Every way into DR Congo.

A short airport (visa aéroportuaire) or seaport (visa portuaire) visa issued on arrival, generally on the basis of a prior visa-volant authorisation arranged by a host in the DRC for travellers from countries without a DRC mission. The published DGM tariff is about USD 40 and the visa is valid 7 days; it can be extended once in-country at a DGM office. A yellow-fever vaccination certificate is required. Mauritius citizens may obtain a visa on arrival for 7 days. The visa is for short visits only and does not authorise employment or residence.

Government fee

$40

Processing time

1 day

Max stay

7 days

Validity

7 days

The electronic visa launched by the Direction Générale de Migration (DGM) in early 2025 digitises the ordinary flying visa for tourism, business and family visits. The eVisa is single-entry, valid 90 days from issue and authorises a stay of up to 7 days; the online application fee is about USD 300 and an additional USD 90 entry (VAP) fee is collected at the border. Applicants must name a responsible person or organisation in the DRC (hotel, business partner, friend or relative) and hold a yellow-fever vaccination certificate. Extensions are handled in-country at DGM offices. The visa does not authorise employment or residence.

Government fee

$300

Processing time

3 days

Max stay

7 days

Validity

90 days

The traditional travel visa (visa de voyage) issued by DRC diplomatic and consular missions abroad for tourism and short visits, for applicants in countries where the DRC is represented. The published DGM tariff is tiered by duration and entries: roughly USD 83 (1 month, single entry) up to USD 400 (6 months, multiple entries), plus a USD 50 form fee and a USD 50 deposit. Applicants must show a valid passport, proof of funds, accommodation and usually a local invitation or sponsorship, plus a yellow-fever certificate. The visa permits visiting but not employment or settlement.

Government fee

$83

Max stay

90 days

Validity

30 days

A short transit visa for travellers crossing the DRC en route to a third country. The published DGM tariff is about USD 50 for a single journey and USD 100 for a round trip, plus form fees. Applicants must show an onward ticket and, where required, a visa for the onward destination, plus a yellow-fever certificate. The visa allows only the brief transit and does not authorise employment, tourism beyond transit, or residence.

Government fee

$50

Max stay

7 days

Validity

30 days

The same DGM electronic flying visa used for short business trips - meetings, negotiations, conferences and site visits. It is single-entry, valid 90 days from issue with a stay of up to 7 days, and like the tourist eVisa carries an online fee of about USD 300 plus a USD 90 border (VAP) fee. Business applicants must declare a responsible person or company in the DRC and typically attach a company invitation letter. Yellow-fever vaccination is mandatory. The visa permits business activity but not local salaried employment or residence; longer assignments require a visa d'établissement de travail.

Government fee

$300

Processing time

5 days

Max stay

7 days

Validity

90 days

The student establishment visa is for foreigners (and accompanying minors) enrolling at a recognised DRC higher-education or training institution. The published DGM tariff for the students/minors establishment category is about USD 100, plus form and deposit fees. Applicants present an admission or enrolment letter, proof of means and a yellow-fever certificate; the visa is tied to the course and renewable for its duration. It permits study and is not a work visa.

• Study: Enrolment at the admitting DRC institution.

Government fee

$100

Validity

365 days

A foreign national taking salaried employment in the DRC needs both a work card (carte de travail pour étranger) issued by the Commission Nationale de l'Emploi des Étrangers under the Ministry of Employment/ONEM, and a work establishment visa (visa d'établissement de travail) from the DGM. The work card is granted only after the labour authority confirms the post cannot readily be filled by a qualified Congolese national, and employers may not exceed roughly 15% foreign staff and must train Congolese counterparts. The published DGM work-establishment visa fee is about USD 653 plus a USD 100 deposit. The visa underpins long-term residence tied to the job and is renewable; refusals of the work card may be appealed to the Ministry of Labour within 15 days.

• Work: Salaried work for the sponsoring employer once the work card and establishment visa are issued.
• Study: Lawful residence permits study alongside work.
• Residency: Renewable work-establishment residence; no fixed statutory PR clock published. DRC bars dual nationality (Art. 10 Constitution).

Government fee

$653

Validity

730 days

Expatriate specialists in mining (Katanga/Lualaba copper-cobalt) and oil operate on the standard work route - a work card from the Commission Nationale de l'Emploi des Étrangers plus a DGM work-establishment visa (published fee about USD 653 plus deposit) - but under sector-specific foreign-labour quotas. The Mining Code and 2024-2025 reforms set 'congolisation' targets requiring progressive transfer of skilled posts to Congolese nationals and training obligations; the DRC raised quotas in several technical sectors in 2024-2025 where local skills are scarce. Operations in the conflict-affected east (North Kivu, South Kivu, Ituri) face additional security clearances and slower processing. Renewable and tied to the employer.

