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.
Travellers often read that the DRC offers visa on arrival. It does, but only on the basis of an entry authorisation issued in advance — there is no counter where an unannounced visitor can simply buy a visa.
This route exists mainly for urgent business and investor travel where no embassy appointment is available in time.
How the route actually works
- A sponsor in the DRC — a company, host or accredited travel company — files the request with the migration authorities.
- The authorities review the file and, if approved, issue an entry authorisation naming the traveller and the dates.
- You present the authorisation at check-in; airlines will not board you without it.
- On landing, the visa is issued at the airport against the authorisation, your passport and your yellow fever certificate.
What you still need with you
- Passport valid at least six months with blank pages.
- The entry authorisation, printed and on your phone.
- Yellow fever vaccination certificate.
- Accommodation confirmation and return ticket.
- Means to pay the official on-arrival fee where it is collected at the airport.
Important limits
Approval is at the discretion of the migration authorities and is never guaranteed, whoever files the request. Validity of the visa issued on arrival is short and set by the authorities; extension inside the country is a separate procedure. Plan the embassy route whenever your dates allow it.
Arrival at N'djili, Kinshasa
Have your documents together before you reach the desk, keep the name on your booking identical to your passport, and arrange a met-on-arrival transfer so someone is waiting for you landside. Our assistance clients receive the arrival instructions with their case reference.
Assistance with entry authorisation
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. Our emergency package includes the entry authorisation request and the seven-day visa on arrival, with the amount per applicant shown on the assistance page.
Frequently asked questions
- Can I get a visa on arrival in the DRC without applying first?
- No. An entry authorisation must be issued in advance by the migration authorities through a sponsor inside the DRC. Without it, airlines refuse boarding and entry is refused.
- Who can request the entry authorisation?
- A sponsor established in the DRC: the company inviting you, your host, or an accredited travel company acting for you.
- How long is the visa issued on arrival valid?
- It is a short-stay visa and the validity granted is decided by the migration authorities. Extending it inside the country is a separate procedure with its own cost.
- Is approval guaranteed?
- No. The decision rests entirely with the Congolese migration authorities. No travel company can guarantee an authorisation or a visa.
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.