Central African Republic
Country Specific Information
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October 16, 2012

COUNTRY DESCRIPTION: The Central African Republic (CAR) is one of the world’s least developed nations, and has experienced several periods of political instability since independence from France in 1960. Despite an on-going peace process and the presence of a democratically-elected government in the capital, Bangui, rebels are still active in large portions of the country's northern and eastern provinces. In the Dzanga-Sangha National Park in the southwest, facilities for tourists are being developed but remain limited. Read more about U.S. relations with this country.

The U.S. Embassy in Bangui resumed operations in January 2005, following the evacuation of all U.S. staff in 2002. The Embassy continues to operate with limited staffing, and can provide only basic services to U.S. citizens in the CAR.

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SMART TRAVELER ENROLLMENT PROGRAM (STEP) / EMBASSY LOCATION: If you are going to live in or visit the Central African Republic, please take the time to tell our Embassy about your trip. If you enroll, we can keep you up to date with important safety and security announcements. It will also help your friends and family get in touch with you in an emergency. Here’s the link to the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program.

The United States Embassy, Bangui
Avenue David Dacko
B.P. 924
Bangui
Telephone: 236 2161-0200
Facsimile: 236 2161-4494
Emergency after-hours telephone: 236 7540-1050

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ENTRY/EXIT REQUIREMENTS: A valid passport, visa, and evidence of yellow fever vaccination are required for entry. Travelers should obtain the latest information and details from the Embassy of the Central African Republic, 2704 Ontario Road, NW Washington, DC 20009, telephone: (202) 483–7800 / 7801, fax: (202) 332–9893. Overseas, inquiries should be made to the nearest Central African Republic Embassy or Consulate. NOTE: In any country where there is no Central African Republic diplomatic mission, the French Embassy has authorization to issue a visa for entry into the Central African Republic. The Embassy of the Central African Republic does not have a website.

The U.S. Department of State is unaware of any HIV/AIDS entry restrictions for visitors to or foreign residents of the Central African Republic.

Information about dual nationality and the prevention of international child abduction can be found on our website. For further information about customs regulations, please read our Customs Information page. 

There are several restrictions on foreigners who wish to travel within the CAR. Both residents and tourists must ensure that they have proper paperwork with them at all times, and additional permissions for any travel outside of Bangui. Travel to the southwest in particular requires a permit for all foreign travelers due to the presence of sensitive mining areas. You are encouraged to check with the authorities in Bangui, such as the Gendarmerie National, and/or the U.S. Embassy about possible restrictions in the areas where you wish to travel. As of September 15, 2012, the U.S. Embassy suspended overland travel north of Bangui for U.S. government personnel due to armed attacks in the area.   

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THREATS TO SAFETY AND SECURITY: Spontaneous demonstrations take place in the CAR from time-to-time in response to world events or local developments. We remind you that even demonstrations intended to be peaceful can turn confrontational and possibly escalate into violence. You are therefore urged to avoid the areas of demonstrations if possible, and to exercise caution if within the vicinity of any demonstrations. You should stay current with media coverage of local events and be aware of your surroundings at all times. Armed rebel groups, bandits, and poachers present real dangers, and the Central African government is unable to guarantee the safety of visitors in most parts of the country. Northwestern and eastern CAR, especially the areas bordering Chad and Sudan, are particularly dangerous due to clashes between government and rebel forces. 

There have been repeated attacks on Central African and expatriate travelers throughout the CAR over the last 10 years. The continued presence of the Lord’s Resistance Army in eastern CAR poses a particular safety and security threat. Bandits, militias, and cross-border rebel activity in the north and northeast also threaten the security of residents and travelers. Limited infrastructure and the great distance from Bangui mean that the U.S. Embassy can provide few services to U.S.citizens in these areas. Travel to these regions is strongly discouraged.

Bangui itself, though safer, suffers from elevated crime rates, as well as severely limited transport and medical options. The CAR military and civilian security forces (and people posing as such) staff checkpoints throughout the city, frequently harassing local and expatriate travelers for bribes. The U.S. Department of State advises against travel outside of the capital. Please see the Department of State’s Travel Warning for the CAR for more information.

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CRIME: Crime remains a concern in the capital although it has decreased in recent years. You should exercise caution while traveling around the city and its immediate environs. Petty theft remains a problem in large market areas, particularly in the crowded markets near KM 5 on the outskirts of the city. Armed gangs may operate in outlying residential areas. During previous periods of civil unrest and conflict, including most recently in 2011 and 2012, citizens engaged in violent, sometimes deadly, demonstrations which included widespread looting, burning of buildings and blocking of roads. In the northern and western parts of the country, there are frequent reports of armed robbery and kidnapping by highway bandits (called “coupeurs de routes” or “zaraguinas”), especially during the December to May dry season. When a crime does occur in Bangui, the victim may have to pay to send a vehicle to pick up police officers due to the shortage of police vehicles and fuel. 

In many countries around the world, counterfeit and pirated goods are widely available. Transactions involving such products may be illegal under local law. In addition, bringing them back to the United States may result in forfeitures and/or fines. The Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Division in the U.S. Department of Justice has more information on this serious problem. 

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VICTIMS OF CRIME: If you or someone you know becomes the victim of a crime abroad, you should contact the local police and the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. We can:

  • Replace a stolen passport.
  • Help you find appropriate medical care if you are the victim of violent crimes such as assault or rape.
  • Put you in contact with the appropriate police authorities, and if you want us to, we can contact family members or friend.
  • Help you understand the local criminal justice process and direct you to local attorneys, although it is important to remember that local authorities are responsible for investigating and prosecuting the crime.