• Work: Salaried work for the mining/oil employer under the work card and establishment visa.
• Study: Lawful residence permits study.
• Residency: Renewable employer-tied residence; congolisation pressures favour replacement by nationals over time.

Government fee

$653

Validity

730 days

Foreign investors establishing a business in the DRC seek approval (agrément) of their project under the Investment Code (Law No. 004/2002) through ANAPI, the national investment-promotion agency, which decides within a maximum of 30 days of a complete filing. The minimum qualifying investment is USD 200,000 (USD 10,000 for SMEs), with a value-added rate of at least 35% and compliance with environmental and labour rules; approval brings customs and tax advantages. The agrément is not itself a visa: the investor and assigned staff still obtain establishment and work visas from the DGM. ANAPI is digitising its services and the Investment Code is under revision in 2026. DR Congo has no citizenship-by-investment programme - nationality is single and exclusive under the Constitution.

• Work: Investor may manage and work in the approved enterprise via the accompanying establishment/work visa.
• Study: Lawful residence permits study.
• Residency: Leads to renewable establishment residence; no citizenship-by-investment (single nationality only).

Processing time

30 days

Min. investment

$200,000

The matrimonial establishment visa is for the foreign spouse of a Congolese citizen or of a foreigner holding establishment status in the DRC. The published DGM tariff for the matrimonial category is about USD 200, plus form and deposit fees. Applicants present a recognised marriage certificate, the spouse's identity/residence document, and a yellow-fever certificate; the visa grants resident status and is renewable. Because DRC nationality is single and exclusive, marriage does not confer automatic Congolese citizenship and any naturalisation would require renouncing the prior nationality.

• Work: Resident spouse may generally work; salaried employment may still require a work card.
• Study: Full access to study as a resident.
• Residency: Renewable resident status; naturalisation possible only by renouncing prior nationality (single nationality rule).
• Family: Covers the foreign spouse; dependent children covered under the minors establishment category.

Government fee

$200

Validity

730 days

Missionaries, clergy and NGO/charity workers settle in the DRC under the philanthropic branch of the ordinary establishment visa, for which the published DGM tariff is about USD 200 (versus USD 700 for the commercial professional category), plus form and deposit fees. Applicants present a posting or appointment letter from the recognised church, mission or NGO operating in the DRC, proof of support, and a yellow-fever certificate. The visa grants resident status tied to the organisation and is renewable.

• Work: Authorises the religious or charitable mission with the sponsoring organisation.
• Study: Lawful residence permits study.
• Residency: Renewable resident status tied to the organisation; single nationality only.

Government fee

$200

Validity

730 days

Diplomatic and courtesy visas are issued by DRC missions and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to holders of diplomatic and service passports travelling on official business, and to staff of international organisations. They are generally free of the ordinary visa fee. Holders of diplomatic/official passports of Angola, Iran, Russia, South Africa, Turkey and the UAE enjoy visa-free access for official duties. The category covers official travel only and confers no private employment or settlement rights.

• Family: Accredited dependants of diplomats are covered under the mission's accreditation.

Government fee

$0

The ordinary establishment visa (visa d'établissement ordinaire) confers resident status on foreigners settling in the DRC to carry out professional, commercial or economic activity (the carte de résident pathway). The published DGM tariff is about USD 700 for the professional category and USD 200 for philanthropic/religious activity, plus a USD 100 deposit. The holder may reside and conduct the authorised activity; the permit is renewable. There is no passive income or investment threshold attached to the ordinary category itself. DRC permits only single nationality, so there is no route to dual citizenship.

• Work: Authorises the declared professional or economic activity.
• Study: Lawful residence permits study.
• Residency: Renewable resident status (carte de résident); no published statutory PR/naturalisation clock and single nationality only.

Government fee

$700

Validity

730 days

The special and permanent establishment visas are the long-duration resident categories of the DGM. The published tariff is about USD 653 for a 5-year special establishment visa, USD 700 for a 10-year special visa, and USD 1,500 for the permanent establishment visa, each plus a USD 100 deposit. They grant settled resident status for foreigners with a durable basis to remain (long-term professionals, long-resident foreigners or those with significant ties). The permits are renewable and the permanent category provides indefinite residence. DR Congo allows only single nationality (Constitution Art. 10), so resident status never converts to dual citizenship.

• Work: Settled residents may work and conduct economic activity.
• Study: Full access to study as a resident.
• Residency: Long-term/permanent resident status; single nationality bars dual citizenship and no published naturalisation clock from this status.
• Family: Spouse and dependent children covered via matrimonial establishment visas alongside the principal.

Government fee

$653

Validity

1,825 days