Democratic Republic of the Congo Visa
A visa is required. We cannot assist in processing this document, but we provide instructions on how to apply.
All About the Visa for the Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo, or DRC, is located in Central Africa and is a land of lush rainforest and is home to the impressive Mount Nyiragongo and critically endangered mountain gorillas. Before travelling to this country, we strongly advise you check the latest advice issued by your government.
In this article, we will explore all the different entry policies, which regulations apply to each nationality visiting, as well as the processes and documents required to travel to this country for tourism.
Nationals from Burundi, Congo, Rwanda and Zimbabwe will be pleased to hear that you are able to visit DRC without needing to get a visa. In 2018, the United Arab Emirates also signed a visa-free agreement with DRC, but it is yet to come into effect.
On the other hand, citizens of Kenya, Mauritius and Tanzania are eligible for a Visa on Arrival (VoA), valid for short trips of up to 7 days.
All other nationalities are required to get a standard tourist visa from an embassy in their country of origin. If there is no DRC embassy in your country, you may request an entry confirmation document also known as a visa volant, which will allow you to receive a VoA.
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What Is the Difference Between a DRC Visa Waiver, a VoA and a Standard Tourist Visa?
The neighbouring African countries that fall under the visa-free travel agreement can enter DRC with just a passport or identity document and stay for up to 90 days.
On the other hand, the handful of nationalities that are eligible for a VoA are granted a stay of 7 days in the country. However, you can apply for an extension once you are in the country if you wish to stay longer from the Services de la Chancellerie à la Direction Générale ou Provinciale de Migration.
Finally, a standard tourist visa allows visitors to stay for up to 6 months. When you apply, you will be given the choice of 1 month, 2 months, 3 months or 6 months validity, as well as the option to choose between a Single Entry and a Multiple Entry document. Regardless of the length of your stay, you will need to obtain this document from an embassy prior to your trip.
DRC Visa Requirements and Eligibility
Are you wondering what entry policies apply to your nationality? In this section, we explore the different entry policy categories and which nationalities they apply to. Simply find which category your passport falls under in the 3 lists below.
List of countries that can visit DRC visa-free:
Burundi
Congo
Rwanda
Zimbabwe
On top of these, diplomatic and service passport holders of these countries are also eligible for visa-free access:
Angola
Iran
South Africa
List of countries eligible for a VoA for DRC:
Kenya
Mauritius
Tanzania
List of countries that must obtain a standard tourist visa for DRC:
Afghanistan
Albania
Algeria
Andorra
Angola
Antigua and Barbuda
Argentina
Armenia
Australia
Austria
Azerbaijan
Bahamas
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Barbados
Belarus
Belgium
Belize
Bhutan
Bolivia
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Botswana
Brazil
Brunei
Bulgaria
Burkina Faso
Cameroon
Cambodia
Central African Republic
Canada
Cape Verde
Chile
China
Colombia
Comoro Islands
Costa Rica
Croatia
Cuba
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Djibouti
Dominica
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
Equatorial Guinea
Egypt
El Salvador
Eritrea
Estonia
Eswatini
Ethiopia
Fiji
Finland
France
Gambia
Georgia
Germany
Ghana
Greece
Grenada
Guatemala
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Guyana
Gabon
Haiti
Honduras
Hong Kong
Hungary
Iceland
India
Ivory Coast
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Jamaica
Japan
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kiribati
Kosovo
Kuwait
Kyrgyzstan
Laos
Latvia
Lebanon
Lesotho
Liberia
Libya
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macao
Madagascar
Malawi
Malaysia
Maldives
Malta
Mali
Marshall Islands
Mauritania
Mexico
Micronesia
Moldova
Mongolia
Monaco
Morocco
Montenegro
Mozambique
Myanmar
Namibia
Nauru
Nepal
Netherlands
Nicaragua
Niger
Nigeria
New Zealand
Nicaragua
North Korea
North Macedonia
Netherlands
Norway
Oman
Pakistan
Palau Islands
Palestinian Territory
Panama
Papua New Guinea
Paraguay
Peru
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
Qatar
Romania
Russia
Samoa
Senegal
San Marino
Sao Tome and Principe
Saudi Arabia
Serbia
Seychelles
Sierra Leone
Singapore
Slovakia
Slovenia
Solomon Islands
Somalia
South Africa
South Korea
South Sudan
Spain
Sri Lanka
St. Kitts and Nevis
St. Lucia
St. Vincent and the Grenadines
Sudan
Suriname
Sweden
Switzerland
Syria
Taiwan
Tajikistan
Thailand
Timor-Leste
Tonga
Togo
Trinidad and Tobago
Tunisia
Turkey
Turkmenistan
Tuvalu
Uganda
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom
United States
Uruguay
Uzbekistan
Vanuatu
Venezuela
Vietnam
Yemen
Zambia
DRC Visa Application Process
For visa-exempt countries, you won’t need to worry about anything before your trip, as all you require to travel to DRC is a valid ID card or passport.
