Congo visa

Congo visa : A visa is a necessary requirement for most destinations so while you are planning your travel, it is important to know how to get a visa to the destination and how soon you should apply for it to avoid being denied entry to a country. A visa is a documentation that gives a foreigner access to a new territory and their reason for the visit should also be stated. The visa is issued to an individual after establishing his interest in travelling to the destination.

There are different types of visas that one can apply for and a few of these are the student visas, the working visa, the tourism visa, and the transit visa to mention but a few. It is always advisable to book your visa ahead of the date of arrival even if some destinations have a provision of acquiring the visa on arrival. The Democratic republic of Congo is one of the countries where you will need a visa.

The DR Congo like all other destinations has a number of visas you may apply for and these are all at different costs. The DR Congo is a relatively large state and to be able to visit the different provinces, you can apply for an extended visa to get a travelling visa at 360 USD. The Direction Generale de Migration (DGM) is the Congolese authority that is responsible for issuing of visas to foreigners. The Institute Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature (ICCN) made an agreement with the Direction Generale de Migration to have a 2 week tourist visa.

The tourist visa is an easier way to get into the country. The DR Congo tourist visa is also a more affordable pass for the guests who do not intend to spend a lot of time in the country and are only interested in the tourism activities of the country. To access the Virunga national park or the Kahuzi Biega national park, you will need to apply for a tourist visa. Both the Virunga national park and the Kahuzi Biega national park can help in the DR Congo tourist visa application process. You can only qualify for this offer after purchasing a safari package to visit either of the national parks.

How to apply for a DR Congo tourist visa?

Once you get in touch with us interested in a safari package and you make your booking, we shall send the formulaire de demande de visa form which you will fill in with personal details including the booking voucher number for the trip. Once you send the form back, it will be forwarded for scrutiny and once your application is accepted, the visa will be sent to your electronically via email.

It is important to print out a hard copy to move with just in case you cannot access your email or low phone battery issues.

How early should you book a DR Congo tourist Visa.

This visa application should be done atleast 2 weeks ahead of your anticipated arrival so as to give it enough time to be ready.

Who is exempted from getting a DRCongo visa?

Only Congolese and Rwandans are exempted from acquiring a visa on entry into the Democratic republic of Congo from the Rwandan side. All other nationalities will be expected to apply for a visa and also undergo the same scrutiny.

As you apply for a DR Congo visa, please note that as Virunga national park and Kahuzi Biega national park help you with your visa application, the Direction Generale de Migration still holds all authority in accepting the application. This visa is almost a 99% chance of being accepted and you will only be able to use this visa in Virunga and Kahuzi Biega national park.

Yes, this DR Congo tourist visa is accepted at both the Gisenyi-Goma border and the Rusizi border which guests coming from Rwanda use depending on their destination. On arrival at the Grande Barrier border building, you will check in, receive your permits and head out to your next destination.

Requirement to acquire a DR Congo tourist visa;

the only requirement to acquire a DR Congo tourist visa is purchased safari package from either of the parks. The fees paid for a tourist visa are non-refundable in case of any circumstances that may force you to not come on the date planned for arrival. If you postpone your arrival, you will have to pay another 105 USD per visa.

What if one is flying into Goma?

For the individuals opting to fly directly into Goma via the Ethiopian airlines are encouraged to notify the Virunga tourism team at least two weeks before the planned departure and this information is shared with Ethiopian airlines. You may not be allowed to board the flight without this information.

You will also need to have a valid yellow fever vaccination card for check in and to be allowed access into the country. If you are looking at visiting the Virunga national park, ensure to use this visa at the Grande barrier not the Petite Barrier of Uganda-DR Congo also known as the Bunagana border.