2013-07-31
The National Bank of Angola issued Notice No. 13/2013 to simplify and standardize procedures for current invisible foreign exchange operations, including travel, services, and income transfers between residents and non-residents. The regulation establishes clear definitions, classification criteria, financial coverage mechanisms, and licensing exemptions or requirements for transactions up to specified Kwanza thresholds. It mandates prior registration in the Integrated Foreign Exchange Operations System (SINOC), sets annual limits for individual travel and family support transfers, and outlines approved payment instruments while ensuring ongoing regulatory oversight.
Published in the Official Gazette, I series, no. 149, of August 6 NOTICE NO. 13/2013 dated July 31 SUBJECT: PROCEDURES FOR CARRYING OUT CURRENT INVISIBLE FOREIGN EXCHANGE OPERATIONS Given the need to simplify procedures for current invisible foreign exchange operations established by Decree No. 21/98 of July 24, aiming to confer greater efficiency and flexibility to payments and transfers abroad, aligning them with the new economic context, without prejudice to monitoring by the Exchange Authority. Under the combined provisions of paragraph 2 of Article 28 of Law No. 5/97 of July 27 - Exchange Law, and Article 40 of Law No. 16/10 of July 15, Law of the National Bank of Angola. DETERMINES: CHAPTER I General and Common Provisions Section I (Object, Scope, Definitions and Classification) Article 1. (Object) This Notice establishes the rules and procedures to be observed in carrying out acts, transactions or transfers related to travel, and current transfers as well as payments for services and income when carried out between the national territory and abroad, or between residents and non-residents. Article 2. (Scope)
CONTINUATION OF NOTICE NO. 13/2013 Page 2 of 16 a) individuals or legal entities holding rights and obligations regarding these operations; b) intermediary financial institutions in these operations. 2. The provisions cover: a) acts, transactions, contracts and transfers; b) registration, approval and monitoring procedures regarding the preceding subparagraph; c) customer identification procedures and documentary requirements for executing operations. 3. This Notice does not apply to current invisible operations carried out by entities covered by Law No. 2/12 of January 13, Law on the Exchange Regime Applicable to the Oil Sector, nor to transactions related to profit and dividend transfers from non-residents resulting from financial applications and capital, gaming premiums, and transfers to social security and pension funds, which are governed by their own regulations. Article 3. (Definitions) For the purposes of this Notice, the following are understood:
CONTINUATION OF NOTICE NO. 13/2013 Page 3 of 16 6. Foreign exchange settlement: payment or other form of extinguishment of a foreign exchange obligation. 7. Licensing: administrative process by which authorization is granted to the financial institution to settle a current invisible operation, which under this Notice is not exempt from prior authorization by the National Bank of Angola. 8. Non-resident Exchange: as defined in paragraph 2 of Article 4 of Law 5/97 of June 27, Exchange Law. 9. Foreign exchange operation: any act, transaction or transfer carried out between a resident and non-resident exchange entity, which may eventually result in payment or receipt from abroad, or which is simply qualified by law as such. 10.Current invisible operations: any current transactions that are not goods, namely related to travel and transfers of a current nature, payment and receipt of services and income, when carried out between the national territory and abroad or between residents and non-residents, whose maturity period does not exceed 360 days. 11.Proof of financial capacity: procedure to be adopted by the intermediary financial institution in the operation, aiming to identify and know the origin, as well as the constitution of the patrimony and financial resources of the ordering party covered by this Notice. 12.Foreign exchange registration: collection, electronic processing and maintenance of essential information regarding a foreign exchange operation, in the Integrated Foreign Exchange Operations System (SINOC). 13.Income: receipts from the use of production factors, namely land, labor and capital. 14.Resident exchange: as defined in paragraph 1 of Article 4 of Law 5/97 of June 27, Exchange Law. 15.Services: provision of assistance or performance of tasks by a non-resident entity in favor of another resident or vice-versa, or the use of an asset under analogous circumstances without transfer of ownership of said asset. 16.Integrated foreign exchange operations system (SINOC): automated information system made available by the National Bank of Angola to financial institutions, for approval and licensing of foreign exchange contracts and registration of payments and receipts made. 17.Transfer for family support or maintenance of natural persons: sending of funds by a resident exchange entity, intended for the maintenance of direct family members who depend financially on residents in the country. 18.Current transfers: refer to financial flows sent abroad by public or private sector entities, without goods counterpart, services, financial applications or investment, namely: a. current transactions between governments and/or international organizations, such as donations, periodic contributions to regional and international organizations, fees, fines, granting of various licenses (fishing, hunting and exploitation of other resources) as well as administrative transfers; b. transfers for family support, educational, scientific and cultural purposes, health treatment, periodic contributions to professional bodies, as well as other transfers of identical nature. 