Congo Visas
Congo Visas are documents that allow travellers from any country allowed to enter the Democratic Republic of Congo to access and stay in the country for a given period of time. Visitors to the Congo must obtain Congo visas from one of the Democratic Republic of Congo diplomatic missions unless they maybe come from a visa exempt country, or a country whose nationals can obtain visas on arrival or maybe arriving from a country without an embassy. A Visa is one document among others that any traveller that is travelling to another country which is not of one’s origin must have. While some countries may require just a visa for one to enter and stay for a given time, the Democratic Republic of Congo requires in addition to a Visa a yellow fever vaccination card, as well the usual valid passport. Congo Visas are however the most important document, and getting them requires planning for them in advance.
Travellers are advised to apply for Congo visas according to the purpose of visit. Most travellers come to the Congo for leisure and therefore are given tourist visas, those on business however are encouraged to apply business visas instead. The terms of applying for Congo visas may not be the same as any other country, much less be lenient while at it.
The exact requirements for visas vary from one embassy to another. Legal letters of invitation from anybody or organisation in the Congo are required to be submitted for one to acquire Congo visas. Tourists after a tourist visa however need only to share their hotel booking confirmation, or proof of a confirmed Congo safari. Visa fees are usually $105, unless otherwise. Congo visas require several weeks to be processed.
The two week single entry tourist visa can be issued for travellers visiting Virunga National Park to take part in activities like gorilla trekking and hiking Mount Nyiragongo among others. This visa however limits travellers to visiting North Kivu province only, and is got upon arrival though bookings are made several weeks before the intended date of travel. Travellers are advised to get in touch with Virunga National Park or Kahuzi Biega National Park upon completing their safari booking. Trusted tour operators knowledgeable the Congo visas process can also be trusted with having you acquiring a tourist visa to visit the Congo.
The tour operator will also guide with the whole process of acquiring the visa during which you will be required to avail a copy of your valid passport. The tourist visa of the Virunga National Park is processed and released by the Directorate General of Migration (DGM). This tourist visa is valid for only two weeks but is extendable at an extra fee. This tourist visa to Virunga National Park is a single entry visa, so getting in and then getting out and want to return to the Congo is not possible. The right to reject a tourist visa application is reserved to the Institute Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature (ICCN). It is important for travellers to note that they need to cross into Congo using the Grande Barrier border point, and not the Petit Barrier. Be sure to have a scanned copy of your visa upon arrival least you be denied entry.
Transit visas are one of the various Congo visas that travellers purchase to be allowed to leave the airport while on a stopover, before they continue with their flight. This could be for a short sight-seeing drive, or even shopping.
Clad with the right Congo visas as per your reasons for visiting, be sure to enjoy your stay in the Congo. Whereas you may not be allowed to do business with a tourist visa, you can tour the Congo with your business visa. The Democratic Republic of Congo is a vast country with a lot of features and natural wonders that are worth experiencing. Take time to plan a Congo safari tour to have an opportunity to encounter the endangered mountain gorillas in Virunga National Park, gaze at the world’s largest lava lake on Mount Nyiragongo, enjoy eastern lowland gorilla trekking in Kahuzi Biega National Park, enjoy walking safaris to view wildlife like the savannah elephants in the savannah Plaines in Virunga National Park, relax at the Tchegera Island, among so many other activities all of which will leave you with memorable experiences. Get in touch with a reputable tour operator to put in all together.
