Summary
- We strongly advise you not to travel to the Central African Republic due to the highly unstable security situation, activities of armed rebels and high levels of serious crime.
- The security situation in the Central African Republic has deteriorated since December 2012. On 24 March 2013, armed rebels reportedly captured the capital, Bangui, after taking control of a number of towns in northern and central parts of the country in recent months. The security situation remains uncertain and could deteriorate without warning.
- The security situation in Bangui is unpredictable. Further clashes between armed groups may occur. A curfew is reportedly in place in Bangui and restrictions on movement may be imposed in other parts of the country without warning. We strongly advise any Australians that may be in any part of the Central African Republic to depart as soon as possible by commercial means.
- If you do, against our advice, choose to remain in the Central African Republic, you should exercise extreme caution and avoid all large gatherings, protests and demonstrations as they may turn violent.
- Given the dangerous and unpredictable security situation, we strongly recommend that you register your travel and contact details with us, so we can contact you in an emergency.
- Australia does not have an Embassy or Consulate in the Central African Republic. The Australian Embassy in Paris provides consular assistance to Australians in the Central African Republic.
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Be a smart traveller. Before heading overseas:
- organise comprehensive travel insurance and check what circumstances and activities are not covered by your policy
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Entry and exit
Visa and other entry and exit conditions (such as currency, customs and quarantine regulations) change regularly. Contact the nearest Embassy or Consulate of the Central African Republic for the most up to date information.
A valid Yellow Fever Vaccination Certificate is required for entry into the Central African Republic.
The Central African Republic is listed by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as endemic for yellow fever. Some airlines may require passengers to present a valid Yellow Fever Vaccination Certificate before being allowed to board flights out of the country. If in doubt, check with your airline.
If you have visited the Central African Republic in the last six days prior to your date of return to Australia, Australian Customs officials will ask you to present a valid Yellow Fever Vaccination Certificate on entry into Australia.
Make sure your passport has at least six months' validity from your planned date of return to Australia. You should carry copies of a recent passport photo with you in case you need a replacement passport while overseas.
Safety and security
Terrorism
Terrorism is a threat throughout the world. You can find more information about this threat in our General Advice to Australian Travellers .
Civil unrest/political tension
We strongly advise you not to travel to the Central African Republic due to the highly unstable security situation, activities of armed rebels and high levels of serious crime.
Rebels capture Bangui in March 2013: The security situation in the Central African Republic has deteriorated since December 2012. On 24 March 2013, armed rebels reportedly captured the capital, Bangui, after taking control of a number of towns in northern and central parts of the country in recent months. The security situation remains uncertain and could deteriorate without warning. The security situation in Bangui is unpredictable. Further clashes between armed groups may occur. A curfew is reportedly in place in Bangui and restrictions on movement may be imposed in other parts of the country without warning.
We strongly advise any Australians that may be in any part of the Central African Republic to depart as soon as possible by commercial means. If you require consular assistance you should contact the Australian Embassy in Paris +33 1 4059 3300 or the 24-hour Consular Emergency Centre in Canberra on +61 2 6261 3305. See under Where to get help for further information.
If you do, against our advice, choose to remain in the Central African Republic, you should exercise extreme caution and avoid all large gatherings, protests and demonstrations as they may turn violent.
Armed groups have been active in the west, east and north of the country and many areas outside the capital are lawless. Foreigners, including aid workers, have been killed. The security situation is particularly dangerous in border areas.
The Ugandan Lord?s Resistance Army (LRA) has made periodic incursions in the southeast of the Central African Republic, especially Haut-Mbomou province. Many people have been killed and thousands more have fled the region. Civilians continue to be targeted by the LRA in attacks.
Kidnapping: Foreigners, including aid workers, have been the target of kidnappings and violent crime in the Central African Republic. For more information about kidnapping see our Kidnapping threat worldwide travel bulletin.