The local equivalent to the “911” emergency line in the Central African Republic is 117, and you can call the Gendarmerie at 2161-2200.

Please see our information on victims of crime, including possible victim compensation programs in the United States.

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CRIMINAL PENALTIES: While you are traveling in the CAR, you are subject to its laws even if you are a U.S. citizen. Foreign laws and legal systems can be vastly different than our own. Penalties for breaking the law can be more severe than in the United States for similar offenses. Persons violating Central African laws, even unknowingly, may be expelled, arrested, or imprisoned. Penalties for possession, use, or trafficking in illegal drugs in the CAR are severe, and convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines. Engaging in sexual conduct with children or using or disseminating child pornography in a foreign country is a crime prosecutable in the United States. If you break local laws in the CAR your U.S. passport won’t help you avoid arrest or prosecution. It’s very important to know what’s legal and what’s not where you are going.

Based on the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, bilateral agreements with certain countries, and customary international law, if you are arrested in the CAR, you have the option to request that the police, prison officials, or other authorities alert the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate of your arrest, and to have communications from you forwarded to the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. In some cases, U.S. citizens and other foreign nationals have been detained indefinitely without due process. 

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SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES:
Photography: Taking photographs of police or military installations, airports, or any other government buildings, is prohibited. Unauthorized photography may result in the seizure of photographic equipment by the CAR authorities. Police or other government authorities can provide information and grant permission for photographing a particular subject or location. 

Corruption: Corruption remains a serious problem among the CAR security forces, some members of which have harassed travelers for bribes. At night, the roads in the capital are often manned with impromptu checkpoints, at which police or soldiers ask motorists and travelers for money.  

Banking: Banking infrastructure remains limited in the CAR, and facilities for monetary exchange exist only in the capital. There are no ATMs in the CAR. Exchange bureaus and banks normally accept dollars and euros, but not West African Francs (CFA). Credit cards are not used in the CAR, and purchases of goods and services are made in cash, including hotel rooms and airline tickets. 

Accessibility: While in the CAR, individuals with disabilities will find accessibility and accommodation very different from what you find in the United States. Public infrastructure is generally in poor condition and sidewalks, buildings, and public transportation do not cater to special accessibility needs.

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MEDICAL FACILITIES AND HEALTH INFORMATION: Medical facilities are extremely limited in the CAR, and the quality of care is unreliable. Sanitation levels are low. Many medicines are not available; you should carry properly labeled prescription drugs and other medications with you that will suffice for your entire visit.

Routine immunizations and protection from vaccine-preventable diseases such as yellow fever, rabies, polio, meningitis, typhoid, and hepatitis A and B are recommended. Malaria (predominantly P. falciparum) exists throughout the year and chemoprophylaxis is strongly recommended. Information on vaccinations and other health precautions, such as safe food and water precautions and insect bite protection, may be obtained from the CDC website. For information about outbreaks of infectious diseases abroad, consult the World Health Organization (WHO) website. The WHO website also contains additional health information for travelers, including detailed country-specific health information.

Tuberculosis is an increasingly serious health concern in the CAR. For further information, please consult the CDC's information on TB. 

Insect-borne illnesses are of concern as is Schistosomiasis, an illness related to contact with fresh water. Insect precautions and avoiding freshwater are recommended.

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MEDICAL INSURANCE: You can’t assume your insurance will go with you when you travel. It’s very important to find out BEFORE you leave whether or not your medical insurance will cover you overseas. You need to ask your insurance company two questions:

  • Does my policy apply when I’m out of the United States?
  • Will it cover emergencies like a trip to a foreign hospital or a medical evacuation?

In many places, doctors and hospitals still expect payment in cash at the time of service. Your regular U.S. health insurance may not cover doctors’ and hospital visits in other countries. If your policy doesn’t go with you when you travel, it’s a very good idea to take out another one for your trip. For more information, please see our medical insurance overseas page.

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TRAFFIC SAFETY AND ROAD CONDITIONS: While in a foreign country, you may encounter road conditions that differ significantly from those in the United States. The information below concerning the CAR is provided for general reference only, and may not be totally accurate in a particular location or circumstance.

In Bangui, road conditions vary, and many roads have large holes and degraded areas that prevent the normal flow of traffic. Only a small portion of the roads in the country, including in the capital, are paved, and many of the compacted dirt roads have been degraded. Drivers tend to prefer to drive on the smoothest portion of the road and ignore basic traffic laws, thus slowing the flow of traffic and increasing the risk of collision. The city of Bangui does have a public transportation system consisting of green buses and yellow taxis, though these vehicles are often dangerously overcrowded and very badly maintained.

Due to the risk of armed attacks on motorists in the northern, eastern, and western regions of the country, overland travel in these areas should be avoided. Any driving outside the capital should be only during daylight hours. Most remote areas in the CAR that are frequented by tourists are accessible only by four-wheel drive vehicles, although some roads are not passable at all during the rainy season, from May to October.

There are currently no distracted driving laws in effect in the Central African Republic, but police may pull over drivers who talk or text while driving for not following unspecific safe driving procedures.

Please refer to our Road Safety page for more information. For more information, please the Central African Republic’s website.

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AVIATION SAFETY OVERSIGHT: As there is no direct commercial air service to the United States by carriers registered in the CAR, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has not assessed the government of the CAR's Civil Aviation Authority for compliance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) aviation safety standards. Further information may be found on the FAA’s safety assessment page.

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CHILDREN’S ISSUES: For information see our Office of Children’s Issues web pages on intercountry adoption and international parental child abduction.

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This replaces the Country Specific Information for the CAR dated April 9, 2012 with updates to the sections on Entry/Exit Requirements, Crime, Criminal Penalties, and Photography.

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