Republic of the Congo visa and entry requirementsTourist Visa
- Fee
- 200 USD
- Processing
- up to 10 business days
- Validity
- 90 days
- Entries
- multiple
At the embassy in Washington: USD 200, paid in cash at drop-off or by money order, and not refunded once the application is submitted.
Republic of the Congo visa and entry requirements
Under a CEMAC Additional Act, citizens of CEMAC member states may travel without a visa and stay in any other member state for up to 90 days. The Congolese embassy in Washington says no Congolese visa is issued at any port of entry and applications must be made before departure, and the UK, Canadian and German governments say their citizens need a visa obtained before travel. Law No. 29-2017 requires a foreigner who is not a national of a country with special immigration agreements with the Republic of the Congo to present a passport with a valid visa to be allowed to enter; no official source we could read lists those agreements.
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
Tourist Visa (US citizens)
- Fee
- 200 USD
- Processing
- up to 10 business days
- Validity
- 180 days
- Entries
- multiple
At the embassy in Washington: USD 200, paid in cash at drop-off or by money order, and not refunded once the application is submitted.
Business Visa
- Fee
- 200 USD
- Processing
- up to 10 business days
- Validity
- 30 days
- Stay per entry
- 30 days
- Entries
- multiple
At the embassy in Washington: USD 200, cash at drop-off or money order, not refunded.
Free visa on arrival (Rwandan ordinary passports)
- Fee
- Free
- Processing
- —
Free of charge under the Congo–Rwanda agreement of 24 November 2021. No official source we could read states whether the visa allows one or several entries. The agreement says the visa is valid for a period not exceeding 90 days.
Entry requirements
Passport validity
The embassy in Paris requires a passport valid for at least 6 months after the date of travel, and the embassy in Washington one that remains valid for the next 6 months. Canada's travel advice says at least 6 months beyond the date you expect to leave; the UK government says British passports must be valid for the duration of the stay.
Verified Oct 3, 2026 · Source: ambacongo-us.org (opens in a new tab) · gov.uk (opens in a new tab) says valid for the duration of your stay; no additional validity needed. We follow the source above: it ranks higher (law, then the authority running the procedure, then the destination's ministry, then international compilations, then other governments' advice).Compare every country: How long your passport must be valid, country by country
Vaccinations
Required- Yellow fever (International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis (yellow card)) — The UK government says that to pass border control you must have a certificate proving yellow fever vaccination, due to a risk of yellow fever transmission.
- Polio (Polio vaccination certificate) — The UK government says that to pass border control you must have a certificate proving polio vaccination, due to the risk of polio transmission.
Travel insurance
Not officially statedNo official source we could read states a travel insurance requirement for entry. The UK government says medical facilities are limited, that medical evacuation is likely to be necessary for all but the most basic treatments, and that your insurance should specifically include the very high costs of evacuation by air ambulance.
Verified Oct 3, 2026 · Source: gov.uk (opens in a new tab)
Onward or return ticket
RequiredThe embassy in Washington says a copy of your airline ticket or reservation showing arrival and departure dates is mandatory for a visa application, along with an invitation letter or hotel reservation; the embassy in Paris also asks for a copy of the flight reservation with departure and return dates.
Verified Oct 3, 2026 · Source: ambacongo-us.org (opens in a new tab)
Proof of funds
RequiredNo official source we could read states an amount. The embassy in Washington says visitors must have ready evidence of their means of support for the stay and of accommodation arrangements at border controls, and the embassy in Paris asks visa applicants for proof of resources for the duration of the stay.
Verified Oct 3, 2026 · Source: ambacongo-us.org (opens in a new tab)
Staying past your permitted stay
A visitor is admitted for a stay not exceeding three months. Removal to the border (reconduite à la frontière) is the administrative measure taken against any foreigner who has not left when the granted stay expired. Article 54 adds that on a repeat offence the foreigner is expelled and permanently banned from entering.
Verified Oct 12, 2026 · Source: sgg.cg (opens in a new tab) · Loi n° 23-96 du 6 juin 1996 as amended by loi n° 29-2017 du 7 août 2017Compare every country: What staying past your permitted stay costs, country by country
Registering your presence after arrival
Requiredwithin 24 hours of arrival. Done by the accommodation.
Anyone who lodges a foreigner, in any capacity and even free of charge, must declare it to the competent local authorities within 24 hours of taking them in, under penalty of the sanctions in Title VII of the law. A visitor or resident who changes residence must declare it 24 hours beforehand to the immigration authority and 48 hours afterwards to the local administration, police and gendarmerie of the new place of residence.
