Guidance

Angola: Knowledge Base profile

Updated 3 July 2026

Version 5.0

About: Angola

This document contains useful information about Angola which will assist His Majesty’s Passport Office staff process passport applications.

Contacts

If you have any questions about the document and your line manager or senior caseworker cannot help you or you think that the document has factual errors then email Guidance team.

If you notice any formatting errors in this document (broken links, spelling mistakes and so on) or have any comments about the layout or navigability of the document then you can email Guidance team.

Publication

Below is information on when this version of the document was published:

• version 5.0
• published for Home Office staff on 25 June 2026

Changes from last version of this document

This Knowledge base profile has been updated in the Names section to show when HM Passport Office will add an observation to the British passport referencing the name shown in the customer’s foreign passport.

Angola: names

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about names in Angola.

Names in Angola consist of:

• a forename
• more than 1 surname

On an Angola passport the last surname will show in the surname field, with other surnames in the forename field.

Change of name

Name changes are allowed in Angola.

Name changes are done using an affidavit.

Name alignment

HM Passport Office will not ask a customer to align their passport if the difference in the name is due to the formatting of names in the Angola passport.

HM Passport Office will add an observation to the British passport referencing the name shown in the foreign passport if:

• the customer is unable to align their Angola passport; and, and can provide evidence to support this; or,
• admin fairness test has been applied and we do not ask for alignment; and  
• no exceptions apply as shown in the guidance, Names: aligning names on foreign documents

Angola: nationality

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about nationality in Angola.

Dual nationality is not recognised in Angola.

Angola: legitimacy and parental responsibility

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about legitimacy and parental responsibility in Angola.

Legitimacy

Angola does not recognise a difference between legitimate and illegitimate births. This means all births are considered legitimate whether a child’s parents are married or not.

Parental responsibility

Both parents have parental responsibility for their child in Angola.

Angola: adoption

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about adoption in Angola.

Adoption is legal in Angola.

Angola: surrogacy

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about surrogacy in Angola.

Surrogacy is not recognised in Angola.

Angola: gender recognition

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about gender recognition in Angola.

Transgender citizens are not recognised in Angola.

Angola: civil partnerships and marriage

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about civil partnerships and marriage in Angola.

Civil partnerships, same sex relationships and Polygamous marriages are not recognised in Angola.

Traditional, Religious, Polygamous, Customary and Civil marriages take place. Civil marriages are acceptable for HM Passport Office purposes.

Angola: documents

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about documents in Angola.

Birth certificates

All births must be registered with the Central Registrar which opened in 2011. Once registered a birth certificate will be issued. There are different types of birth certificates issued.

Replacement certificates can be obtained from the Central Registrar.

A full birth certificate is called Boletim de Nascimento.

Birth certificates will always show the child’s father’s name.

Hospital birth certificates are also issued in Angola.

Marriage certificates

Marriages must be registered with the Central Register, who will issue a marriage certificate.

There are several different types of marriage certificate issued. The main variation will depend on if they were issued before or after the opening of the Central Register in 2011.

Identity documents

Identity cards are mandatory, and the details are held on the Central Register.