Opening a bank account in Angola

Hi Julien,

If you have a work visa it is extremely easy to open an account.
At Banco de Fomento Angola (BFA) it's required:
-photograph;
-passport with your work visa and copy of it;
-minimum 200 USD.

On the same day you can come home with your debit cards. Homebanking is also offered (you should ask to subscribe for the full bfanet).

As far as I'm concerned, as an expact, you have access to loans. Only money transfer to foreign countries follows a different rule for expacts vs nationals. Although, those rules are established by the national bank and not any particular commercial bank.

Hi luciadomingos,

Thank you for this information.

Hi Christine,

You're welcome. Glad to help.

From my experience with the local banks here, I'd advise to limit your exposure with them.

They don't always operate to best practice fiscal controls nor accountability.

Sure use them for convenience, but keep the amounts small and something you are willing to walk away from.

GG

I would also suggest using Standard Bank, They have a branch in Talatona Belas Business Park next to Belas Shopping centre and in the city(Luanda) just below the Penguin park not to far from a shop named Maxi, you will have to ask around or go to the web and search for Standard Bank Angolas contact details, they take 2 - 3 days to transfer money out of Angola in general. They use Moneygram and Western Union as far as I know. But they charge allot to open an account, about $2000.

But remember that the 2nd best bank is probably BFA, we made used of both. BFA will take about 10 days to transfer money since they centralised the requests to transfer money to 1 branch and from there it gets sent out to the main distribution branch.

We found that it works best to have 2 bank accounts at different banks, that way if you have problems at the 1 bank you can normally get the issue sorted at the other. BCA is also another good option to look at. Include BFA also if you cant afford standard bank. Try and make friends with the bank manager, invite him/her for barbeques etc and then you won't have many problems with anything at the banks really.

I just moved to Huambo a month ago and I was able to open bank accounts with Banco Angolana de Investimentos, BAI. I only needed a picture, my passport, 2000 Kwamzas and USD 100 to open Kwanza and USD accounts. And I walked away with VISA debitcards within 30 minutes. Unfortunately, the VISA can't be used for local business so I had to go back and ask for a local debit card, which I recieved quickly also. I now urgently need a car and will try to apply the rules (smooshing) that Leroy mentioned above with the branch manager Astrid

Standard bank Internet banking is not working.

Hi

I Want to open account for transfer money to india what are the requirements and opening charges documents, is the details shared with company or else.

Hello All!!!
I am moving to Angola for working soon and would like to open Bank Account in Luanda.
Would you all please advise  which International or Local Bank are reliable and effective to open it, withdraw and transfer my money to my parents account to abroad?

Thank you!

I suggest you Standard Bank!, but you must have working visa to be able ro touch your money!

many thanks

Also only angolan citizen can send max 5000$ /month outside the country. You should ask about that, unless your company is paying you direct in India, which is best.

how much then can I transfer, any limit for expats?

International wire transfer can be done from Angola with Bank , Western Union , MoneyGram and More?

hello
is western union still open now adays here in angola?

Mhai,
       Wala na  Po!