Visas and entry conditions in Congo

Visa requirements *

Visa-exempt foreign nationals : Burundi, Congo Brazzaville, Rwanda, Zimbabwe.
Nationalities eligible for a visa on arrival : Kenya, Mauritius, Tanzania
Nationalities subject to visa : citizens of all other nationalities can obtain their visa on arrival.

Types of visa

Entry into Congolese territory requires administrative formalities depending on the nationality of the travelers and on the type of stay. In accordance with laws and regulations, the Directeur Général de Migration (DGM) is authorized to issue visas to foreigners wishing to visit Congo and to settle there. A visa may be granted only to applicants who fulfill the conditions laid down by laws and regulations.

A. Visas and conditions

1. Flying visa  (visa on arrival) :

Authorization granted by the Director General to a foreigner from a country where Congo has no diplomatic or consular representation. This authorization allows the passenger to benefit from an airport visa to access the Congolese territory. It is also granted to guests of the Congolese Government.

Conditions to qualify for a flying visa:

• Letter of request from the applicant to the Directeur Général de la Direction Générale de Migration,
• Photocopy of the applicant's passport,
• Photocopy of the identity of the inviter, if Congolese, or passport, if he is a foreigner.

2. Airport visa :

Issued at the entry point to the beneficiary of the flying visa or with the express authorization of the Director General. It is valid for 7 days. After this period, the applicant will have to regularize his stay with the Services de la Chancellerie à la Direction Générale ou Provinciale de Migration.

3. Tourist visa :

Issued abroad by embassies of Congo abroad, it gives the beneficiary the possibility to cross the border if he fulfills the following conditions:

• Holding a valid passport,
• Have adequate means of subsistence,
• Be assisted by a legal or natural person regularly established in Congo.

The Travel Visa does not authorize the exercise of a paid activity in Congo. The validity of this visa is 6 months maximum. This visa may be extended by theDirection Générale de Migration for a period of one, two or three months in order to total the six months.

4. Establishment Visas

• Issued to foreigners wishing to settle in Congo,
• Give them not only resident status but also the possibility of carrying out professional or economic activities under the conditions set by the Act.

Types of Establishment Visas : Regular, Professional, Studies, Matrimonial, Permanent (more details on the french version of this page).

B. Cases of passport and visa exemption

1. Passport and visa

a) Travelers under 15, provided if their identity is indicated on the passport of an ascendant or guardian accompanying them;

b) Foreigners who are crew members of an airline if they hold a valid crew member license or certificate.

2. Transit visa

d) Les membres du personnel naviguant des lignes aériennes ou maritimes faisant escale en RDC, à la condition qu'ils soient porteurs d'une licence ou d'un certificat valable de membre d'équipage.

a) Foreigners in transit if they do not leave Kinshasa airport during their stopover;

b) Foreigners who transit through Kinshasa airport, traveling exclusively by air and who must wait for the strictly necessary time to take the first correspondence to continue their journey;

c) Foreigners who, as passengers of an airline, have to continue their journey by air from Brazzaville airport (they may also benefit of this exemption from Brazzaville airport to Kinshasa airport);

d) Foreigners who are crew members of an airline if they hold a valid crew member license or certificate.