The Australian Government's longstanding policy is that it does not make payments or concessions to kidnappers. The Australian Government considers that paying a ransom increases the risk of further kidnappings, including of other Australians. If you do decide to travel to an area where there is a particular threat of kidnapping, you should ensure you have personal security measures in place, seek professional security advice and take out kidnapping insurance.
Crime
Banditry and crime are common throughout the Central African Republic, especially in the northern and eastern regions of the country. Theft and robbery occur regularly in Bangui and armed gangs operate in the outlying residential areas of the city. Criminal gangs and rogue security forces also operate in the capital.
Individuals may resort to violence in attempts to steal money. Street crime is common in Bangui. You should avoid the KM5 market due to the risk of crime. Random road blocks may be installed by local police and security forces or people posing as them. All groups may attempt to extort money from travellers through bogus fines or intimidation.
Humanitarian groups are a target for criminals, seeking money, communication equipment and vehicles.
Money and valuables
Before you go, organise a variety of ways to access your money overseas. Credit cards and other electronic forms of accessing cash are not accepted in CAR. There are no ATM machines, even in Bangui. Consult with your bank to find out which is the most appropriate currency to carry, we recommend euros or US dollars be carried for easy conversion into local currency. Several Western Union offices exist in Bangui but only a very limited number of banks. Hotels and restaurants catering to foreigners will only accept cash for payment.
The currency is the African Financial Community franc (XAF), also used in Chad, Congo, Gabon and Equatorial Guinea. The West African CFA franc is not legal tender in Central African Republic. Bangui is the only city where you can change money. Care should be taken when changing money with any official or unofficial change agents.
Make two photocopies of valuable documents such as your passport, tickets, visas and travellers' cheques. Keep one copy with you in a separate place to the original and leave another copy with someone at home.
If you are carrying significant amounts of cash, be extremely careful and, if possible, consider sharing the holding of it with your travelling companions. Remember that expensive watches, and jewellery may be tempting targets for thieves.
As a sensible precaution against luggage tampering, including theft, lock your luggage. Information on luggage safety is available from Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority .
Your passport is a valuable document that is attractive to criminals who may try to use your identity to commit crimes. It should always be kept in a safe dry place. It is recommended you carry certified copies of your passport. You are required by Australian law to report a lost or stolen passport. If your passport is lost or stolen overseas, report it online or contact the nearest Australian Embassy, High Commission or Consulate as soon as possible, see below for contact details.
You are required to pay an additional fee to have a lost or stolen passport replaced. In some cases, the Government may also restrict the length of validity or type of replacement passports.
Local travel
Tourist facilities are not widely available in Central African Republic.
Road travel is dangerous because of the presence of armed groups and bandits and illegal road blocks. Convoys have been attacked resulting in deaths of civilians and military personnel.
Roads in Central African Republic are in a very poor condition and have insufficient lighting making driving dangerous, especially at night. Most roads require a four-wheel drive vehicle. Fuel shortages are common. For further advice on road safety, see our page on road travel .
The rainy season is May to October when flooding may occur and some roads become impassable.
Borders may be closed without warning due to the presence of armed groups and risk of cross border incursions.
There are restrictions for foreigners on travel outside of Bangui, particularly in mining areas in the south-west.
Airline safety
Some airline companies operating out of CAR are on an international blacklist of unsafe airlines. The European Union (EU) has published a list of airlines that are subject to operating bans or restrictions within the EU. Be aware of your personal belongings and passports even within the airport terminal.
Please refer to our travel bulletin for information about Aviation Safety and Security.
Laws
When you are in the Central African Republic, be aware that local laws and penalties, including ones that appear harsh by Australian standards, do apply to you. If you are arrested or jailed, the Australian Government will do what it can to help you but we can't get you out of trouble or out of jail.
Information on what Australian consular officers can and cannot do to help Australians in trouble overseas is available from the Consular Services Charter .
Homosexual acts between adults (of either sex) are illegal in CAR. Penalties include the death sentence.
Police checks are common and failure to produce identity documents (or notarised copies) can lead to detention or falsified fines.
