January 1 – New Year, February 3 – Heroes ‘Day, April 7 – Women’s Day, May 1 – Workers’ International Match Day, June 25 – Independence Day (National Day), September 7 – Victory Day, September 25 – Revolution Day, October 4 – Peace and Reconciliation Day, November 10 – Maputo’s Day, December 25 – Family Day. If holidays fall on Sunday, it is free the following Monday.

Tips are not included in the restaurant bill. It is expected that approx. ten percent tip.

It is illegal to drive a car under the influence of alcohol and it is illegal to possess narcotics. Laws and regulations are not necessarily enforced and respected. There are serious accidents in traffic due to drivers and pedestrians who are affected by alcohol.

It is prohibited to photograph in public offices, airports, military organizations, housing and police or officials without the special permission of the Ministry of Information.

Foreigners are always required to carry identity papers proving legal residence in the country. One can be stopped by the police and asked for a passport, possibly a certified copy of the passport and visa.

The official language is Portuguese, which is mastered by approx. 30 percent of the population. English is progressing, but is still not widely used. This is especially true outside the capital Maputo. Beyond this, there are a number of local languages ​​in Mozambique.

It is useful to note that Mozambicans place greater emphasis on formal courtesy than Norwegians. That means greeting, apologizing and thanking people you for example. deal with or meet informally several times. A greater degree of courtesy and formality must be demonstrated in meetings with public authorities.