Guinea-Bissau uses the West African CFA franc (XOF), which it adopted in 1997 after abandoning the Guinea-Bissau peso. The CFA franc is pegged to the euro at a fixed rate of 655.957 XOF to 1 EUR, managed by the Central Bank of West African States. Eight countries share this currency, making it stable relative to most West African national currencies but subject to euro fluctuations. Coins come in 1, 5, 10, 25, 50, 100, 200, and 500 franc denominations. Banknotes circulate in 500, 1000, 2000, 5000, and 10000 franc values.
Bissau holds the only ATMs reliably accessible to international cards, concentrated along Avenida Amílcar Cabral and near the Porto Pidjiguiti area. Ecobank and Banco da África Ocidental maintain machines accepting Visa, though daily withdrawal limits sit around 100000 to 150000 XOF. ATMs frequently run empty Thursday through Monday, restocking inconsistently. Power outages disable machines for hours at unpredictable intervals. Outside Bissau, no ATMs function in Bafatá, Gabú, Cacheu, or the Bissagos Archipelago. Travelers reaching Bubaque or Bolama cannot access electronic banking.
Currency exchange operates through banks during limited hours, typically 0800 to 1400 Monday through Friday. Ecobank in Bissau exchanges euros and occasionally US dollars. Street exchange exists informally near Bandim Market in Bissau, offering marginally better rates but carrying obvious risks of counterfeit notes. The euro exchanges more readily than the dollar across all channels. Bringing euros in small denominations—10, 20, and 50 euro notes—eliminates most currency problems. Large euro notes draw suspicion and often face refusal.
Credit cards function at fewer than ten establishments nationwide. The Hotel Azalai in Bissau accepts Visa. Most restaurants, hotels, and all transportation operate cash-only. Debit cards from international banks rarely work even where card readers exist. Travelers should calculate total cash needs before arrival and carry the full amount in euros, converting to XOF incrementally to avoid holding excess local currency at departure.
Wire transfers through Western Union and MoneyGram reach Bissau through agents located near the Bandim Market and on Avenida Amílcar Cabral. Transfer pickup requires passport presentation. Fees run high relative to amounts sent, and transfers take one to three business days to become available. This remains the only emergency funding option outside the ATM system.
Guinea-Bissau requires visas from most nationalities. Citizens of Economic Community of West African States member countries—Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Côte d'Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo—enter without visas for stays up to 90 days. All other nationalities must obtain visas before arrival or on arrival, though the pre-approval system for visas on arrival creates confusion.
Visa on arrival theoretically operates at Osvaldo Vieira International Airport in Bissau. In practice, this requires prior online authorization through the government portal sistema-visa.gw, which frequently malfunctions. Authorization requests can take weeks without response or fail silently. The system accepts payment by credit card but confirmation emails arrive inconsistently. Travelers who complete online authorization receive a document to print and present at airport immigration, where officials issue the visa stamp. Those arriving without authorization face unpredictable outcomes ranging from visa issuance after extended negotiation to entry denial and return on the next departing flight.
Guinea-Bissau embassies and consulates issue visas more reliably than the online system. The embassy in Dakar, Senegal processes most applications from travelers already in West Africa. Processing takes three to seven business days. Single-entry tourist visas cost approximately 55 euros or the equivalent in XOF or USD. The passport must have six months validity beyond the entry date and at least two blank pages. Two passport photos meet standard dimensions. Embassy locations include Lisbon, Paris, Brussels, Dakar, Conakry, and a limited number of other capitals.
Exit stamps at departure receive less scrutiny than entry procedures, but officials verify visa validity dates. Overstaying triggers fines of variable amounts negotiated at the airport. No formal visa extension process exists domestically. Travelers needing longer stays must exit to Senegal or Guinea-Conakry and re-enter, though this guarantees nothing about re-entry approval.
Yellow fever vaccination certificates face mandatory inspection at Osvaldo Vieira International Airport for all arriving passengers. Officials deny entry without proof of vaccination administered at least ten days before arrival. The certificate must show the vaccine name, date of administration, and validator stamp. This requirement applies regardless of origin country. Carry the physical yellow card, as digital versions face inconsistent acceptance.