Visa policy of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
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 Democratic Republic of the Congo portal |
Visitors to the Democratic Republic of the Congo must obtain a visa from one of the Democratic Republic of the Congo diplomatic missions unless they are citizens of visa-exempt countries, citizens who can obtain a visa on arrival or citizens eligible to obtain an e-Visa.
In recent years, it is possible to arrange a tourist visa for visiting the Virunga National Park (on the Eastern Border) through the park itself.
Visa policy map
[edit]
Visa exemption
[edit]Citizens of the following countries may enter the Democratic Republic of the Congo without a visa for up to 90 days:[1]
Holders of diplomatic or service passports issued to citizens of Angola (on duty), Iran, South Africa and United Arab Emirates (only diplomatic passports)[2] do not require a visa.
Future changes
[edit]Democratic Republic of the Congo has signed visa exemption agreements with the following countries, but they have not yet entered into force:
| Country | Passports | Agreement signed on |
|---|---|---|
 Russia[3]
|
Diplomatic, service | 27 July 2023 |
 Uganda[4]
|
All | 14 October 2023 |
 Chad[5]
|
All | 26 June 2024 |
Visa on arrival
[edit]- Citizens of Mauritius may obtain a visa on arrival valid for up to 7 days.
- Visitors with a document that proves their DRC origins may obtain a visa on arrival for a maximum stay of 30 days.
- Visitors with a document that proves that their parents are of DRC origins may obtain a visa on arrival for a maximum stay of 30 days.
- Visitors arriving from a country with no DRC embassy may apply for a visa confirmation ("visa volant"). A letter of request is sent via e-mail to the Direction Générale de Migration with a photocopy of the passport of the applicant and the inviting person/organization. A confirmation is sent to the applicant which is then used to obtain a visa on arrival, valid for 7 days and extendable in the DRC.[6]
Electronic visa (e-Visa)
[edit]Citizens of other countries may obtain an e-Visa for up to 7 days. The electronic visa must be used within 3 months from the date of issue.[7]
In November 2024 DR Congo authorities announced the introduction of electronic visas for early 2025.[8]
Virunga National Park
[edit]As tourism is growing steadily for Virunga National Park, the government has joined forces and allowed the Park to act as a facilitator in the visa process.[9] Local tour operators can act as facilitators in the process.[10]
Visa required in advance
[edit]Visitors requiring a visa need to submit a legalised letter of invitation from a DRC person or organization. For tourists, a hotel booking confirmation is accepted in case the traveller has no contact in the DRC.
See also
[edit]
References
[edit]- ^ "Visa and passport". Timatic. International Air Transport Association through Emirates. Retrieved 1 April 2017.
- ^ "UAE, Congo ink deal for visa-free travel".
- ^ "Press release on signing an Agreement between Russia and DR Congo on visa-free travel for holders of diplomatic and service passports".
- ^ "DR Congo, Uganda eliminate visa requirements to boost cross-border trade".
- ^ La RDC et le Tchad signent un accord d’exemption de visa réciproque
- ^ "DGM - Délivrance des Visas". dgm.cd.
- ^ "DRC eVisa".
- ^ DR Congo: the electronic visa is coming in 2025
- ^ "Virunga National Park - Securing Visas". Visit Virunga National Park. Retrieved 2017-07-13.
- ^ "Virunga National Park - Trusted Tour Operators". Visit Virunga National Park. Retrieved 2017-07-13.