If not done: Failure to declare is subject to the sanctions in Title VII of the law.
Verified Oct 12, 2026 · Source: sgg.cg (opens in a new tab) · Loi n° 23-96 as amended by loi n° 29-2017Compare every country: Registering your presence after arrival, country by country
Customs & currency
Yellow fever certificate
The UK government says that to pass border control you must have a certificate proving yellow fever vaccination, due to a risk of yellow fever transmission.
Compiled Aug 26, 2026 · Source: cdn.who.int (opens in a new tab) · International Health Regulations (2005), Article 36International 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
- Central African CFA franc (XAF, FCFA)
- Cards & payments
- The Government of Canada says the economy is primarily cash-based; major hotels and stores generally accept major credit cards, as well as euros and US dollars (confirm when booking), but outside these establishments in Brazzaville and Pointe-Noire credit cards are rarely accepted.
- Safety — Exercise caution
- The UK government reports opportunistic crime such as pickpocketing, particularly in Brazzaville and Pointe-Noire, says criminals may target foreigners, and advises extra precautions against vehicle crime, especially outside urban centres and anywhere in the Pool Region and Mouyondzi District. It says live conflict has not been reported in the Pool Region since a 2017 ceasefire, but violent clashes could arise again with little or no notice. It advises against all travel to within 50 km of the border with the Central African Republic in Likouala Region, against walking in the streets after dark, and to always carry a colour copy of your passport including your visa entry stamp, as police may ask for ID.Verified Oct 3, 2026 · Source: gov.uk (opens in a new tab) · archived copy Jun 4, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
- Power plugs
- C, E · 230V 50Hz
- Emergency numbers
- Police: 117 · Fire: 118
- Languages
- French
- Time zone
- UTC+1
- International Driving Permit
The Republic of the Congo is a party to the 1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic (UN Treaty Collection). Canada's travel advice says you must have an International Driving Permit along with your valid Canadian driver's licence to drive in the Republic of the Congo, and that the legal blood alcohol limit is 0.08%. The UK government says a UK photocard driving licence can be used to drive in the Republic of Congo. No official source we could read states the Republic of the Congo's own rule on whether a permit is required in addition to a national licence, or for how long a foreign licence may be used.
Verified Oct 3, 2026 · Source: treaties.un.org (opens in a new tab) · Convention on Road Traffic Compare every country
Best time to visit
No official source we could read gives seasonal guidance. The Government of Canada says the rainy seasons run from September to December and from March to May in the south (including Brazzaville and Pointe-Noire), and from April to October in the north.
Tips & warnings
The UK government's factfile says Congo is often called Congo-Brazzaville to distinguish it from its neighbour, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (sometimes called Congo-Kinshasa).
The UK government says you must have certificates proving yellow fever and polio vaccination to pass border control.
The UK government says police may ask you for ID and to always carry a colour copy of your passport, including your visa entry stamp; the Government of Canada says you may be detained by police if you are unable to produce acceptable identification.
The Government of Canada says the economy is primarily cash-based and that, outside major hotels and stores in Brazzaville and Pointe-Noire, credit cards are rarely accepted.
The Government of Canada says it is illegal to photograph government buildings, military installations, border crossings and transportation infrastructure, including ports, train stations and airports, and advises seeking permission before taking photos of official buildings or individuals.