19.Transfers for educational, scientific and cultural purposes: sending of funds by a resident exchange entity, with the purpose of covering expenses for persons who reside habitually in the country and are abroad fulfilling academic, professional or scientific programs, including scholarships. These transfers, in addition to tuition or school fees, also include accommodation, food, transport and other costs of the same nature. 20.Transfers for health treatment: sending of funds by a resident exchange entity, intended to cover expenses for health treatment abroad, including reimbursement of already incurred expenses, as well as the performance of medical examinations and other medical and laboratory services. 21.Verification of the nature and legitimacy of the transaction: set of anti-fraud measures aimed at identifying suspected situations based on knowledge of the ordering party's income or business profile and regularity of financial movement. 22.Travel: expenses related to accommodation, food and transport, during the traveler's stay in the host country, provided that the period of stay is less than one year. Article 4. (Classification)
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CONTINUATION OF NOTICE NO. 13/2013 Page 7 of 16 f. invoices from contracts approved by the National Bank of Angola; g. services arising from contracts amounting to Kz 100,000,000.00 (one hundred million Kwanzas) or equivalent in another currency, not mentioned in the preceding subparagraphs; h. services arising from contracts amounting to Kz 300,000,000.00 (three hundred million Kwanzas) or equivalent in another currency, not mentioned in the preceding subparagraphs and whose ordering parties are service providers to the oil sector, duly registered and/or with a program contract concluded with the Ministry of Petroleum; i. travel and transfers as per this Notice, without prejudice to terms, limits and conditions on foreign exchange trade established in Notice No. 07/13 of April 1 and Instruction No. 13/13 of July 31; j. transfers related to remittances of funds abroad, without prejudice to limits established in Notice No. 06/13 of April 22; k. transfers to compensate for value remittance services instructed by financial institutions providing authorized value remittance services by the National Bank of Angola. Article 10. (Transactions Subject to Licensing)
CONTINUATION OF NOTICE NO. 13/2013 Page 8 of 16 2. The operations defined in subparagraphs f) and g), of Article 9, which have the same ordering party, nature and purpose, and within a one-year period benefit the same entity, are considered installments of a single contract, and are therefore subject to prior licensing by the BNA when their sum exceeds the limits set in those subparagraphs. 3. Installments also include acts, transactions or contracts with the same ordering party, nature and beneficiary purpose, established over equal and successive periods or merely consecutive. Article 11. (Registration of Contracts, Transactions, Coding and Exchange Rate)
CONTINUATION OF NOTICE NO. 13/2013 Page 9 of 16 3. When the provision in point 2 is not met, the financial institution may execute the operation, provided it ensures compliance with all necessary requirements and assumes responsibility for its proper execution. 4. Failure by the National Bank of Angola to receive supplementary information within 15 days, after requesting it, results in cancellation of the licensing request. CHAPTER II Operations by Resident Exchange Entities Section I Travel and Transfers Article 13. (Covered Subjects) The present section applies to transactions by resident exchange entities whether public or private, related to travel abroad and current transfers. Article 14. (Travel and Transfers of the Public Sector)
CONTINUATION OF NOTICE NO. 13/2013 Page 10 of 16 b. Those related to official travel or training by employees of entities operating in the private sector; c. Those related to family support, contributions to professional bodies and other private transfers; d. Those related to educational, scientific, cultural purposes and health treatment. 2. Operations ordered by resident individual exchange entities are intended to cover their own expenses and those of direct family members, and are subject to limits as per Article 16, when applicable. Article 16. (Annual Amounts)
CONTINUATION OF NOTICE NO. 13/2013 Page 11 of 16 2. Transfer of funds to the ordering party's account abroad is also permitted, when intended to cover travel expenses within limits established in this Notice. For resident individual exchange entities under 18 years old, foreign currency acquired to cover travel expenses may be transferred to the accounts of their duly authorized parents or legal representatives. 3. Hand delivery of foreign currency is only admitted when values are intended to fund travel expenses abroad, if the ordering party so wishes and the amount does not exceed limits established in regulations on currency entry and exit from the country. Section II Services and Income Article 18. (Services and Income)
CONTINUATION OF NOTICE NO. 13/2013 Page 12 of 16 l. income from capital or financial applications. 4. Advance payments are permitted if contractually stipulated, and must not exceed 15% of the contract value. CHAPTER III Operations by Non-Resident Exchange Entities Article 19. (Salaries and Income)