Democratic Republic of the Congo
Warnings and insurance
Your travel insurance could be invalidated if you travel against advice from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO).
Areas where FCDO advises against travel
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
- The district of Kasa Vubu in Kinshasa city bordered by the N1 Triumphal Road (Stadium), Barumbu District, Lingwala district and south of the Botanical Garden.
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, including the city of Goma
- South Kivu, including the city of Bukavu
- 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.
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.
Security situation in DRC
North and South Kivu
If you are in Goma or Bukavu and judge it safe to do so, and if routes are available, you should leave.
M23 rebels and Rwanda Defence Forces (RDF) have captured the cities of Goma and Bukavu and the surrounding areas in North and South Kivu. The situation remains highly unstable and unpredictable. Routes to depart Goma and Bukavu are limited and may change at short notice.
The border crossings between Rwanda and the DRC at Gisenyi-Goma and Ruzizi-Bukavu could close at short notice.
Goma and Bukavu airports have been attacked and commercial flights are no longer operating from the airports.
Support from the UK government is severely limited outside Kinshasa. You should not assume that FCDO will be able to provide assistance to leave the country in the event of serious unrest or crisis.
Kinshasa
On 28 January there were large and violent protests outside multiple embassies in Kinshasa, in response to the fighting in Goma in eastern DRC. Stay alert and avoid any protests. Carry an identification document, limit movements and be cautious if you are travelling at night. Check ahead before travelling to the airport.
Monitor local media as the situation is changing fast.
Help and support in DRC
Read FCDO advice on how to deal with a crisis overseas.
Contact your travel provider and insurer
Contact your travel provider and your insurer. They will tell you if they can help and what you need to do.
Getting help in DRC
For help in an emergency from the British government, telephone: +243815566200
Read ‘Getting help’ for more information on other ways to get help in DRC.
Contact FCDO in London
Telephone: 020 7008 5000 (24 hours)
Before you travel
No travel can be guaranteed safe. Read all the advice in this guide. You may also find it helpful to:
- see general advice for women travellers
- read our guide on disability and travel abroad
- see general advice for LGBT+ travellers
- read about safety for solo and independent travel
- see advice on volunteering and adventure travel abroad
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.
About FCDO travel advice
FCDO provides advice about risks of travel to help you make informed decisions. Find out more about FCDO travel advice.
Get travel advice updates
Sign up to get email notifications when this travel advice is updated.
Follow FCDO: