Democratic Republic of the Congo Travel Guide

The Democratic Republic of the Congo asks every visitor to secure an e-Visa or consular visa before travel, visas are not available at the airport. The process runs in two payments, an online application fee followed by a separate 90 US dollar fee collected on arrival, and the printed visa authorization needs to be shown alongside proof of yellow fever vaccination at immigration, where fingerprints are also taken. Border staff treat the yellow fever certificate as non-negotiable, not a formality.

Two things make 2026 a genuinely different year to visit than an ordinary one. An Ebola outbreak, first reported on 14 May 2026 in Ituri Province, had become the fastest growing outbreak on record by early August, and by 17 September the DRC had reported 7,475 confirmed cases and 3,605 related deaths, concentrated overwhelmingly in Ituri, which accounts for 84 percent of cases across six affected provinces. Separately, fighting between the Congolese armed forces and the M23 rebel group continues in North and South Kivu, and Australia's government advises against all travel to the DRC over the volatile security situation, though major cities including Kinshasa are described as generally accessible while certain eastern areas carry real conflict risk.