Visa requirements by nationality
| Passports | Visas & entry authorisations | Max stay |
|---|---|---|
| Afghanistan | Embassy visa | — |
| Albania | Embassy visa | — |
| Algeria | Embassy visa | — |
| Andorra | Embassy visa | — |
| Antigua and Barbuda | Embassy visa | — |
| Argentina | Embassy visa | — |
| Armenia | Embassy visa | — |
| Australia | Embassy visa | — |
| Austria | Embassy visa | — |
| Azerbaijan | Embassy visa | — |
| Bahamas | Embassy visa | — |
| Bahrain | Embassy visa | — |
| Bangladesh | Embassy visa | — |
| Barbados | Embassy visa | — |
| Belarus | Embassy visa | — |
| Belgium | Embassy visa | — |
| Belize | Embassy visa | — |
| Bhutan | Embassy visa | — |
| Bolivia | Embassy visa | — |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | Embassy visa | — |
| Botswana | Embassy visa | — |
| Brazil | Embassy visa | — |
| Brunei | Embassy visa | — |
| Bulgaria | Embassy visa | — |
| Burundi | Embassy visa | — |
| Cabo Verde | Embassy visa | — |
| Cambodia | Embassy visa | — |
| Cameroon | Free movement | 90 days |
| Canada | Embassy visa | — |
| Central African Republic | Free movement | 90 days |
| Chad | Free movement | 90 days |
| Chile | Embassy visa | — |
| China | Embassy visa | — |
| Colombia | Embassy visa | — |
| Comoros | Embassy visa | — |
| Costa Rica | Embassy visa | — |
| Croatia | Embassy visa | — |
| Cuba | Embassy visa | — |
| Cyprus | Embassy visa | — |
| Czechia | Embassy visa | — |
| Denmark | Embassy visa | — |
| Djibouti | Embassy visa | — |
| Dominica | Embassy visa | — |
| Dominican Republic | Embassy visa | — |
| Ecuador | Embassy visa | — |
| Egypt | Embassy visa | — |
| El Salvador | Embassy visa | — |
| Equatorial Guinea | Free movement | 90 days |
| Eritrea | Embassy visa | — |
| Estonia | Embassy visa | — |
| Eswatini | Embassy visa | — |
| Ethiopia | Embassy visa | — |
| Fiji | Embassy visa | — |
| Finland | Embassy visa | — |
| France | Embassy visa | — |
| Gabon | Free movement | 90 days |
| Gambia | Embassy visa | — |
| Georgia | Embassy visa | — |
| Germany | Embassy visa | — |
| Ghana | Embassy visa | — |
| Greece | Embassy visa | — |
| Grenada | Embassy visa | — |
| Guatemala | Embassy visa | — |
| Guinea | Embassy visa | — |
| Guinea-Bissau | Embassy visa | — |
| Guyana | Embassy visa | — |
| Haiti | Embassy visa | — |
| Honduras | Embassy visa | — |
| Hong Kong | Embassy visa | — |
| Hungary | Embassy visa | — |
| Iceland | Embassy visa | — |
| India | Embassy visa | — |
| Indonesia | Embassy visa | — |
| Iran | Embassy visa | — |
| Iraq | Embassy visa | — |
| Ireland | Embassy visa | — |
| Israel | Embassy visa | — |
| Italy | Embassy visa | — |
| Jamaica | Embassy visa | — |
| Japan | Embassy visa | — |
| Jordan | Embassy visa | — |
| Kazakhstan | Embassy visa | — |
| Kenya | Embassy visa | — |
| Kiribati | Embassy visa | — |
| Kosovo | Embassy visa | — |
| Kuwait | Embassy visa | — |
| Kyrgyzstan | Embassy visa | — |
| Laos | Embassy visa | — |
| Latvia | Embassy visa | — |
| Lebanon | Embassy visa | — |
| Lesotho | Embassy visa | — |
| Liberia | Embassy visa | — |
| Libya | Embassy visa | — |
| Liechtenstein | Embassy visa | — |
| Lithuania | Embassy visa | — |
| Luxembourg | Embassy visa | — |
| Macau | Embassy visa | — |
| Madagascar | Embassy visa | — |
| Malawi | Embassy visa | — |
| Malaysia | Embassy visa | — |
| Maldives | Embassy visa | — |
| Mali | Embassy visa | — |
| Malta | Embassy visa | — |
| Marshall Islands | Embassy visa | — |
| Mauritius | Embassy visa | — |
| Mexico | Embassy visa | — |
| Micronesia | Embassy visa | — |
| Moldova | Embassy visa | — |
| Monaco | Embassy visa | — |
| Mongolia | Embassy visa | — |
| Montenegro | Embassy visa | — |
| Mozambique | Embassy visa | — |
| Myanmar | Embassy visa | — |
| Namibia | Embassy visa | — |
| Nauru | Embassy visa | — |
| Nepal | Embassy visa | — |
| Netherlands | Embassy visa | — |
| New Zealand | Embassy visa | — |
| Nicaragua | Embassy visa | — |
| Nigeria | Embassy visa | — |
| North Korea | Embassy visa | — |
| North Macedonia | Embassy visa | — |
| Norway | Embassy visa | — |
| Oman | Embassy visa | — |
| Pakistan | Embassy visa | — |
| Palau | Embassy visa | — |
| Palestine | Embassy visa | — |
| Panama | Embassy visa | — |
