All travellers

All British passport holders need to get a visa before travelling to the DRC. See Visas section for more information.

There is a departure tax of $50 per passenger plus a fee of 5,000 Congolese Francs on international flights and $10 per passenger on domestic flights. These are official fees paid when checking in. Get an official receipt plus a copy for each fee. You should hand the originals on request to immigration and at boarding, and keep the copies.

If you’re fully vaccinated

All travellers entering DRC are subject to screening, including temperature checks. Travellers aged 11 and above need to provide proof of a negative coronavirus PCR test upon entry to DRC or proof of a full course of vaccination against COVID-19. The test result date must be within the 48 hours prior to your arrival. Children under the age of 11 are exempt. There is no requirement for a PCR COVID-19 test at the airport upon arrival.

You should not use the NHS testing service to get a test in order to facilitate your travel to another country. You should arrange to take a private test.

There are currently no track and trace requirements for arrivals.

Proof of vaccination status

Travellers aged 11 and above need to provide proof of a negative coronavirus test upon entry to DRC or proof of a full course of vaccination against COVID-19.

DRC has not yet confirmed that it will accept the UK’s proof of COVID-19 recovery record. Your NHS appointment card from vaccination centres is not designed to be used as proof of vaccination.

If you’re not fully vaccinated

Passengers who are not fully vaccinated will be required to present proof of a negative PCR test taken within 48 hours of departure to DRC. If you are not fully vaccinated, you will be subject to an additional PCR test on arrival. People who are not vaccinated are invited, prior to boarding in the country of departure, to register online at on the National Institute of Biomedical Research website to obtain a QR code to be presented on arrival at the sampling centre at the airport. Registration requires you to upload a photo of your passport and a copy of your ticket. The cost of the test is around US$45, payable online, or on arrival (in cash). Travellers aged 11 and above who are not vaccinated will also be subject to this requirement.

If you’ve had COVID-19 in the past year

The same measures apply whether or not you have had COVID-19 in the past year.

See the If you’re fully vaccinated or If you’re not fully vaccinated sections above for further information.

Children and young people

Travellers aged 11 and above need to provide proof of a negative coronavirus test upon entry to DRC or proof of a full course of vaccination against COVID-19. The test result date must be within the 48 hours prior to your arrival. Children under the age of 11 are exempt.

Travellers aged 11 and above who are not vaccinated will be subject to an additional PCR test on arrival.

If you’re transiting through DRC

Transiting is when you pass through one country on the way to your final destination.

The same measures apply whether or not you are transiting through DRC. See the If you’re fully vaccinated or If you’re not fully vaccinated sections above for further information.

Exemptions

There are no exemptions to DRC’s entry requirements.

Check your passport and travel documents before you travel

Passport validity

Your passport should be valid for a minimum period of 6 months from the date of entry into the DRC.

Check with your travel provider to make sure your passport and other travel documents meet their requirements.

Visas

All British passport holders need to get a visa before travelling to the DRC. You can’t buy a short-term pass to enter the country. To get a visa, contact:

The Embassy of the Democratic Republic of the Congo

281 Gray’s Inn Road

London

WC1X 8QF

Telephone: 0207 580 3931

Email: info@ambardc-londres.gouv.cd

DRC visa requirements mean that some types of visa applications are referred to Kinshasa for a decision. In these cases, a formal letter of invitation from the person or organisation you are visiting, stamped by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Kinshasa and submitted with your application, can help to speed up the visa issuing process.

You should check requirements with the DRC Embassy in London and allow at least 2 to 3 weeks for visa processing.

A Rwandan or Ugandan immigration stamp in your passport should not prevent you from entering the DRC, but you may still experience difficulties on arrival if you do have them.

You should consider getting a long-term visa if you are planning to stay in the DRC for a considerable period. When applying for or renewing a long term visa, DRC authorities now need a certificate of “Good Conduct” from your country of residence and a “Consular Certificate” as part of the application. The Consular Certificate can be issued at the British Embassy in DRC.

Satellite phones, GPS receivers or Military clothing

You may have difficulties at immigration if you are travelling with satellite phones, GPS receivers or military clothing.

Yellow fever certificate requirements

Check whether you need a yellow fever certificate by visiting the National Travel Health Network and Centre’s TravelHealthPro website. DRC authorities will check the status of your yellow fever certificate on arrival.