DR Congo tourist and visit visa from an embassy

Foreign visitors apply to the DRC mission responsible for their country of residence. The Brussels embassy issues visas only to residents of Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg, and the Washington embassy serves the United States. The national visa commission in Kinshasa must give a favourable opinion before any entry visa is issued.

Under a reciprocity agreement between the DRC and the United States, US citizens travelling for tourism, study or business receive a visa valid two years for USD 185.

Brussels asks adults for a passport valid at least one year with a copy of the first two pages, the signed visa form, a copy of the identity card, and two identical recent passport photos. Non-Congolese applicants add an updated residence certificate (Netherlands and Luxembourg residents), a criminal record extract (Belgian residents) or a certificate of good conduct, and an invitation legalised by a notary in the host's city and by the Chancellery of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Kinshasa. A DGM undertaking of responsibility counts as an invitation. Researchers and media staff on assignment add letters from their institution or ministry.

Washington asks for one completed and signed form, one 2x2 inch photo taken within six months, a notarized invitation from the host (not needed for people of Congolese descent), a company letter for business travellers, a copy of the yellow fever card, a flight itinerary, a copy of the passport bio page and earlier DRC visas, a passport valid six months with two facing blank visa pages, payment by money order and a prepaid tracked return envelope.

Brussels publishes: one month EUR 85 single or EUR 115 multiple entry; two months EUR 125 or EUR 160; three months EUR 175 or EUR 200; six months EUR 240 or EUR 310. Payment is by bank card at the chancellery or online on the embassy website. Express applications are only accepted at the embassy counter.

Washington publishes: single entry USD 100 for one month, USD 135 for two months and USD 400 for six months; multiple entries USD 120, USD 150, USD 160 for three months and USD 450 for six months. An airport transit visa costs USD 45 one way or USD 75 for a round-trip transit. The embassy's fee page says payment is by blank money order only, and no fee is refunded.

In Brussels you can apply online on the embassy website, print the form and the payment confirmation, and bring the signed form with the documents; or complete the form at the embassy in capital letters. Applications are filed Monday to Friday, 9:00 to 12:30, and collected by appointment. Incomplete files and badly completed forms are not accepted.

Washington returns passports in a prepaid tracked envelope supplied by the applicant and starts processing only once all documents are received. It does not process requests received more than three months before the travel dates.

Because each file goes to the national visa commission, Brussels warns that processing takes at least one week, and two weeks for travellers going to the DRC for the first time. Washington gives a minimum of two business days for most applicants and one business day for applicants of Congolese origin.

Carry an international yellow fever vaccination certificate; both embassies include it in the visa file. For a minor travelling with one parent, Brussels asks for a parental authorisation signed by the other parent and legalised by the municipality. Washington lists, for children under 10, the form signed by a parent, a copy of the birth certificate, the parents' passport copies and a parental authorisation.

The immigration services in Kinshasa may issue or refuse any visa and decide its length and entries. Fees are not refunded after a refusal, a cancelled trip or a withdrawn application.