Unauthorised photography, particularly around military zones, military assets, military or police personnel, government buildings and mining leases is prohibited and may lead to the confiscation of cameras, fines and/or detention. A government permit is required for photography. Permits will not be granted for strategic sites such as the airport, military buildings and the Presidential Palace.
A licence is required to buy or sell precious gems. There are heavy penalties for illegally exporting precious gems.
Some Australian criminal laws, such as those relating to money laundering, bribery of foreign public officials, terrorism, child pornography, and child sex tourism, apply to Australians overseas. Australians who commit these offences while overseas may be prosecuted in Australia.
Australian authorities are committed to combating sexual exploitation of children by Australians overseas. Australians may be prosecuted at home under Australian child sex tourism and child pornography laws. These laws provide severe penalties of up to 25 years imprisonment for Australians who engage in child sexual exploitation while outside of Australia.
Information for dual nationals
Our Dual Nationals brochure provides further information.
Health
We strongly recommend that you take out comprehensive travel insurance that will cover any overseas medical costs, including medical evacuation, before you depart. Confirm that your insurance covers you for the whole time you'll be away and check what circumstances and activities are not included in your policy. Remember, regardless of how healthy and fit you are, if you can't afford travel insurance, you can't afford to travel. The Australian Government will not pay for a traveller's medical expenses overseas or medical evacuation costs.
Your doctor or travel clinic is the best source of information about preventive measures, immunisations (including booster doses of childhood vaccinations) and disease outbreaks overseas. The World Health Organization (WHO) provides information for travellers and our 'Travelling Well' brochure also provides useful tips for travelling with medicines and staying healthy while overseas.
Medical facilities throughout the Central African Republic are extremely limited. Pharmaceuticals are in short supply and hygiene standards are poor. Doctors and hospitals generally require up-front payment before commencing treatment. In the event of illness or an accident, medical evacuation to a destination with the appropriate facilities would be necessary. Medical evacuation could cost over a hundred thousand dollars depending on circumstances.
Malaria occurs widely throughout the year in the Central African Republic. Other insect-borne diseases (including yellow fever, filariasis and African sleeping sickness) also occur. We encourage you to consider taking prophylaxis against malaria and to take measures to avoid insect bites, including using insect repellent at all times, wearing long, loose-fitting, light coloured clothing, and ensuring your accommodation is mosquito proof.
Water-borne, food-borne and other infectious diseases (including HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, cholera, polio, typhoid, hepatitis, meningitis and rabies) are prevalent with more serious outbreaks occurring from time to time. We encourage you to consider having vaccinations before travelling. We recommend you boil all drinking water or drink bottled water, avoid ice cubes, raw and undercooked food, fresh fruit and fresh fruit juice. Do not swim in fresh water to avoid exposure to certain water-borne diseases such as bilharzia (schistosomiasis). Seek medical advice if you have a fever or are suffering from diarrhoea.
Where to get help
Australia does not have an Embassy or Consulate in the Central African Republic. You can obtain consular assistance from the Australian Embassy in Paris:
Australian Embassy
4 rue Jean Rey
Paris, France
Telephone: (33 1) 40 59 33 00
Facsimile: (33 1) 40 59 33 10
Email:
consular.paris@dfat.gov.au
Website:
http://www.france.embassy.gov.au/
If you are travelling to the Central African Republic, whatever the reason and however long you'll be there, we strongly recommend that you register with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. You can register online or in person at any Australian Embassy, High Commission or Consulate . The information you provide will help us to contact you in an emergency - whether it is a natural disaster, civil disturbance or a family issue.
In a consular emergency if you are unable to contact the above mission, you can contact the 24-hour Consular Emergency Centre on +61 2 6261 3305 or 1300 555 135 within Australia.
In Australia, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Canberra may be contacted on (02) 6261 3305.
Additional information
For Parents
For general information and tips on travelling with children see our Travelling with Children brochure.
Wildlife
Australians are advised to respect wildlife laws and to maintain a safe and legal distance when observing wildlife, including marine animals and birds. You should only use reputable and professional guides or tour operators and closely follow park regulations and wardens' advice.
