Democratic Republic of the Congo
Warnings and insurance
The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) provides advice about risks of travel to help British nationals make informed decisions. Find out more about FCDO travel advice.
Areas where FCDO advises against travel
Your travel insurance could be invalidated if you travel against FCDO advice.
DRC-Central African Republic border
FCDO advises against all travel to within 50km of the border with the Central African Republic.
Eastern DRC
FCDO advises against all travel to the provinces of:
- Haut-Uélé and Ituri, including the entire DRC-South Sudan border
- North Kivu, except the city of Goma, where FCDO advises against all but essential travel
- South Kivu, except the city of Bukavu, where FCDO advises against all but essential travel
- Maniema
- Tanganyika
- Haut-Lomami
Territory in Mai-Ndombe Province
FCDO advises against all travel to the Kwamouth territory of Mai-Ndombe Province. This is between, and including, the towns of Kwamouth, Bandundu and the southern border of Mai-Ndombe province.
Areas in Kinshasa Province
FCDO advises against all but essential travel to:
- the districts of N’djili and Kimbanseke in Kinshasa city, south of the main access road to N’djili airport, in Nsele commune
- the N1 road in Kinshasa Province, between and including Menkao to the west, Kenge to the east, the border of Mai-Ndombe province to the north, and 10km to the south
Kasaï Oriental, Kasaï, Kasaï Central
FCDO advises against all travel to the province of Kasaï Oriental.
FCDO advises against all but essential travel to the provinces of Kasaï and Kasaï Central.
See details about why FCDO advises against travel.
Before you travel
No travel can be guaranteed safe. Read all the advice in this guide and any specific travel advice that applies to you:
Follow and contact FCDO travel on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. You can also sign up to get email notifications when this advice is updated.
Travel insurance
If you choose to travel, research your destinations and get appropriate travel insurance. Insurance should cover your itinerary, planned activities and expenses in an emergency.
Update history
2024-08-08 14:46
New information on health risks (‘Health’ page).
2024-05-31 12:28
Updated information on criminal kidnap (‘Safety and security’ page).
2024-05-24 12:23
Information about Kinshasa armed attacks on 19 May (‘Safety and security’ page).
2024-05-20 14:55
Information regarding gunfire in Kinshasa on 19 May and protests (see ‘Safety and security’ page).
2024-05-19 12:59
Information regarding gunfire in Kinshasa (see ‘Warning and insurance’ page).
2024-04-05 16:37
Information on the security situation in Goma and flooding in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (see ‘Safety and security’ page).
2024-03-01 20:16
Latest Update on travel to and from Goma airport and to the district of Kasa Vubu in Kinshasa City (‘Warnings and insurance’ and ‘Regional risks’ pages).
2024-02-20 17:15
Information on driving in North Kivu (‘Regional Risks’ page).
2024-02-20 10:52
Information on protests outside western embassies (‘Safety and security’ page).
2024-02-17 10:43
Information that in the early hours of 17 February a drone reportedly targeted military aircraft at Goma airport. The airport continues to operate as normal. (see ‘Regional Risks’ page).
2024-02-12 17:07
Further updated information that ongoing protests in Kinshasa, including outside the British Embassy, are likely to continue throughout the week starting 12 February (‘Warnings and insurance’ page).
2024-02-11 15:05
Further updated information following protests outside the British Embassy in Kinshasa (Warnings and insurance and Safety and Security Pages) and likely protests on 12 February, with a risk that foreigners could be indiscriminately targeted.
2024-02-10 15:40
Updated information following protests outside the British Embassy in Kinshasa (Warnings and insurance and Safety and Security pages).
2024-02-09 16:39
Information following protests outside the British Embassy in February 2024 (‘Safety and security’ page).
2024-02-08 16:25
Updated information on Goma – British nationals should be prepared to leave at short notice and to have adequate supplies of food, water, medicine etc in case of the need to lock down (‘Regional risks’ page).
2024-01-18 16:39
This travel advice has been rewritten to make it easier to read and understand.
2023-12-29 14:08
Heavy rainfall is increasing the water level of the Congo River and its tributaries, and is causing flooding in certain areas of the DRC. British nationals are advised to check for news of flooding before travelling (‘Natural disasters’ page).
2023-12-21 15:50
Elections on Wednesday 20 December and risk of protests (‘Summary’ page and under the ‘Protests and demonstrations’ heading on the ‘Safety and security’ page).
2023-12-19 16:36
Border closures and flight disruptions on Wednesday 20 December. (‘Summary’ page).
2023-12-07 16:16
FCDO advises against all travel to the area of Mai N’dombe province between, and including the towns of, Kwamouth, Bandundu and the southern border of the province.FCDO advises against all but essential travel to the N1 road between and including: Menkao to the west, Kenge to the east, the border of Mai N’dombe province to the north, and 10km to the south. (‘Summary’ page).
2023-11-21 14:08
Information about upcoming elections in December 2023 including potential for civil unrest and disruption (‘Summary’ page and ‘Protests and demonstrations’ page).
2023-11-01 13:32
Information about a recent increase in violence in eastern DRC (‘Summary’ page and ‘Safety and security’ page).
2023-09-01 19:40
Updated information about planned protests against the UN peacekeeping mission known as the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) that took place on 30 August (‘Summary’ page and under ‘Protests and demonstrations’ on the ‘Safety and security’ page).
2023-08-25 11:52
Information about planned protests against the UN peacekeeping mission known as the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) on 30 August (‘Summary’ page and under ‘Protests and demonstrations’ on the ‘Safety and security’ page).
2023-08-22 15:55
Information about the removal of all COVID-19 related controls related to entry into the country, and travel outside of Kinshasa and the provincial capitals (‘Safety and security’ and ‘Entry requirements’ pages).
