Ayant voyagé dans ce pays et y avoir séjourné plusieurs fois, je crois que mon expérience des procédures de visa peut servir plusieurs d'entre vous.
* A Paris - Ambassade de la République Démocratique du Congo - Obtention de visa :
La procédure est online et vous êtes censés envoyer vos documents par la Poste après paiement électronique de vos droits.
Ma 1ère expérience a été positive. Le délai à alors été d'1 semaine (entre l'envoi et le retour postal). Sur place, à Lubumbashi, les services de police ont quand même analysé le visa sous tous ses traits de couture pendant un bon quart d'heure avant de me laisser passer. (Cela ne s'est pas produit à l'aéroport de kinshasa)
Ma 2ème expérience a été négative. Delai de 26 jours. En raison d'un "changement de réglementation", mon passeport a été mis en stand-by en raison d'un tampon manquant sur la lettre d'invitation de l'employeur. Comme c'est courant en RDC, personne n'était mis au courant de cette nouvelle exigence.
Au bout de 2 semaines, je me déplaçais dans les locaux de l'ambassade remplis de congolais attendant eux leur passeport pour effectuer leurs démarches en France. Après 6h d'attente (on vous fait clairement comprendre à 9h que le personnel ne commence à travailler que vers 11h30 pour les plus matinaux), recu a 15h donc, on m explique rapidement la nouvelle exigence et on me demande de renvoyer le tout par mail à l adresse générique.
2 jours plus tard, le fameux mail leur est envoyé. Aucune nouvelle. 4 jours plus tard, le document leur ai renvoyé par mail par précaution en relance. Aucune nouvelle. 5 jours plus tard, je me déplace de nouveau à l ambassade qui refuse de me laisser entrer car étant lundi. L agent d accueil accepte de prendre mon document et de le remettre en mains propres au service visa. 6 jours plus tard, aucun signe toujours, je leur faxe le document.
Passé le cap des 3 semaines, la pression et le moral connaissant un pic exceptionnel, je prends la décision de me re déplacer. Le 26eme jour, je me présente de nouveau. L agent d accueil hésite à me faire entrer. Après 1h d attente dans une salle toujours aussi bondée, un agent du service visa m annonce qu il va s occuper de moi et qu il doit chercher où se trouve mon passeport dans son bureau. Il revient plus tard avec l enveloppe Chronopost, le passeport et le carnet de vaccination.
Au final, retenez que personne ne vous répondra au téléphone ou par mail. A vous de vous déplacer à l'ambassade, vous faire admettre en salle d'accueil et de faire le situons. Au bout de mon 3ème déplacement, j'ai enfin obtenu le précieux sésame.
Ne perdez jamais espoir, en étant en RDC vous découvrirez vite qu il ne vaut mieux ne jamais avoir affaire avec l administration congolaise et qu une fois votre mission terminée, apprenez à rentrer chez vous en France.
Encore une histoire de ouf avec ton visa pour la RDC !
Et avec ça Kabila and Co et son administration corrompue jusqu'à la moëlle pensent pouvoir développer leur pays, attirer des investisseurs ou des voyageurs. Entre les pseudo publi-reportages des magazines sur papier glacé et la réalité du terrain, même parisien...
Comme toi j'ai galéré pour obtenir mon visa congolais, j'ai même renoncé à Paris l'été dernier. Je l'ai obtenu sur la route, sans trop de mal, à l'ambassade de RDC à Windhoek en Namibie. Arrivé à la frontière terrestre ( depuis l'Angola ) on m'a annoncé qu'il n'était pas valide et aurait dû être émis dans mon pays de résidence, à savoir la France... J'ai réussi à rentrer en discutant et grâce à la gentillesse du responsable des douanes. La sortie fut tout aussi difficile pour les mêmes raisons, apparemment cette nouvelle loi est connue et appliquée sur place, mais les diplomates en poste dans les ambassades semblent avoir besoin d'argent...
Merci BEAUCOUP pour ces précieux renseignements ! Je possède déjà mon billet d'avion de : Aller : Paris Djibouti et retour : Douala Paris du 6 janvier au 20 avril, en passant par voie terrestre, entre autres par la RDC. Je crois que je vais renoncer à traverser la RDC (avec grands regrets)...c'est déjà bien assez difficile avec les autres pays (Congo Brazza, Gabon, Cameroun).
Amicalement. Lydie
Bonjour levelo, JE lis que tu a eu ton visa pour la RDC par windhoek, celà m'interesse, je risque d'avoir la même chose à faire. Tu était à vélo ou en voiture ? ça a été dûr la palabre avec les douaniers ? à quel poste frontière est tu passé ?
