Burundi visa and entry requirements

Burundi’s migration authority (CGM) says its single-entry visa (visa d’entrée simple) lets a foreign citizen enter and stay in Burundi for one month only, and is obtained online, at Melchior Ndadaye International Airport or at embassies. No Burundian official source we could read states which nationalities need a visa; the UK and Canadian governments, among the governments shown by passport on this page, say their citizens do. The CGM lists a free EAC entry visa for citizens of East African Community member states, valid for 1 to 6 months.

Every fact on this page verified on or after: Aug 26, 2026· How this site works

Check requirements for your passport

Requirements differ by nationality. Select your passport above, or scan the full table below.

Visas & entry authorisations

Single-entry visa (Visa d'entrée simple)

Fee
90 USD
Processing
—
Validity
30 days
Stay per entry
30 days

USD 90 or the equivalent in euros, valid for one month, obtained online, at Melchior Ndadaye International Airport or at embassies, according to the migration authority (CGM). The CGM’s multiple-entry visa costs USD 90 for one month, USD 180 for two and USD 270 for three; it is valid for one month, renewable at most twice, and allows a stay of up to 90 days.

Documents the application asks for

  • Passport photo — PNG or JPG
  • Copy of your passport — PDF, PNG or JPG
Apply on the official site Verified Oct 7, 2026 · migration.gov.bi

EAC visa

Fee
Free
Processing
—
Validity
180 days
Stay per entry
180 days

Free. The migration authority (CGM) lists it for citizens of East African Community member states.

Verified Oct 7, 2026 · migration.gov.bi

Entry requirements

Passport validity

Canada's travel advice says your passport must be valid for at least 6 months beyond the date you expect to leave Burundi and have at least one blank page. The UK's says 6 months from the date you arrive, with one blank page.

Verified Oct 3, 2026 · travel.gc.ca · gov.uk says expiry date at least 6 months after the date you arrive; one blank pageCompare every country

Vaccinations

Required
  • Yellow fever (International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis (yellow card)) — The UK government says that to enter Burundi you must have a certificate proving you have had a yellow fever vaccination, due to a risk of yellow fever transmission.
Verified Oct 3, 2026 · gov.ukCompare every country

Travel insurance

Not officially stated

No official source we could read states a travel-insurance requirement for Burundi. The UK's travel advice says to check that you have appropriate travel insurance for local treatment or unexpected medical evacuation.

Verified Oct 3, 2026 · gov.uk

Onward or return ticket

Required

Canada's travel advice says visitors entering Burundi must have a return ticket, or an onward ticket if they are in transit.

Verified Oct 3, 2026 · travel.gc.ca

Proof of funds

Not officially stated

No official source we could read states a proof-of-funds requirement or amount for Burundi.

Verified Oct 5, 2026 · migration.gov.bi

Other compulsory government charges

  • Taxe de consommation de services sur les tarifs d’hébergement (5% accommodation tax for tourism development) — 5% of accommodation rates excluding all taxes, applied by hotel establishments. Paid at the accommodation.

    A 5% services consumption tax applies to accommodation rates (excluding taxes) charged by hotel establishments, for tourism-sector development; hotel, motel and guest-house managers collect it and remit it monthly by the 15th of the following month.

Verified Oct 12, 2026 · obr.bi · Loi n° 1/10 du 30 juin 2026 portant fixation du budget général de l’État pour l’exercic…Compare every country

Customs & currency

No official source we could read states Burundi's cash-declaration threshold or a limit on carrying Burundian francs in or out.

Verified Oct 9, 2026 · migration.gov.bi · official portal · archived copy

Yellow fever certificate

The UK government says that to enter Burundi you must have a certificate proving you have had a yellow fever vaccination, due to a risk of yellow fever transmission.

Compiled Aug 26, 2026 · cdn.who.int · International Health Regulations (2005), Article 36

International Health Regulations (2005), Article 36 and Annex 7; WHO International Travel and Health, Annex 1, 18 November 2022 (revised 3 January 2023)

Country in a nutshell

Currency
Burundian franc (BIF, FBu)
Cards & payments
The UK Foreign Office says Burundi is largely a cash-based society: take US dollars dated post-2006, as most businesses will not accept or exchange older currency and US dollars with small tears are rejected; euros and British pounds can usually be exchanged. Outside Bujumbura credit and debit cards are rarely accepted and there are not many ATMs, so do not rely on cash withdrawals; mobile money can often be used in tourist hotels. It says there is a shortage of foreign exchange currencies and an unofficial exchange rate that can be substantially different from the official one.
Safety — High risk
The UK Foreign Office advises against all travel to the Mugina, Cibitoke, Bukinyayana, Bubanza and Mpanda communes and to the RN6 and RN10 roads through the Kibira National Park, because of the risk of a rebel group and possible armed incursions from the DR Congo, and says to avoid travelling by road outside Bujumbura after dark. Canada advises avoiding non-essential travel to Burundi.Verified Oct 3, 2026 · gov.uk · archived copy
Power plugs
C, E · 220V 50Hz
Emergency numbers
Ambulance: 112 · Police: 113
Languages
Kirundi, French
Time zone
UTC+2
International Driving Permit

Canada's travel advice says you must have an International Driving Permit along with your valid Canadian driver’s licence and proof of insurance to drive in Burundi. No Burundian official source we could read states the rule for other visitors.

