Gabon
Last update 30 August 2023Diplomatic missions
Risk index
Level 4: Termination warning throughout the country (except in case of extreme necessity)
4
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We call on Bulgarian citizens to refrain from travelling!
Gabonese Republic
The Republic of Bulgaria does not have a functioning embassy in the capital Libreville. Bulgarian citizens residing in Gabon on a short or long-term basis may address consular matters to the Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria in Abuja, Nigeria.
Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria in Abuja, Nigeria
Address: 10 Euphrates Crescent, Maitama, Abuja
Telephone: +234 9038600017;+234 8033078578
Emergency only out-of-hours hotline: +234 903 000 0275
Working hours: 09:00 – 17:30
Opening hours of the Consular Office: 09:00 – 12:00
E-mail of the Embassy: [email protected]
E-mail of the Consular Office: [email protected]
Website: www.mfa.bg/embassies/nigeria
There is no Embassy of Gabon that is accredited to Bulgaria.
General information
Security level:
Overall, the political situation is calm, but the level of crime is relatively high. The capital and the other major city, Franceville, are relatively safe for foreign tourists. Particular caution is required for individual travels in the country and at night.
Healthcare:
The health system has very limited capacity, especially outside the capital. Treatment with indigenous practices is common and should be approached with care. There have been isolated cases of Ebola reported in the interior of the country.
Recommended vaccines and personal hygiene advice:
A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required for entry into Gabon.
Customs requirements:
There are no restrictions on the import of local or foreign currency, which must, however, be declared. The export of local or foreign currency is permitted within the limits of the amounts declared upon entry.
Road traffic:
The state of transport and roads is unsatisfactory. Car insurance is required at the border.
Practical advice:
When travelling inland during the rainy season (February to June and October to December), appropriate equipment must be worn, including for cars.
Loss of signal for mobile phones and other equipment is likely when traveling inland.
Be careful when eating fruit and vegetables — after washing them, do not eat them immediately, but leave them in sunlight for 10—15 minutes.
Water should be boiled or bought bottled.
Local currency:
Central African franc — CFA
Specifics of the legislation:
It is prohibited to photograph military sites and sites of strategic importance, as well as administrative buildings.
Travel papers and visas
An international passport valid for a minimum of six months from the date the visa for Gabon is authorized.
Bulgarian citizens traveling to Gabon (holders of regular, official and diplomatic passports) need a visa. It can be obtained through the Embassy of Gabon in Paris or through an online visa application on the website of the Directorate-General of Migration of Gabon — https://evisa.dgdi.ga/
The third option, a visa on arrival without prior approval, is not recommended due to recorded cases of difficulties, and very often airlines do not allow passengers on board without a previously obtained electronic visa.
Your passport must have at least one completely blank page so that the entry visa can be affixed to it. There should be no other visa stamps on the back of this page other than the border control stamps.
A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required for entry into Gabon.
Competitive service
Certifications and legalizations
In order to be valid in Bulgaria and to be able to serve before the Bulgarian institutions, all documents issued by the authorities in Gabon to Bulgarian citizens must bear the stamp of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Gabon.
They then need to be authenticated by the Embassy of Gabon in Abuja and subsequently certified by the Bulgarian Embassy in the Nigerian capital.
Thereafter, the documents must be translated into Bulgarian by an authorized Translation Agency in Bulgaria, and the translation certified by the Department of Certification and Legalization of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria.
European Emergency Travel Document
In extreme situations — in case of damage, loss or theft of a passport, Bulgarian citizens can apply for an Emergency Travel Document at an Embassy of an EU Member State in Libreville.