Which DRC visa do I need?

Leisure travel uses the tourist visa. Meetings, site visits and investor travel use the business visa, which needs an invitation from a registered Congolese company. Urgent travel with no embassy appointment available uses an entry authorisation with the visa issued on arrival.

Where do I apply for a DRC visa?

At the Congolese embassy or consulate responsible for your country of residence, or through the official online platform where your mission uses one. DRCTOURISM can prepare, check and submit the file for you.

What documents does every DRC visa application need?

A passport valid at least six months with blank pages, the completed form, recent photographs, a yellow fever vaccination certificate, proof of accommodation or an invitation, a return ticket and proof of funds.

Does DRCTOURISM issue visas?

No. DRCTOURISM is a private travel company. We prepare, check and submit documentation and follow the file until the Congolese authorities make a decision.

Travel planning

DRC Visa Guide: Requirements, Tourist, Business and Visa on Arrival

Almost every visitor needs a visa for the Democratic Republic of the Congo, arranged before departure. This hub explains the three routes travellers use — tourist, business and entry authorisation with a visa issued on arrival — and the documents each one requires.

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DRCTOURISM is a private travel company. We are not a government body and we do not issue visas. We prepare, check and submit documentation and follow your file until a decision is made.

Choose your route

DRC Tourist Visa

The DRC tourist visa covers leisure travel — city stays, Congo River journeys, national parks and cultural trips. You apply before departure with a passport valid six months, your itinerary and confirmed accommodation, a yellow fever certificate, a return ticket and proof of funds. Validity and processing time are set by the mission handling your application.

Read the drc tourist visa guide

DRC Business Visa

A DRC business visa is for meetings, negotiations, site visits, conferences and investor travel. In addition to the standard file, it requires an invitation letter from a registered company in the DRC and a letter from your own employer setting out the purpose and duration of the trip.

Read the drc business visa guide

DRC Visa on Arrival

Visa on arrival in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is not a walk-up service. A sponsor inside the country requests an entry authorisation from the migration authorities before you fly; the authorisation is what allows you to board, and the visa is then issued at the airport on arrival. Without it, airlines refuse boarding.

Read the drc visa on arrival guide

DRC Visa Requirements

The document checklist every category shares: passport validity, photographs, yellow fever certificate, accommodation or invitation, return ticket and proof of funds, with the requirements set out by nationality.

Read the visa requirements guide

Frequently asked questions

Which DRC visa do I need?: Leisure travel uses the tourist visa. Meetings, site visits and investor travel use the business visa, which needs an invitation from a registered Congolese company. Urgent travel with no embassy appointment available uses an entry authorisation with the visa issued on arrival.
Where do I apply for a DRC visa?: At the Congolese embassy or consulate responsible for your country of residence, or through the official online platform where your mission uses one. DRCTOURISM can prepare, check and submit the file for you.
What documents does every DRC visa application need?: A passport valid at least six months with blank pages, the completed form, recent photographs, a yellow fever vaccination certificate, proof of accommodation or an invitation, a return ticket and proof of funds.
Does DRCTOURISM issue visas?: No. DRCTOURISM is a private travel company. We prepare, check and submit documentation and follow the file until the Congolese authorities make a decision.

Visa rules, official fees and processing times are set by the Directorate General for Migration (DGM) and by each Congolese embassy or consulate, and can change without notice. Always confirm the current requirements with the mission handling your file before you travel.

Travel planning hub Destinations in the DRC Track an existing application