Verified Oct 7, 2026 · travel.gc.ca Compare every country
Tap water
not for drinking. Use bottled

Best time to visit

No official source we could read today gives a best time to visit Burundi.

Tips & warnings

The UK Foreign Office advises against all travel to the Mugina, Cibitoke, Bukinyayana, Bubanza and Mpanda communes and to the RN6 and RN10 roads through the Kibira National Park, citing the risk of a rebel group and possible armed incursions from the DR Congo, and says armed group activity and conflict along the border with the DR Congo has increased.

The UK Foreign Office says to take US dollars dated post-2006: most businesses will not accept or exchange older currency, and US dollars with small tears will also be rejected. It says outside Bujumbura credit and debit cards are rarely accepted and there are not many ATMs, and not to rely on cash withdrawals.

The Government of Canada says photographing sensitive installations — ports, military sites, government buildings and people in uniform — is prohibited, and to always ask permission before photographing official buildings or individuals.

Visa requirements by nationality

PassportsVisas & entry authorisationsMax stay
AustraliaVisa on arrival—
AustriaeVisa—
BarbadosVisa on arrival30 days
BulgariaEmbassy visa—
BurundiFree movement—
CanadaeVisa—
ColombiaeVisa—
CzechiaeVisa—
Democratic Republic of the CongoVisa on arrival—
EcuadoreVisa—
FranceeVisa—
GermanyVisa on arrival—
HungaryeVisa—
IrelandVisa on arrival—
ItalyeVisa—
JamaicaeVisa—
JapanVisa on arrival—
KazakhstaneVisa—
KenyaVisa on arrival—
MoldovaeVisa—
MontenegroVisa on arrival30 days
NetherlandseVisa—
PolandeVisa—
PortugaleVisa—
RussiaEmbassy visa—
RwandaVisa on arrival—
SerbiaEmbassy visa—
SloveniaeVisa—
SomaliaVisa on arrival—
South SudanVisa on arrival—
SpaineVisa—
TaiwanVisa on arrival—
TajikistaneVisa—
TanzaniaVisa on arrival—
TurkeyeVisa—
UgandaVisa on arrival—
United KingdomeVisa—
United StatesVisa on arrival—

Stay lengths are for ordinary tourist visits. Click a nationality for its full guide.

No official page we read states the rule for 161 nationalities, so the table leaves them out: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Comoros, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kiribati, Kosovo, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, North Korea, North Macedonia, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Palestine, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Republic of the Congo, Romania, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, São Tomé and Príncipe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vatican City, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

Rwanda7 of 199 passports visa-freeTanzania44 of 199 passports visa-free · 151 eVisa/ETADemocratic Republic of the Congo1 of 199 passports visa-free · 198 eVisa/ETAUganda41 of 199 passports visa-free · 158 eVisa/ETAKenya78 of 199 passports visa-free · 121 eVisa/ETA

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a visa for Burundi?

No Burundian official source we could read states which nationalities need a visa for Burundi; the UK government says British visitors must have one, and Canada’s travel advice says a tourist visa is required. Burundi’s migration authority (CGM) says the single-entry visa is obtained online, at Melchior Ndadaye International Airport or at embassies. The CGM lists a free EAC entry visa for citizens of East African Community member states; the EAC names its Partner States as the DR Congo, Somalia, Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Uganda and Tanzania.

Which passports get a free EAC visa?

The migration authority (CGM) lists a free “EAC entry visa” for citizens of East African Community member states, valid for 1 to 6 months; the EAC names its Partner States as the DR Congo, Somalia, Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Uganda and Tanzania.

Can I get a visa on arrival in Burundi?

Burundi’s migration authority (CGM) says the single-entry visa is obtained online, at Melchior Ndadaye International Airport or at embassies, and that the transit visa (USD 40, valid for three days) is granted at any point of entry. The UK government says visas are issued on arrival in Burundi, and that all travellers without a valid settlement visa or permanent residence must complete the Airport entry visa or Transit visa application before arriving.

Do I need a yellow fever certificate for Burundi?

Yes. The UK government says that to enter Burundi you must have a certificate proving you have had a yellow fever vaccination, and Australia’s Smartraveller says you’ll need a valid yellow fever vaccination certificate to enter Burundi.

Is Burundi safe to visit?

The UK Foreign Office advises against all travel to parts of Burundi, including the Mugina, Cibitoke, Bukinyayana, Bubanza and Mpanda communes and the RN6 and RN10 roads through the Kibira National Park, and says armed group activity and conflict along the border with the DR Congo has increased. The Government of Canada advises avoiding non-essential travel to Burundi.

Sources & verification

Every fact on this page is compiled from and periodically re-checked against these official sources:

Something wrong or out of date? Tell us, with the official source