DRC Visa Guide — How to Apply, Costs and Entry Requirements
Use the official DRC channels, allow extra time, and verify the rule for your nationality and purpose of travel.
Treat fees and timelines as a dated snapshot
Immigration note: Requirements can change and depend on nationality, residence, purpose and length of stay. Confirm your case with the DRC Directorate General of Migration, the official eVisa portal, or the competent embassy before paying or travelling.
The official eVisa portal is live, but its former public FAQ does not currently provide an auditable fee, nationality or processing table. The supplied June 2026 brief included specific lists and prices that could not be confirmed on the live DGM or eVisa pages on 22 July 2026, so this guide does not present them as current law. Airline staff may require proof of the correct visa or pre-authorisation; keep approvals and supporting documents available offline.
Four possible entry routes
Eligibility depends on the passport and trip. Do not assume that visa on arrival means arriving without prior authorisation.
Official eVisa
Check eligibility in the live portal, follow the document prompts, pay only inside the official flow and travel with the issued approval.
Open official source Before travelEmbassy or consulate
Use the competent DRC mission when your nationality, purpose, stay length or requested visa type is not covered clearly online.
Open official source Confirm firstVisa at the point of entry
Availability is limited and may require advance authorisation. Obtain written confirmation from DGM or the competent embassy before boarding.
Open official source Passport-specificVisa-free entry
Treat any online nationality list as provisional. Ask DGM, the competent embassy and the airline to confirm the current agreement for the exact passport in writing.
Open official sourceDocuments and steps
The portal controls the current requirements. Use this seven-step workflow to avoid starting with incomplete or inconsistent information.
Step | What to do | Control |
|---|---|---|
1 — Check eligibility | Open the official eVisa portal and confirm that the passport, travel purpose and requested stay can use the online route. | If the route is unclear, stop and contact the competent embassy or DGM. |
2 — Confirm the DRC contact | Ask the portal or embassy whether a hotel, company, host or other responsible contact and invitation are required for this application. | Do not assume the document brief’s French invitation format applies to every case. |
3 — Prepare documents | Collect passport scan, photo, itinerary, accommodation/contact evidence, purpose documents and any invitation shown in the current instructions. | Use exact passport spelling and clear complete scans. |
4 — Submit officially | Complete the form only at evisa.gouv.cd or through the competent mission. | Check the domain before uploading personal documents. |
5 — Pay the displayed fee | Pay only the amount and method shown in the official application or mission instructions. | Save the official receipt; do not rely on the unverified fees in the supplied brief. |
6 — Verify the approval | Compare name, passport number, validity, entries and permitted stay with the passport. | Ask for correction before travel if anything is wrong. |
7 — Prepare for entry or extension | Print and save the approval, carry accommodation/contact details, and ask DGM about any extension before the permitted stay expires. | An approval does not guarantee entry; the border officer makes the final decision. |
The ‘responsible person’ or invitation question
The supplied brief says every eVisa needs a responsible person in the DRC and a French invitation addressed to DGM. That may be requested for some applications, but it is not documented on the live public portal pages available today. Ask the portal or competent mission what is required for your passport and purpose. If an invitation is requested, the host, hotel or registered company should confirm the wording, signatory and identification documents directly.
Document | What to prepare | Check |
|---|---|---|
Passport | Clear bio-page scan and original passport, with at least six months’ validity after arrival. | Name and passport number must match exactly; check blank-page rules with the issuing mission. |
Photo | Recent passport-style image that meets the portal or embassy specification. | Use a clear, current image. |
Travel plan | Arrival point, dates, accommodation and contact details. | Keep bookings flexible until approval. |
Supporting purpose | Invitation, business letter, host details or tourism evidence if requested. | Requirements vary by application type. |
Yellow fever certificate | Original international vaccination certificate. | Required at entry for travellers aged 9 months or older according to CDC guidance. |
Approval and receipt | PDF and printed copies of the visa, pre-authorisation and payment receipt. | Save them offline before departure. |
After submission
Check email and the application account for requests for more information.
Compare every detail on the approval with the passport immediately.
Do not board until you hold the document required for your chosen route.
Carry the address and contact details for your first stay.
What to have ready
Passport valid for at least six months after arrival
Clear passport bio-page scan
Recent passport-style photograph
Official route and eligibility confirmed for the exact passport
Accommodation and DRC contact details
Invitation and host identification if the live instructions require them
Travel itinerary and purpose documents
Original yellow fever certificate and any required polio proof
Official approval and payment receipt saved online, offline and on paper
Airline and border document requirements rechecked before departure
Embassy requirements differ by country and visa type. Follow the mission’s own current checklist rather than copying another country’s application pack.
A visa is not a safety clearance
Additional permission or longer review may apply to some eastern routes, but the document’s fixed ‘up to 30 days’ claim could not be verified in a current official immigration source. Obtain written guidance for the exact provinces and check current government travel advice before booking.
Current FCDO advice warns against all travel to North Kivu and South Kivu and notes that commercial flights from Goma and Bukavu are not operating. Advice differs by government and changes quickly.
Entry, health screening and departure
Carry your passport, visa or pre-authorisation, yellow fever certificate and accommodation/contact details in hand luggage.
Health screening can be introduced or expanded during outbreaks. Follow airport and border instructions.
FCDO guidance reports departure taxes of US$55 for international flights and US$10 for domestic flights, paid at check-in with official receipts. Confirm with your airline because procedures and fees can change.
Immigration officers make the final entry decision. A visa or approval does not override other entry conditions.
Never hand your passport or payment to an unofficial intermediary. Ask for a receipt for any official payment.
Key facts and what still needs confirmation
Item | Planning answer |
|---|---|
Official eVisa portal | https://evisa.gouv.cd/ |
Visa required? | Passport-specific; confirm with DGM or the competent mission. |
Visa-free passports | No current auditable list was found on the live public DGM/eVisa pages; obtain written confirmation. |
Visa on arrival | Limited and potentially pre-authorised; do not board without written confirmation. |
eVisa validity | Read the validity printed on the issued approval. |
Permitted stay | Read the issued visa; ask DGM about extension before expiry. |
eVisa fee | Pay only the amount displayed in the official flow. |
Processing | Apply early; current UK embassy guidance gives 2–3 weeks for British applications, but missions vary. |
DRC contact or invitation | May be required depending on route; follow the live instructions. |
Passport | At least six months’ validity after arrival under current FCDO guidance. |
Yellow fever | Original certificate required; check medical eligibility and timing with a clinician. |
Departure tax | US$55 international / US$10 domestic under current FCDO guidance; confirm at check-in. |
Eastern travel | Separate immigration and security checks may apply; verify before booking. |
