The Department of State renewed its Travel Advisory for the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) on October 5, 2020. The Department continues to advise travelers to reconsider travel to the DRC.
Democratic Republic of the Congo – Level 3: Reconsider Travel C T U H K O
Reconsider travel to Democratic Republic of the Congo due to COVID-19, crime, and civil unrest. Some areas have increased risk. Read the entire Travel Advisory.
Read the Department of State’s COVID-19 page before you plan any international travel.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a Level 3 Travel Health Notice for Democratic Republic of the Congo due to COVID-19.
Democratic Republic of the Congo has resumed most transportation options, (including airport operations and re-opening of borders) and business operations (including day cares and schools). Other improved conditions have been reported within Democratic Republic of the Congo. Visit the Embassy's COVID-19 page for more information on COVID-19 in Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Do Not Travel To:
- North Kivu and Ituri provinces due to terrorism.
- The eastern DRC region and the three Kasai provinces (Kasai, Kasai-Oriental, Kasai-Central) due to crime, civil unrest, armed conflict and kidnapping.
- Équateur province due to Ebola.
Country Summary: Violent crime, such as armed robbery, armed home invasion, and assault, is common and local police lack resources to respond effectively to serious crime. Assailants may pose as police or security agents.
Demonstrations are common in many cities and some have turned violent. Police have at times responded with heavy-handed tactics that resulted in civilian casualties and arrests.
The U.S. government has extremely limited ability to provide emergency consular services to U.S. citizens outside of Kinshasa due to poor infrastructure and security conditions.