Chewing qat is not obligatory but your host will be gratified if you give it a try. Yemenis have been engaging in commerce for millennia and have refined the art of negotiation. Delay is a favorite tactic, but it can also be a polite refusal. Corruption and red tape within the government is endemic. Most business offices open in the mornings, close for lunch and qat, and reopen in the early evening.
Government offices are open in the mornings only.
Business travelers to Yemen seeking appointments with U.S. Embassy Sanaa officials should contact the commercial section in advance. Visas are required for travel to Yemen and can be obtained from the Embassy of the Republic of Yemen in Washington, DC or from its UN Mission in New York City. The Embassy recommends that visitors take appropriate precautions before travelling north or east of Sanaa. Dates of Islamic holidays are dependent upon lunar observation and are approximately 11 days earlier each succeeding year due to the lunar calendar. The Embassy observes all American holidays which fall on Monday in the U.S. on Mondays.