As neighboring Republic of the Congo moves forward with plans to introduce an e-Visa and an ETA, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is also pressing ahead with efforts to modernize its entry procedures for foreign travelers.
The country’s long-discussed electronic visa (e-Visa) project was back on the government’s agenda this week, as officials held fresh talks on its implementation.
On Wednesday, October 14, 2026, Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner, Minister of State and Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation, Francophonie and the Congolese Diaspora, met in Kinshasa with Augustin Kibassa Maliba, Minister of Digital Economy.
The meeting focused on establishing an integrated digital platform for managing electronic visas in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The discussions, confirmed in an official social media statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, represent another step in the country’s efforts to develop a more comprehensive electronic visa system.
A new e-Visa platform aimed at simplifying travel procedures
According to the DRC’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the initiative aligns with President Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo’s priorities to modernize consular services and make administrative procedures easier for applicants.
The planned system is intended to streamline the visa application process while ensuring what the ministry describes as a “competitive and transparent” procedure.
The goal is to establish an integrated digital solution that would allow visa applications to be managed more efficiently, benefiting both travelers and the government agencies responsible for processing them.
Once implemented, the platform could make it easier to submit applications remotely, reduce the need for in-person visits to diplomatic missions, and improve application tracking.
Following the meeting, Kayikwamba Wagner reaffirmed her commitment to supporting the project’s implementation as part of broader efforts to modernize the country’s consular services.
DR Congo’s e-Visa project dates back to 2023
Plans to introduce an electronic visa system are nothing new in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
As early as October 2023, the government unveiled a proposed platform called “e-Visa and e-Tourism,” designed to allow foreign travelers to apply for visas online from anywhere in the world.
According to the official report of the October 13, 2023, Council of Ministers meeting, the platform was also intended to enable digital visa management across the country’s 61 diplomatic missions and consular posts worldwide.
In November 2024, Tourism Minister Didier M’piamba discussed progress on the initiative and indicated that initial results were expected in early 2025.
Several months later, in June 2025, Kayikwamba Wagner reaffirmed her ambition to introduce a fully fledged e-Visa system in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The foreign minister emphasized the need for fully digital procedures, supported by secure banking transactions, to make the visa application process simpler and more accessible.
The October 14, 2026, meeting therefore builds on a series of initiatives and commitments made by Congolese authorities over the past several years.
E-Visa platform included in government plans for 2026–2028
Beyond official statements, the electronic visa project has also appeared in several government planning and budget documents.
In its 2025–2027 Fiscal Risk Statement, published in September 2024, the DRC’s Ministry of Budget outlined a project for the “design, implementation, operation and maintenance of an integrated digital electronic visa management platform – EVISA RDC.”
At the time, the project’s estimated cost was $53.3 million, with implementation planned through a public-private partnership structured as a concession. The document indicated that the contract was then awaiting approval.
More recently, the government’s 2026–2028 Medium-Term Budget Framework again identified support for the development of an integrated electronic visa management platform among its planned digital economy initiatives.
These documents show that the project remains part of the government’s broader development agenda, although they provide no clear indication of its current technical progress.
DR Congo already offers some online visa services
While the planned integrated platform remains under development, the Democratic Republic of the Congo already operates an online system for certain visa procedures.
Available through the government’s official evisa.gouv.cd portal, the existing service is used in particular for applications related to the airport visa (VAP), also known locally as the visa volant, or “flying visa.”
The system allows eligible travelers to submit an application online before traveling, with the visa issued upon arrival in the DRC.
However, it does not yet provide the fully digital, more widely accessible consular visa system that Congolese authorities intend to introduce.
The future platform could therefore mark a significant step forward by bringing more visa services into a centralized system and expanding the options available to applicants.
For now, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ October 14, 2026, statement provides no launch date for the new e-Visa platform, nor does it specify which visa categories or nationalities will be eligible, or how applications and payments will be handled.
VisasNews Take
The DRC’s electronic visa project is far from new. First discussed officially in 2023, it remains a government priority in October 2026. The latest meeting between the foreign affairs and digital economy ministers signals continued commitment to moving the initiative forward, but offers no indication of when travelers might actually be able to use the new system.
For prospective visitors, the key development would be a more accessible visa application process that goes beyond the country’s existing airport visa arrangements. Important questions remain unanswered, particularly regarding eligible nationalities, available visa categories, fees, and application procedures under the planned platform.
