The Democratic Republic of the Congo is preparing to introduce an electronic visa (e-Visa), which was announced for launch in early 2025. This ambitious project, spearheaded by Foreign Minister Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner, promises to greatly simplify the process of traveling to the DRC.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is preparing to launch an electronic visa (e-Visa), a major step towards the digitization of its immigration administration.
Led by Foreign Minister Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner, this initiative, announced in October 2023 and initially scheduled to be launched in early 2025, aims to simplify and secure entry into the country, following the example of many other countries.
In the DRC, soon “an e-Visa, like many other countries have”
In a recent clear and ambitious statement, Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner confirmed that the DRC is preparing to switch to an electronic visa (e-Visa). Many destinations, particularly in Africa, such as Benin, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Madagascar and, more recently, Nigeria, Namibia and Mauritania, already offer an e-Visa.
For her, this project embodies a clear desire for modernization and simplification:
The next step for me, and I am very ambitious about this, is to switch to a digital visa, an e-Visa, like many other countries have.
Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner – Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
The upcoming e-Visa system will offer a fully paperless procedure with secure bank payments, reducing the risk of corruption or human interference. This reform is part of a drive to streamline procedures, in line with the modern and open image that the DRC wishes to convey.
e-Visa, passport, embassy: Congolese diplomacy undergoes major reform
According to the minister, the introduction of an electronic visa means that it will be “much easier to come to the Democratic Republic of Congo. Once again, we will have digitized, secure processes that are also much easier to pay for with supervised and secure bank transactions.”
The e-Visa project is part of a broader program to modernize consular services. After reforming the passport issuance process, which is now accessible without human intervention and payable online or at a bank counter, the DRC is also strengthening its embassies abroad.
Diplomatic infrastructure is no longer just an administrative location: it is becoming a showcase for the country internationally, while ensuring optimal working conditions for diplomats. The minister insists that embassies must be “a positive and shining showcase for the Democratic Republic of Congo […] and be attractive.”
In the same vein, a standardized consular card is being developed to facilitate the identification of Congolese nationals living abroad. This card will give them easier access to local services in their host countries without having to systematically present their passports.
“We realize that by digitizing certain things, […] we can speed up these processes,” explains Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner.
An online visa system is already in place in the DRC, pending the upgrade to e-Visa
Currently, the Democratic Republic of Congo already has a partial digital platform for issuing visas, accessible on the portal evisa.gouv.cd.
This site allows eligible travelers to apply for a 7-day single-entry VAP (Visa AéroPortuaire), which is issued at the airport and can be extended on site. Although quite expensive (US$300 to be paid online and then US$90 upon arrival in the DRC), this short-stay visa is a first step toward digitizing the migration process.
Although limited in duration and in the categories of eligible travelers, this system has enabled the Congolese administration to experiment with digital tools and could serve as a functional basis for the future e-Visa for entry into the DRC. The transition to a broader solution should build on these achievements to create a more inclusive, automated, and secure system, while maintaining the state’s sovereignty over entry control.