Tu peut me réponde par mp moi je peut pas te contacter direct en mp parceque j'ai pas fait assez de messages sur le forum...
Bonjour Ludivino,
Je sais que la conversation date d'il y a déjà 3 ans, mais je me permets tout de même de te demander pourquoi on ne t'a pas laissé entrer un lundi ?
Mon avion est le mardi matin, je n'ai toujours pas mon visa ... et je tente le tout pour le tout et je souhaite aller à l'Ambassade pour tenter de l'avoir, lundi après midi.
Sur leur site, et au téléphone, ils disent être ouverts le lundi ... Mais si je me déplace pour rien ...
Formalités administratives › République démocratique du Congo · 1 reply
Je me rend à Kinshasha en juin 2020 et pour cela je dois obtenir un visa. J'ai vu que c'était compliqué de contacter l'ambassade par téléphone et impossible…
Formalités administratives › République démocratique du Congo · 3 replies
Je prépare un tour en Afrique en transport en commun et stop, et mon projet m'amène jusqu'en RDC. Après avoir fait pas mal de recherche sur internet disant que…
Formalités administratives › République démocratique du Congo · 6 replies
Une agence locale (Rwanda) vient de m'annoncer qu'il est désormais possible d'obtenir un visa touristique à $50 pour faire du tourisme au Kivu (RDC) à…
Formalités administratives › République démocratique du Congo · 5 replies
Je me suis inscrite récemment pour avoir des renseignement pour des gens ayant éte dans ma situation. je suis congolaise de brazzaville vivant en france, et…
Formalités administratives › République démocratique du Congo / Ouganda · 3 replies
Quelqu'un pourrait il me dire si on peut ce procurer le visa pour la RDC à Kampala ou à un poste frontière entre les deux pays (ce qui m'etonnerais) et si on…
Hi there,
we’re planning our trip to the North Cape this summer. We bought a new vehicle for it. Unfortunately, the registration document is still being processed, and the delay seems long—I don’t think I’ll have it in time for our departure...
I have the transfer documents, insurance in my name, and all the supporting paperwork, but not the registration document. So my question is: does the ferry company require the registration document *mandatorily* when boarding in Denmark or not?
Thanks for any insights...
Hi everyone,
I bought a new apartment in Pattaya that will be finished at the end of 2013, and I’d like to buy more later...
I think it’s a good investment idea, but I’d love to hear from those of you with experience—what do you think? I’d also like to know how to handle rentals... Should I go through agencies, or are they usually rented out directly by the building management companies?
Thanks in advance for your replies! 🙂
Hi everyone,
I have to leave for Perth, Australia in a week, for 7 days, and I couldn’t get my international driver’s permit due to processing and delivery delays.
The information I’ve found about whether an international permit is required is contradictory. Some sources say you need one, others say you don’t.
Could anyone let me know if an international driver’s permit is necessary to rent a car in Australia (Perth), or if a French license is enough for a 7-day rental?
hi everyone,
I need to apply for a new eTA for Canada.
do I need the number from my old eTA or not?
because I can’t find my old eTA number anymore.
thanks for your replies, have a great weekend
Hi there,
I know there are similar topics here and elsewhere, but they’re a few years old, and I need an up-to-date answer to make sure I don’t throw over 1000 € out the window. Thanks for your patience.
I’m planning a trip from France to Alberta/British Columbia, and I’m unsure about which bank card to use for the security deposit with the rental company (I’m thinking of going with AVIS).
I contacted Avis Canada, and they told me a credit card is absolutely required. I asked my bank for a credit card (a *real* credit card), but they only offered me a deferred debit card.
My question: For a rental with Avis Canada, is a Gold International Mastercard deferred debit card usable for the security deposit needed to finalize the rental? Is the "CREDIT" label enough? (Some cards say "CREDIT" and others say "CARTE DE CREDIT"—seems minor, but it’s actually a big deal in how the card works.)
I’ve seen conflicting info everywhere I look... My bank says it’s *usually* okay (the deferred debit card), while Avis Canada insists it *must* be a credit card, not debit—even when I mention the deferred debit card.
I know the whole credit card concept is already confusing, and on top of that, some sites say a deferred debit card counts as a credit card, while others say it doesn’t.
Thanks to anyone who can share a recent experience!
Have a great day
Hello everyone,
Could a resident of Benin (Cotonou) kindly let me know which is the best mobile phone and internet service provider?
Thank you very much,
Best regards,
Juan
Hi,
I’m bringing Seresta, an anxiolytic (tranquilizer) from the benzodiazepine family,
to help me sleep.
I’ll have the prescription with me.
Will this be a problem at customs, and do I need to declare it?
Same question for antibiotics?
Thanks a bunch!