| Papua New Guinea | Embassy visa | — |
| Paraguay | Embassy visa | — |
| Peru | Embassy visa | — |
| Philippines | Embassy visa | — |
| Poland | Embassy visa | — |
| Portugal | Embassy visa | — |
| Qatar | Embassy visa | — |
| Republic of the Congo | Free movement | — |
| Romania | Embassy visa | — |
| Russia | Embassy visa | — |
| Rwanda | Visa on arrival | — |
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | Embassy visa | — |
| Saint Lucia | Embassy visa | — |
| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | Embassy visa | — |
| Samoa | Embassy visa | — |
| San Marino | Embassy visa | — |
| São Tomé and Príncipe | Embassy visa | — |
| Saudi Arabia | Embassy visa | — |
| Serbia | Embassy visa | — |
| Seychelles | Embassy visa | — |
| Sierra Leone | Embassy visa | — |
| Singapore | Embassy visa | — |
| Slovakia | Embassy visa | — |
| Slovenia | Embassy visa | — |
| Solomon Islands | Embassy visa | — |
| Somalia | Embassy visa | — |
| South Africa | Embassy visa | — |
| South Korea | Embassy visa | — |
| South Sudan | Embassy visa | — |
| Spain | Embassy visa | — |
| Sri Lanka | Embassy visa | — |
| Sudan | Embassy visa | — |
| Suriname | Embassy visa | — |
| Sweden | Embassy visa | — |
| Switzerland | Embassy visa | — |
| Syria | Embassy visa | — |
| Taiwan | Embassy visa | — |
| Tajikistan | Embassy visa | — |
| Tanzania | Embassy visa | — |
| Thailand | Embassy visa | — |
| Timor-Leste | Embassy visa | — |
| Tonga | Embassy visa | — |
| Trinidad and Tobago | Embassy visa | — |
| Tunisia | Embassy visa | — |
| Turkey | Embassy visa | — |
| Turkmenistan | Embassy visa | — |
| Tuvalu | Embassy visa | — |
| Uganda | Embassy visa | — |
| Ukraine | Embassy visa | — |
| United Kingdom | Embassy visa | — |
| United States | Embassy visa | — |
| Uruguay | Embassy visa | — |
| Uzbekistan | Embassy visa | — |
| Vanuatu | Embassy visa | — |
| Vatican City | Embassy visa | — |
| Venezuela | Embassy visa | — |
| Vietnam | Embassy visa | — |
| Yemen | Embassy visa | — |
| Zambia | Embassy visa | — |
| Zimbabwe | Embassy visa | — |
Afghanistan
Albania
Algeria
Andorra
Antigua and Barbuda
Argentina
Armenia
Australia
Austria
Azerbaijan
Bahamas
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Barbados
Belarus
Belgium
Belize
Bhutan
Bolivia
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Botswana
Brazil
Brunei
Bulgaria
Burundi
Cabo Verde
Cambodia
Cameroon
Canada
Central African Republic
Chad
Chile
China
Colombia
Comoros
Costa Rica
Croatia
Cuba
Cyprus
Czechia
Denmark
Djibouti
Dominica
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
Egypt
El Salvador
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Estonia
Eswatini
Ethiopia
Fiji
Finland
France
Gabon
Gambia
Georgia
Germany
Ghana
Greece
Grenada
Guatemala
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Guyana
Haiti
Honduras
Hong Kong
Hungary
Iceland
India
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Jamaica
Japan
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Kiribati
Kosovo
Kuwait
Kyrgyzstan
Laos
Latvia
Lebanon
Lesotho
Liberia
Libya
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macau
Madagascar
Malawi
Malaysia
Maldives
Mali
Malta
Marshall Islands
Mauritius
Mexico
Micronesia
Moldova
Monaco
Mongolia
Montenegro
Mozambique
Myanmar
Namibia
Nauru
Nepal
Netherlands
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Nigeria
North Korea
North Macedonia
Norway
Oman
Pakistan
Palau
Palestine
Panama
Papua New Guinea
Paraguay
Peru
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
Qatar
Romania
Russia
Rwanda
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Lucia
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Samoa
San Marino
São Tomé and Príncipe
Saudi Arabia
Serbia
Seychelles
Sierra Leone
Singapore
Slovakia
Slovenia
Solomon Islands
Somalia
South Africa
South Korea
South Sudan
Spain
Sri Lanka
Sudan
Suriname
Sweden
Switzerland
Syria
Taiwan
Tajikistan
Tanzania
Thailand
Timor-Leste
Tonga
Trinidad and Tobago
Tunisia
Turkey
Turkmenistan
Tuvalu
Uganda
Ukraine
United Kingdom
United States
Uruguay
Uzbekistan
Vanuatu
Vatican City
Venezuela
Vietnam
Yemen
Zambia
ZimbabweStay lengths are for ordinary tourist visits. Click a nationality for its full guide.