2023-08-01 14:12
Information about a potential increase in protests in the run up to elections in December 2023 (‘Protests and demonstrations’ on the ‘Safety and security’ page).
2023-07-13 18:14
Addition of information about potential increase in protests following the death of a politician (‘Summary’ and ‘Protests and demonstrations’).
2023-06-22 11:49
Information about the global terrorism risks to British nationals abroad on all FCDO travel advice pages.
2023-05-26 13:15
Updated information about Kenge, wearing military style clothing, and road and air travel (‘Summary’, ‘Safety and Security’ and ‘Local laws and customs’ pages).
2023-05-24 18:21
Information on planned protests for 25 May (‘Summary’ and ‘Safety and Security’ pages).
2023-05-24 09:25
Removal of information on planned protests for 20 May, as date now passed (‘Summary’ and ‘Safety and security’ pages).
2023-05-19 12:57
Information on planned protests on 20 May, and reported fighting between local militia and Congolese Armed Forces in Kenge (‘Summary’ and ‘Safety and security’ pages)
2023-05-12 16:47
General update of information throughout and changes to assist readability.
2023-05-10 16:48
Addition of information on flooding and landslides in eastern DRC (‘Summary’ page).
2023-04-06 17:58
Information on “express” kidnappings in Kinshasa on 6 April 2023 (‘Summary’ and ‘Safety and Security’ pages).
2023-02-06 16:22
Information on protests in Goma on 6 February 2023 (‘Summary’ and ‘Safety and Security’ pages).
2023-02-06 10:43
Updated information – The FCDO continues to advise against all but essential travel to Goma in North Kivu province (‘Summary’ pages).
2023-01-23 11:02
Addition of information on Pope’s visit to DRC. The FCDO continues to advise against all travel to Goma in North Kivu province (‘Summary’ and ‘Safety and security’ pages).
2022-11-23 14:17
Addition of information on protests planned for 24 November 2022 near the Goma office which may impact access to the Grande Barrière border crossing. The FCDO continues to advise against all travel to Goma in North Kivu province (‘Summary’ and ‘Safety and security’ pages).
2022-11-16 10:58
Updated with information that for security reasons staff have been temporarily withdrawn from the Goma office. The FCDO continues to advise against all travel to Goma in North Kivu province (‘Summary’ page)
2022-11-15 18:48
Change of travel advice for Goma from advising against all but essential travel (Amber) to advising against all travel (Red) (See ‘Summary’)
2022-11-13 10:41
Addition of information about clashes between Congolese military and armed group M23 near Goma in North Kivu (‘Summary’ and ‘Safety and security’ pages)
2022-11-11 17:01
Addition of information about clashes between Congolese military and armed group M23 in the Ruthuru area of North Kivu, and changes to Covid departure rules (‘Summary’, ‘Safety and security’ and ‘Coronavirus’ pages)
2022-10-29 22:38
Addition of information about Clashes between Congolese military and armed group M23 in the Ruthuru area of North Kivu.(“summary” “safety and security”)
2022-09-29 15:36
Updated information on 15th Ebola outbreak (‘Summary’ and ‘Health’ pages).
2022-09-28 12:20
The FCDO now advises against all but essential travel to the territory of Kwamouth (located in Mai-Ndombe province) (‘Summary’ page).
2022-09-21 16:27
Updated information on protests in Eastern DRC and increased violence between ethnic groups in Mai-Ndombe province (‘Summary’ and ‘Safety and Security’ pages).
2022-08-24 10:15
Addition of information and advice on an Ebola outbreak declared in Beni, North Kivu province and clarification on COVID-19 entry requirements (‘Summary’, ‘Entry requirements’ and ‘Health’ pages)
2022-08-04 16:17
Addition of information and advice about further protests in and around Goma (‘Summary’ page).
2022-07-29 20:09
Factual update on demonstrations in DRC (‘Summary’ and ‘Safety and security’ pages).
2022-07-27 14:07
Factual update on demonstrations in DRC (‘Summary’ and ‘Safety and security’ pages)
2022-07-26 17:23
Factual update on demonstrations in Goma (‘Summary’ and ‘Safety and security’ pages)
2022-07-25 16:13
Changes to FCDO advice against travel: the FCDO no longer advises against all but essential travel to Equateur province. The FCDO now advises against all but essential travel to the provinces of Kasiaï and Kasiaï Central. Previous advice against travel remains in place
2022-07-11 17:11
Addition of information about a fine for Kinshasa resident’s who do not meet the 15 July deadline for renewal of residency cards (‘Summary’ page)
2022-07-08 16:02
New information on a 15 July deadline for foreign nationals in Kinshasa to report themselves for new residency cards (‘Summary’ page). Update to information on DRC’s 14th Ebola outbreak; the outbreak was declared over on 4 July 2022 (‘Summary’ and ‘Health’ pages).
2022-05-25 11:04
Addition of information on armed group activity near Goma in eastern DRC (‘Safety and security’ page)
2022-05-13 18:19
On 12 May 2022 reports were received indicating the risk of a terrorist attack on an unspecified ferry departing from Goma (‘Summary’ and ‘Terrorism’ pages)
2022-05-10 12:59
The FCDO now advises against all but essential travel to the province of Equateur due to the ongoing outbreak of Ebola (‘Summary’). Previous advice against all or all but essential travel to various parts of the country remains in place, as outlined in the ‘Summary’ section.
2022-04-25 16:14
Update to information on a confirmed case of Ebola in Mbandaka city, Equateur province in north-western DRC (‘Summary’ and ‘Health’ pages).