Hi everyone,
I’ll explain my situation.
Unfortunately, I lost my passport, and I only realized it two weeks before my departure for a humanitarian mission in Libya. I’m a nurse, and this mission really means a lot to me.
First, I applied for an emergency passport, but it was denied by the Val-d'Oise prefecture on the grounds that a planned humanitarian mission wasn’t considered an urgent reason.
So, I submitted a biometric passport application on July 20th. Since then, the tracking has been stuck, and the town hall can’t (or won’t) give me any clear information. Every time I call, I get a different story. The last update I received was that the passport had been produced since July 23rd with a status of "about to be shipped," but nothing since then.
I’ve managed to push my departure back to next Tuesday at the latest, but I’m starting to really panic.
Have any of you submitted an application around July 20th, especially in Val-d'Oise (95)? How long did you wait between the passport being produced and it being available at the town hall? Is it normal for this step to take this long?
This mission means so much to me. I had everything organized, and I’m also supposed to attend a friend’s wedding right after near the border.
Thanks so much to those who take the time to respond or share their experience. 😔
Can anyone tell me exactly if a passport "valid for the duration of the stay" is enough, or does it need to be valid for 6 months after the trip?
I checked the embassy’s website, but that info is missing.
Hi there,
I’ll be arriving in Seoul on November 18th after spending about a month in India.
Do you know if I’ll need to fill out any additional documents besides the e-arrival card?
Thanks in advance for your tips!
I’m a bit embarrassed because I need to travel to Quebec from February 27th to March 13th. I’m a regular visitor to Canada—this will be my 10th trip since 1997, plus a year as a permanent resident (2000–2001) and a cross-country run from Vancouver to Halifax in 2011. So, I’m definitely not a terrorist!
But since our last trip in July 2015, they’ve introduced this eTA thing. Seems more like a way to make money than to actually secure Canada, if you ask me, but anyway, that’s not the point.
I applied for an eTA for myself, my wife, and our two kids. They all got approved within hours, but not me! I was asked to create a GC key and then an IRCC account, which I did. Normally, you get news within 72 hours, but since Monday, January 15th, nothing!
In the "message" section of the account, it says "explanation letter (required)" with a deadline of January 25th, but I can’t find any explanation anywhere—despite searching the Canadian government website and Google. No links, nothing!
I’ve emailed them but haven’t heard back yet. I’m thinking of calling the Canadian embassy in Paris tomorrow. Even though I’m not stressing yet, it’d be a bummer if everyone else got to go without me!
If anyone’s had this issue before or knows what this explanation letter is about, I’d love to hear more.
hi there
I’m heading to Seoul in September, and to do that I need to get a travel authorization that we apply for through K-ETA....... turns out I can (barely, I admit) fill out the form up to the address of our "stay location," but every address I’ve entered has been rejected by the system. I’ve tried my hotel, the Lotte Hotel (which is well-known in Seoul), the airport—basically, I’ve entered at least 20 addresses, all rejected....
So, to anyone who’s successfully gotten the authorization, could you tell me which address you used to get that "elusive" approval?...
Hi there,
I’m heading to Senegal in January for a month and was wondering if I just need my French driver’s license or if I should get an international permit?
Thanks!
JL
I’m heading to Laos next spring, but I have a question about the Thai arrival/departure form. I’ll be flying PAR-BKK, then taking the train to Laos (so exiting Thailand), and later re-entering Thailand by train to catch my return flight. Do I need to fill out two forms in this case?
Hi there,
I have a 9-seater passenger vehicle that I use for my business in Paris, transporting people.
I’m planning to go to Algeria with my family.
The vehicle registration lists my company as the owner.
Can I get a TPD (Temporary Admission Document)?
Will I need a KBis extract or a power of attorney?!?
Thanks for your help.
Worst case, I can add my personal name as a co-owner on the registration, but that would be a real shame!
Hi,
I’m writing to ask for some info—I’ve heard that you **must** have travel insurance to land in Zanzibar.
What’s the process, and which insurance should I get?
Thanks in advance for your feedback!
Best,
Seb
Hi, are there any travelers who’ve recently crossed the border between Karakalpakstan (Uzbekistan) and Beineu in Kazakhstan?
It was closed for a while.
Thanks for any info!
I bought a one-way flight (Ryanair) and a return flight (EasyJet) to spend a week in Morocco in April.
My passport expires 3 weeks after the return date.
Some websites say the passport must be valid for 3 months at the time of entry.
However, it will still be valid both on entry and return, but its validity will only be 1 month at the time of entry (and 3 weeks on the return date, everything prepaid).
It's an individual family trip.
The consulate can't give me an answer—they're still looking into it (really!)