No official page we read states the rule for 11 nationalities, so the table leaves them out: Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Senegal, Togo, and United Arab Emirates.
Neighboring countries
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a visa for the Republic of the Congo?
Under a CEMAC Additional Act, citizens of CEMAC member states may travel without a visa for stays of up to 90 days, and under a Congo–Rwanda agreement Rwandan ordinary-passport holders get a free visa on entry. The Congolese embassy in Washington says visa applications must be submitted before departure, and the UK, Canadian and German governments say their citizens need a visa obtained before travel. Law No. 29-2017 requires a foreigner who is not a national of a country with special immigration agreements with the Republic of the Congo to present a passport with a valid visa to be allowed to enter; no official source we could read lists those agreements or describes an electronic visa.
Can I get a visa on arrival in Congo-Brazzaville?
Under a Congo–Rwanda agreement, Rwandan ordinary-passport holders get a free visa on entry, valid for up to 90 days. The Congolese embassy in Washington says no Congolese visa is issued at any port of entry, and Canada's and Germany's travel advice say their citizens cannot get a visa on arrival.
Is this the same country as the DRC?
The UK government's factfile says Congo is often called Congo-Brazzaville to distinguish it from its neighbour, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (sometimes called Congo-Kinshasa), and lists the Democratic Republic of the Congo among the countries it shares land boundaries with; its travel advice describes the river border crossing between Brazzaville and Kinshasa.
Is yellow fever vaccination required for the Republic of the Congo?
The UK government tells people travelling on a full British citizen passport that to pass border control they must have certificates proving yellow fever vaccination and polio vaccination.
Is the Republic of the Congo safe to visit?
The UK government advises against all travel to within 50 km of the border with the Central African Republic in Likouala Region, and says violent clashes could arise again with little or no notice in the Pool Region. It reports opportunistic crime such as pickpocketing, particularly in Brazzaville and Pointe-Noire, and advises avoiding walking in the streets after dark.
Sources & verification
Every fact on this page is compiled from and periodically re-checked against these official sources:
- Auswärtiges Amt (German Federal Foreign Office) — Republik Kongo: Reise- und Sicherheitshinweise, Einreise: visa required, no visa on arrival (opens in a new tab)
- CEMAC Additional Act No. 01/13-CEMAC-070 U-CCE-SE of 25 June 2013 abolishing the visa for CEMAC nationals (Secrétariat Général du Gouvernement, Republic of the Congo) (opens in a new tab)
- CEMAC Commission — official site: the six member states of the Communauté Économique et Monétaire de l'Afrique Centrale (opens in a new tab)
- Embassy of the Republic of Congo to the USA — Visa (opens in a new tab)
- Embassy of the Republic of the Congo in France — visas: passport valid at least 6 months after the date of travel (opens in a new tab)
- Government of Canada — Republic of the Congo travel advice (driving) (opens in a new tab)
- Government of the Republic of the Congo — official portal (opens in a new tab)
- IEC World Plugs (International Electrotechnical Commission) — plug types, voltage and frequency by location (opens in a new tab)
- Journal officiel de la République du Congo n° 38-2017 (Secrétariat général du Gouvernement) — Loi n° 29-2017 amending loi n° 23-96 on the entry, stay and exit of foreigners (opens in a new tab)
- Journal officiel de la République du Congo No. 38-2017 — Law No. 29-2017 amending Law No. 23-96 on the entry, stay and exit of foreigners, art. 15 (opens in a new tab)
- Journal officiel de la République du Congo No. 39-2023 — Law No. 24-2023 ratifying the Congo–Rwanda visa agreement (opens in a new tab)
- UK FCDO — Republic of Congo travel advice (health) (opens in a new tab)
- UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office — Republic of Congo travel advice, entry requirements: "You must have a visa to enter the Republic of Congo" (opens in a new tab)
- UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office — Republic of the Congo travel advice (opens in a new tab)
- UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office — Republic of the Congo travel advice: safety and security (driving) (opens in a new tab)
- UK Permanent Committee on Geographical Names — Congo toponymic factfile (opens in a new tab)
- UN Treaty Collection — Convention on Road Traffic (Geneva, 1949), status of parties (opens in a new tab)
- UN Treaty Collection — Convention on Road Traffic (Vienna, 1968), status of parties (Republic of the Congo not listed) (opens in a new tab)
- United Nations — Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 13(2) (opens in a new tab)
Something wrong or out of date? Tell us, with the official source