How to Apply for and Renew a Visa to the Republic of Congo

Unless you are a citizen of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Morocco or Senegal, you most definitely need to obtain a valid visa before heading to Congo-Brazzaville – i.e. the Republic of Congo. There are a few requirements in order to obtain a Congolese visa, including: a valid and original signed passport that must be valid for six months beyond your stay, and at least two blank passport pages which will be used for the visa stamp – one will be used for the visa and the extra blank page is necessary just in case a trip is extended. Keep in mind that the amendment pages at the back of the passport are not suitable for a Congolese visa.

Visas can be acquired at the Congolese embassy in the traveller’s country of origin. Due to the similarities between the Republic of Congo and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), travellers must be aware of the differences between these two countries. A visa application to the Democratic Republic of Congo will not be eligible for travel to the Republic of Congo. Citizens from Bangladesh, Bolivia, Cameroon, and Zambia can apply for a visa on arrival.

Depending on the reasons for a trip, travellers will have to apply for a visa that is most suitable be it for work, pleasure or to study. Nationals from some countries can apply for their visa online at either Travelvisapro or travel docs. What follows are a few tips for each of the different types of visa.

Tourist visas

The tourist visa should be acquired by those that are traveling to Congo for leisure purposes. The tourist visa application can be obtained at the Congolese embassy in the traveller’s country of origin. Travellers are required to fill out the visa application forms with the necessary information including their signature. The visa applicant is also required to attach two ID photographs in colour with a plain white background, and attach a letter of invitation or a lodging certificate. If the traveller attaches either of the two letters they will have to get it stamped by their local department of immigration. Either of the letters should be typed, printed on a company’s letterhead, state the nature of the visit and include an address of the local contact in the Republic of Congo.

A proof of travel arrangements must be provided, this can be the traveller’s flight itinerary. The visa applications will be valid for one month. The consular processing speed might take up to seven days.

Business visas

Similar to the tourist visa, travellers heading to Congo-Brazzaville for business purposes such as conference meeting, sponsorship jobs or any other business interactions are required to apply for a business visa. Unless they are a citizen of DRC or Ivory Coast, travellers will be required to present the following documents during the application process: a valid passport, a colour ID photo with a plain white background, a proof of residency from their country of origin, a proof of departure or travel itinerary, a business letter from their company, and an invitation letter from the traveller’s business partner in Congo. The processing time of obtaining the visa might take between five to seven days.

Study permit

This type of visa is rarely applied for due to the lack of educational facilities in the Republic of Congo. A study permit will require travellers to submit similar documents that are requested for the other types of visas. The necessary documents for the study permit application are: a valid passport, two ID photos taken recently in colour against a plain white background, a complete visa application form, proof of admission from the school that the traveller applied to and a vaccination card with the necessary vaccination. The most commonly asked for vaccination is for yellow fever and cholera. Within three to four working days, the visa should be issued to the applicant.

Visa application prices might differ within each country of origin, the type of visa and the number of days you will stay in the Republic of Congo. The prices of the application range from $169 to $205.