Last year, we stayed for 3 months in Thailand, north of Khao Lak, and were able to benefit from the 2-month visa exemption, renewable for one month by going to Takua Pa to validate a 1-month extension (1,900 baht).
This year, it’s a disaster for us—not only were we planning a 4-month stay, adding a visa run in between (which some say is quite risky), but the law is apparently changing in the coming months with the return of the 1-month exemption (plus the usual 1-month option). So, we looked into applying for a 6-month multiple-entry visa, allowing a maximum of 60 consecutive days in Thailand. However, I can’t find anywhere the minimum time required outside Thailand between two stays—do any of you have an idea?
Thanks for the info! If you’d like tips on Khao Lak and the surrounding areas, we’ve got some experience, though things change fast!
Cheers,
Bruno.
My partner, our 8-year-old daughter, and I are going on vacation to Gex.
We’ve decided to spend one day in Switzerland and another in Italy. Will we need ID (national ID card or passport)? Do we also need ID for our daughter?
Hello,
We’ll soon be moving to Madagascar long-term.
As a French national, I need to obtain a short-stay visa that can be converted to a long-stay one. To do this, I have to send the required documents to the Madagascar embassy in Paris.
No issues with that procedure so far.
If I get this visa, once I arrive in Madagascar, I’ll need to provide the same documents to the Ministry of the Interior in Anosy. I’m trying to find an email address or website for the Ministry to check which documents I need to submit (I think they ask for additional ones).
If you have any info on this, I’d appreciate your replies.
Best regards,
M. Buisson Eric
I’d like to know if anyone has already applied for a private visa to Russia with an invitation from a Russian resident.
I traveled earlier this year with an e-visa, but since I want to stay longer, I’ll be visiting my friend who lives in eastern Russia.
For the visa application, does the invitation need to be on an official paper form issued by the Russian ministry? And most importantly, do I need to present the original for the application, or is there an electronic version that can be sent directly to the consulate in France?
Thanks for any info if you’ve gone through this process before!
I filled out the B2 form to apply for a visa, created an account on Atvis to pay the visa fees and schedule a meet-up, but every time I try to pay with my Boursobank Visa 1st card, they refuse the payment with a message telling me to check my details (address), even though everything is correct. Does anyone know why this is happening, or maybe they don’t accept Visa cards? Are you aware of this?
Thanks for your feedback!
Elisabeth
There are rumors going around about the ETA: it must absolutely be on your smartphone in the "ETA" app.
Paper documents might not be accepted.
Is this real or just a hoax?
Thanks, I’m leaving in 3 weeks. My passport is good to go and my ETA is still valid for a year, but I only printed the email I received.
Thanks everyone.
Hi there,
We need to apply for a B2 visa because we visited Iran in 2018. It currently costs $185, but they’re planning an additional $250 fee per person for the same visa—it’s been approved but not yet implemented. Does anyone know when this fee will take effect?
Thanks in advance!
Elisabeth
Hi there,
In November, we're heading off on a 4-month trip. We'll be landing in China and plan to leave the country via a land border into Vietnam.
I’ve read that China may ask for proof of exit within 30 days (flight ticket or other reservation). Since we’d be leaving by land, I’m wondering how this works in practice.
Has anyone here been in this situation recently?
Did the airline ask for an exit ticket before boarding?
Did Chinese authorities require proof upon arrival?
Is a train/bus ticket to Vietnam sufficient?
Is a cancelable or flexible reservation accepted?
Hi there,
Just a question that’s probably been asked before (though usually the other way around for my situation :))
My wife and I are heading to the US.
On her ticket, it only has her maiden name (e.g., Martine DUPOND).
On her passport, it’s written as Martine DUPOND épouse AVRY.
No issues for travel, I hope I did the right thing with the ticket?
Then for the ESTA, is just Martine DUPOND enough, or do I need to include the "épouse AVRY" part like on the passport?
Thanks in advance!
Hi there,
I’m spending a few days in San Pedro de Atacama (Chile) and would like to cross the Argentine border to make a loop toward Salta and then return to Chile to drop off the rental car.
I’ve heard that crossing the border can be tricky!
Is it possible with a rental company’s authorization? Which company, and at what cost?
Thanks for sharing your experiences!
Best regards,
Arnale
I saw on the French Embassy in Peru’s website and the Peruvian Consulate in Paris’s site that the rule is to have a passport valid for 6 months *after the arrival date* (not the return date).
I arrive in Peru on August 13, 2019 (for about twelve days), and my passport is valid until February 16, 2020.
That’s 6 months and 3 days after my arrival date in Peru. In my opinion, I’m good to go.
But could I still be denied entry if they say I don’t cover the return date or that I’m too close to the 6-month mark?
