Democratic Republic of the Congo Travel Advisory 2026

Current U.S. State Department advisory

Level 4: Do Not Travel

The highest advisory level: do not travel due to life-threatening risks. The U.S. government may have very limited ability to help. Advisory as of June 3, 2026.

Official source: travel.state.gov

US vs UK: how the advice compares

🇺🇸 United States — travel.state.gov

Level 4· Do Not Travel

Level 4 of 4 · as of June 3, 2026

🇬🇧 United Kingdom — FCDO (GOV.UK)

Advises against all travel to parts of the country

Last updated June 23, 2026 · gov.uk advice

Latest UK update note: “Additional information on Ebola (‘Entry requirements’ and ‘Health’ pages).”

See all countries where the two governments disagree on the US vs UK comparison page.

Advisory level timeline

June 3, 2026 — current
Level 4: Do Not Travel
Latest official advisory as captured in our snapshot.
No advisory level changes recorded for Democratic Republic of the Congo since we began tracking in July 2026. We log every future change here, with dates and official change notes.

Is Democratic Republic of the Congo safe? What the official advisory says

There were no changes to the advisory level or risk indicators. Advisory summary was updated. Do Not Travel to the Democratic Republic of the Congo due to the Ebola Bundibugyo Virus Disease outbreak in Ituri Province in the DRC. Advisory summary was updated.

Do not travel to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) due to crime , unrest , terrorism, kidnapping, and health.

Advisory summary The U.S. government has limited ability to provide emergency consular services to U.S. citizens in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) due to the health situation.

Health The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a Travel Health Notice for Ebola for the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

On May 17, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the Ebola outbreak in the DRC and Uganda a Public Health Emergency of International Concern .

Outbreaks of serious infectious diseases are common in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website for the latest Travel Health Information before you travel.

The local health infrastructure is inadequate. Health services, hygiene, and quality control do not meet U.S. standards of care. Pharmacies are not well regulated. Locally available medications may be unsafe.

Travel restrictions for government employees U.S. government employees working in the Democratic Republic of the Congo need special authorization to travel outside of Kinshasa due to safety risks. The U.S. embassy has extremely limited ability to provide routine or emergency consular services outside of Kinshasa.

Due to safety risks, minor dependents cannot join U.S. government employees who work in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Crime Petty crime is common. This includes crimes of opportunity like pickpocketing and burglary. Violent crimes include armed robbery, armed home invasion, and assault. Criminals may pose as police or security agents.

Local police do not always inform the U.S. embassy when they arrest a U.S. citizen. They may also delay access to detained U.S. citizens or use violence and threats during interrogations.

Unrest Demonstrations are common in many cities and can sometimes turn violent. Police may respond with force, resulting in deaths and arrests. Looting, assault, traffic obstruction, property damage, and other violent actions can happen when police don't respond quickly, or at all.

North and South Kivu Provinces Active fighting is ongoing between armed groups and government military forces in the Kivu provinces; the M23 armed group is occupying major cities of Goma and Bukavu. Missiles and armed drones have been used in the conflict. The fighting has forced thousands of people from their homes which can cause instability in the province.

Violent crime is common throughout the Kivu provinces. This includes murder, rape, kidnapping, and pillaging. Road travelers are common targets for ambush, armed robbery, and kidnapping.

Condensed from the official State Department advisory of June 3, 2026 — read the full advisory before you travel.

Democratic Republic of the Congo travel advisory FAQ

What is the current travel advisory level for Democratic Republic of the Congo?

As of June 3, 2026, the U.S. State Department rates Democratic Republic of the Congo at Level 4: Do Not Travel. The highest advisory level: do not travel due to life-threatening risks. The U.S. government may have very limited ability to help.

What does Level 4 mean?

Level 4 (Do Not Travel) — The highest advisory level: do not travel due to life-threatening risks. The U.S. government may have very limited ability to help.

When did the Democratic Republic of the Congo travel advisory last change?

The current advisory was published on June 3, 2026. No level changes have been recorded since we began tracking in July 2026 — this page will log every future change.

Does the UK government agree with the US advisory for Democratic Republic of the Congo?

The UK Foreign Office (FCDO) position: Advises against all travel to parts of the country (last updated June 23, 2026). The US and UK use different systems — the US assigns a 1–4 level, while the UK either advises against travel (entirely or in part) or issues no overall warning.