DR Congo Entrepreneur/Self-Employed Visa

DR Congo Entrepreneur/Self-Employed Visa

The DR Congo Entrepreneur/Self-Employed Visa (officially, Establishment Visa) is for foreigners who establish a business with a minimum working capital of US$5,000 in a local bank, who may then qualify for permanent residence after 15 years of continuous residency.

Applicants must first reside legally in the Democratic Republic of the Congo for at least six months before applying for the “Establishment Visa” which is valid for three years and renewable. The visa grants resident status and the right to conduct professional or economic activities, and it allows spouses to be included.

DR Congo Entrepreneur/Self-Employed Visa

To qualify for the DR Congo Entrepreneur/Self-Employed Visa, applicants must meet the following criteria:

Business Investment

• Proof of working capital of at least US$5,000 deposited in a local bank

• Registration with New Commercial Register (NRC)

• Possession of National Identification Number (Id. Nat.)

• Proof of tax compliance

• No engagement in petty trading activities

For Liberal Professions (Profit-Making)

• Corporation approval or license

• Proof of tax compliance

• Proof of working capital of at least US$5,000 in a local bank

• New Commercial Register (NRC)

• National Identification Number (Id. Nat.)

DR Congo Entrepreneur/Self-Employed Visa

• Path to citizenship

• Lower cost of living

• Warm climate

• Lower taxes

DR Congo Entrepreneur/Self-Employed Visa

After completing fifteen years of regular, uninterrupted residency in the DRC, an investor may apply for permanent residency through the Permanent Establishment Visa.

Upon achieving permanent residency status, the applicant can pursue citizenship through naturalization. To qualify, applicants must demonstrate continuous residence without interruption, engagement in agricultural, liberal, commercial or industrial activities, and good standing with tax authorities.

The DRC does not permit dual nationality, so applicants must renounce their previous citizenship upon naturalization.

Browse 195 countries’ paths to citizenship in the hyper-detailed IMI Citizenship Catalog.

DR Congo Entrepreneur/Self-Employed Visa

Applications for this program may be directed to: Direction Générale de Migration (DGM)

Legislation upon which this program is based:

Loi n° 04/024 du 12 novembre 2004 relative à la nationalité Congolaise