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 $55 per passenger 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.
From July 2023 the DRC government removed all COVID-19 related controls related to entry into the country. Exit related controls were removed in 2022. The DRC no longer requires proof of either COVID-19 vaccination or a negative COVID-19 PCR test for entry into DRC.
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.
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.