Similarly, countries that are eligible for a VoA will be granted a visa at Kinshasa Airport upon arrival, as long as you have a passport with at least 6 months validity on it and 2 blank pages.
Standard Visa
Most nationalities will have to get a visa prior to departure from a Democratic Republic of Congo embassy or consulate. Depending on your nationality, you will either apply online or in person.
Online
Some embassies have an online system that allows you to complete and submit the application online, in which case here are the steps you should follow:
- Complete the online form.
- Upload all the required supporting documents (see the ‘Application Form and Documents’ section below).
- Book an appointment at the embassy.
- Attend your appointment with your passport, and your visa will be issued there and then.
In person
Some embassies will need you to apply in person, in which case here are the steps to follow:
- Download and complete the application form.
- Collect all the required supporting documents.
- Book an appointment at the embassy.
- Go to your appointment with all the documents and the completed form.
- Your travel document will either be issued during your appointment, or you may be asked to pick it up at a later date.
Now you are ready to fly to the Democratic Republic of the Congo!
Visa Volant
For nationalities that require a travel permit but do not have a Democratic Republic of the Congo diplomatic mission in your country, you can request a visa volant. Here’s how:
You must send an email to the Direction Générale de Migration with a copy of your passport, a letter of invitation from an individual or organisation in DRC along with a copy of their ID.
If your request is approved, you will receive a confirmation email. Print this document and present it to the authorities on arrival to be granted a 7-day VoA.
Once you are in the country, you can get a regular tourist visa from the Services de la Chancellerie à la Direction Générale ou Provinciale de Migration.
DRC Visa Application Form and Documents
Now that you know which regulations apply to your nationality and what steps you need to take to obtain a travel permit, let’s look into exactly which documents and information you will be asked to provide:
- A completed and signed application form.
- A passport with 6 months validity on it and at least 2 blank pages for stamps.
- 1 recent colour passport photo with a white background.
- Notarised and signed letter of invitation from a host in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
- Confirmation of return or onward flights out of the country.
- Accommodation bookings throughout your stay.
- Yellow fever vaccination certificate.
In addition to the documents listed above, you must be able to prove that you possess enough funds to cover the cost of their trip. For example, this could be in the form of a bank statement or a work contract.
Application Form
The application form is a simple document that you will need to fill out with your personal information, passport details and other information of interest. These are the sections and questions you can expect to find:
Personal details
- Name
- Surname
- Maiden name
- Date of birth
- Place of birth
- Nationality
- Gender
- Marital status
- Name of your spouse (if applicable)
- Name and age of any children
- Passport number
- Passport issue date
- Passport expiry date
- Phone number
- Email address
- Occupation
- Current address
Your trip
- Length of stay in DRC
- Purpose of your visit
- Details of any previous visits
- Date of arrival
- Port of entry
- Date of departure
- Port of departure
- Your address in the Congo
DRC Visa Status Check
Have you submitted an application, but are unsure whether it has been approved yet? It can be frustrating waiting to find out what is happening to your application, since it takes several weeks to be processed.
If more than 3 weeks have passed and you haven’t received your document or any news, then it’s best to contact the embassy directly and request an update on your application.
How Much Does a DRC Visa Cost?
The cost of a travel document to this central African country varies depending on the type of document you require and the length of your stay.
Below you can find a list of prices for each type of permit. Don’t forget that if you are processing your document through an agency or third party, additional fees apply.
VoA
7 days – 40 USD
Standard Visa
Single Entry
- 1 month – 83 USD
- 2 months – 150 USD
- 3 months – 217 USD
- 6 months – 300 USD
Multiple Entry
- 1 month – 133 USD
- 2 months – 200 USD
- 3 months – 250 USD
- 6 months – 400 USD
In addition to this, international visitors will need to pay a 50 USD airport exit fee upon departure, as well as 5,000 Congolese francs (5 USD) to board an international flight.
More DRC Visa Questions and Information
There you have it! Everything you need to know about the entry policies to DRC for foreigners visiting for tourism. To complement the information above, we have created a handy FAQ section for you.
