Burundi Visa Policy

You can realize a planned trip to Burundi by getting a Burundi visa. Foreign nationals can apply for Burundi short-term visas for temporary reasons (tourism, business, cultural, and other short-term purposes). If you want to stay in Burundi longer for any reason (such as education, work, etc.), you can apply for Burundi Residence Permit.

You can apply for a Burundi Short-term visa for realizing your temporary travel to Burundi. Reasons to apply for this type of visa can be tourism, business trips, transit, and many other non-permanent nuances. Short-term visas can be single-entry and multiple-entry.

Nationals of the East African Community (EAC) and the DRC are exempt from applying for a visa but must have a valid passport issued by their respective countries (minimum six months of validity before the expiration date).

Required Documents for Burundi Short-term Visa

1. Two Application Forms 

• Fully completed in English and signed and dated by the applicant himself (signed by both parents in case of minors, below the age of 18)

2. Passport

• Validity minimum of six months beyond the date of your arrival from Burundi.
• Signed by bearer
• Passport not older than 10 years (issued in the last 10 years)
• At least five free “visa pages.”
• Undamaged pictures securely affixed with/to passport

3. Two Photos

• NEW! Should not be older than 6 months.
• A frontal view of the face-covering 70-80% (32-26mm) of the photo.
• A uniform and white background.
• Clear facial features and eyes – not covered by hair or glasses frame.
• 2x2 size

4. ID Card Copy

5. Residence Permit/Visa Copy (if your country of residence and citizenship are different)

6. Photocopies

• Copy of the main page of your passport
• Copies of previous visas
• Copy of visa for the final destination (if any)

7. Travel Itinerary 

• Valid (existing) hotel/accommodation booking/reservation with the full address (name, street, city, zip code, contact information, booking ref.)
• A confirmed or unconfirmed round-trip ticket or a letter from a travel agency

8. Yellow Fever (YF) Vaccine

• A copy of a yellow fever vaccine certificate

9. Supporting Documents that Show Your Reason for a Trip

     For tourism:

• Confirmation of the accommodation (hotel confirmation, apartment rental contract, etc.)
•  An invitation letter from the person who receives you on which appears the address of his domicile, his function, and his telephone number + a copy of his identity document

     For private visit:

• Original invitation letter by inviting person
• The original document that confirms the ownership of the estate (home) of your inviting person, if you are going to stay there.
• Copies of passport, ID card/residence permit of your inviting person

     For business:

• An original invitation letter from the person who receives you on which appears the address of his domicile, his function, and his telephone number + a copy of his identity document
• A mission order from the mandating company and the invitation letter from the receiving company
• Extract from the bank statement of the applicant and, if applicable, that of the person inviting + a certificate of total coverage.

      For courtesy/diplomatic:

• Verbal note or
• Original invitation letter from the person receiving you + copy of their identity document.
• Recommendation/ Introduction letter by an employer for an official visit

      For transit:

• An entry visa (if any) and an onward ticket to the intended country of destination

10. For Minors:

• Copy and English translation of either birth certificate/proof of adoption/custody decree if parents are divorced/death certificate of parent
• Letter of consent from parent/s or legal guardian/s, if traveling unaccompanied

NB: The Invitation Letter must be authenticated by the Immigration office in Burundi or by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in order to be valid.

*Additional documents can be required by the embassy.

Processing Time for Burundi Short-term Visa

The average processing time for a Burundi Short-term Visa is 10-15 working days. It depends on your visa application country.

Burundi Visa Fee

Burundi Visa fee is 40-90 USD (it can vary depending on your country and nationality) Additionally, you may also need to pay other Administrative fees such as the Visa Application center fee, courier service fee, etc., depending on the country and location of your documents' submission.

NB: Currencies vary depending on your country and nationality.

Where to Apply for Burundi Visa?

You will apply for a Burundi visa in Burundi visa application centers, embassies, or consulates, whichever accepts visa applications in your country of residence. If there is none of them in your country, you need to apply to the nearest embassy or consulate to your location.

Burundi doesn’t have any long-term visas in general. If you intend to stay in Burundi for a long period, you can apply for a residence permit in Burundi in most cases. However, it is advisable to contact the nearest Burundi embassies/consulates for the exact information for Burundi long-term visas. In some cases, they can issue long-term visas for you or they can issue a short-term visa for you, so you can enter Burundi with that visa and apply for an extension or residence permit in Burundi.