It wasn't to be that easy, as we were promptly turned around by the Gendarmerie as we approached, and told to return to Ziguinchor to have visas issued for Guinea-Bissau. So much for visa-on-arrival amongst the ECOWAS nations. Visa fees were also supposed to have been abolished altogether effective January this year, but clearly that policy setting has not yet been communicated to the local consul because he cheerfully levied us 20,000 CFA each in order to process the visa applications.
Then again, that's a better deal than the one generously offered by a gentleman in the courtyard of the Consulate. He claimed to be able to process our visas for just 50,000 in total, had a sister in Sydney and was super keen to help. Despite his lovely demeanour, a quiet enquiry with people standing outside told us that he is a 'bandit' and would walk in the front door of the Consul then straight out the back door with our 50,000 in his pocket.
