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
Visa exemption
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Ordinary passports
Citizens of the following countries may enter the Democratic Republic of the Congo without a visa for up to 90 days:[1]
In April 2025, the DR Congo authorities abolished the visa exemption granted to Zimbabwean transport drivers.[2] They must pay 50 USD for a 30-day visa.
Non-ordinary passports
In addition, holders of diplomatic and official passports of the following countries may enter DR Congo without a visa:
D - Diplomatic passports only.
Future changes
DR Congo has signed visa exemption agreements with the following countries, but they have not yet entered into force:
| Country | Passports | Agreement signed on |
|---|---|---|
 Uganda[5] | All | 14 October 2023 |
 Chad[6] | All | 26 June 2024 |
Visa on arrival
- Citizens of Mauritius may obtain a visa on arrival valid for up to 7 days.
- Visitors with a document that proves their DR Congo 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 DR Congo origins may obtain a visa on arrival for a maximum stay of 30 days.
- Visitors arriving from a country with no DR Congo 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 DR Congo.[7]
Electronic visa (e-Visa)
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.[8]
In November 2024 DR Congo authorities announced the introduction of electronic visas for early 2025.[9]
Virunga National Park
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.[10] Local tour operators can act as facilitators in the process.[11]
Visa required in advance
Visitors requiring a visa need to submit a legalised letter of invitation from a DR Congo person or organization. For tourists, a hotel booking confirmation is accepted in case the traveller has no contact in the DR Congo .
See also
References
- ^ "Visa and passport". Timatic. International Air Transport Association through Emirates. Retrieved 1 April 2017.
- ^ "DRC scraps Zimbabwe visa, adding expense to transporters".
- ^ "Press release on signing an Agreement between Russia and DR Congo on visa-free travel for holders of diplomatic and service passports".
- ^ "UAE, Congo ink deal for visa-free travel".
- ^ "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.