Entry requirements in D.R.CONGO

For entering D.R.C., any foreigner must have the documents hereafter:

• • A national or international passport in the process of validity or any other travel certificate bearing one of the visas provided for by the law;

  • An airport visa ;

  • A travel or tourist visa ;

  • An individual pass (Ip) for the border countries;

  • An international vaccination certificate required by the health police rules.

N.B. 

- Any foreigner who does not live in D.R.C. should have a valid transport ticket when returning or when he desires to continue his travel outside D.R.C.;

- The airline companies are responsible towards D.R.C. for repatriation or accommodation of the foreigners they would have transported in case the latter did not establish before taking off that they had the required documents and visa.

For obtaining an entry visa in D.R.C, any foreign investor in need, should request an invitation letter from ANAPI by mentioning the names of delegation members and their passport numbers. After processing the file ANAPI will send the invitation to its addressee with a copy to the D.R.C Embassy in the applicant country, which has to issue the visa. For promptness reasons, all this procedure is carried out through electronic means.

Travel visa (or tourist)

It is issued by the diplomatic and consular missions of the D.R.C. abroad and has a validity of 1 to 6 months maximum.

The DGM (Immigration Department) is able to grant and extend it.

When the validity of travel visa is less than 6 months, it can be extended one or several times up to a total duration of 6 months.

Delivery conditions

• • Hold a passport in the process of validity;

  • Fill in the visa application form;

  • Join a passport photograph;

  • Be of good morality;

  • Have enough means of subsistence;

  • Be in charge of (or invited by) a legal entity or an individual regularly established in D.R.C.

N.B. The travel visa does not entitle anyone to carry out a salaried employment in D.R.C.

Types of travel visa

• • Travel visa 1 month, only one entry;

  • Travel visa 1 month, several entries;

  • Travel visa 2 months, only one entry;

  • Travel visa 2 months, Several entries;

  • Travel visa 3 months, only one entry;

  • Travel visa 3 months, several entries;

  • Travel visa 6 months, only one entry;

  • Travel visa 6 months, several entries.

Airport visa and flying visa

These visas are provided to foreigners from countries where the D.R.C. is not diplomatically represented or on discretion decision from the Managing Director.

• • Flying visa

  • It is about an entrance permission granted by the Managing Director in message form and which enables OFFIMI to deliver the airport or port visa.

  • Conditions:

  • - Application letter sent to the Managing Director;

  • - Copy of the applicant passport;

  • - Copy of the Identity of the person bearing the responsibility (case of individual).

  • Airport/ port visa

  • - It is provided to a flying visa holder at Entry post. It is valid for seven days.

  • - It is also granted to any person authorized to go to the borders of D.R.C.

Exit conditions

Exit-return visa is granted for one or several trips to any foreigner holding a settlement visa for travels outside the D.R.C.;

It is valid for 7 months starting from the first travel, 11 months for liberal professions of philanthropic nature (Missionary, A.S.B.L, etc.).

Law and Order measures

Any offending to the legal provisions above-mentioned relating to entry, stay and movements of foreigners in D.R.C is liable for the following measures:

Turning back

Any foreigner who goes to the border post for entering D.R.C without having any of the documents and the visa required is turned back by the employee in charge of immigration control.

This measure is without appeal and the foreigner is immediately repatriated; the transport company being in charge of all probable fees.

Dismissal

Will be subject of dismissal measure:

• • Any foreigner entering D.R.C. without any documents and the required visa.

  • Any foreigner who will not have left the D.R.C territory on expiry of his residence certificate without valid excuse.

The dismissal measure is recorded in an undesirability report made by an immigration officer and notified to the person concerned. The foreigner concerned can appeal to the Managing Director or his representative within 24 hours from the notification. 

Expulsion

The President of the Republic can through a decree, expel from D.R.C. any foreigner who compromises or threatens to compromise peace or law and order by his presence or behavior. Expulsion measure is for 5 years minimum. 

Any foreigner subject of expulsion decision and who wishes to return to DRC before the indicated period should obtain a special authorization from the President of the Republic.

Penalties

Without prejudice of legal proceedings or other law and order measures, penalties apply in the following cases:

• • Non-observance of law provisions;

  • Non-regularization of travel visa or non-renewal of settlement visa in the legal period;

  • Facilitation or direct or indirect attempt of facilitation for entrance, movement or irregular visit of a foreigner;

  • Hindrance to the fulfillment of immigration officer duties acting according to the law or its enforcement measures.

How to Get a Work Permit?

To hire an expatriate, any employer must ensure that the following procedure is observed:

• • Submit a job offer to the Employment National Office