Central African Republic Visa Policy

 You can realize your planned trip to the Central African Republic by obtaining a Central African Republic visa. Foreign nationals can apply to Central African Republic short-term visas for temporary reasons (tourism, business, and other short-term purposes). If you want to stay in the Central African Republic for a longer period for some reason (such as study, employment, etc.) you can also apply for Central African Republic long-term visas.

Reasons to apply for Central African Republic Short-term visa can be tourism, visiting family or friends, business trips, short-term education, short-term work, and many other non-permanent nuances. You can check all the required documents for each type of visa application, visa fees, processing time, and where to apply for a visa below.

The validity of the Central African Republic Short-term visa is 90 days per entry.

Required Documents for Central African Republic Short-term Visa

1.  Application Form (2)

• Duly completed and signed in French or English

2. Photo

• The photo should be of passport format, a recent whole-face capture with a light background.
• It must be in the size of 3.5 x 4.5 colored, and the head should take 70-80% of the photo.
• You must be looking straight at the camera with a neutral facial expression (no smile and mouth closed).
• Try to avoid uniforms or colors matching the background.

3. Passport and Copy of the Main Page

• Your passport must be valid for at least six months beyond the return date.
• It also must have at least two blank pages.

4. Copy of ID Card

5. Residence Permit/Visa Copy

• If your country of residence and citizenship are different

6. Vaccination Certificate

• Yellow fever certificate

7. Flight Ticket Reservation

• Roundtrip ticket booking

8. Letter from Local Employer/Sponsor (Proof of Occupation)

• The letter must include:
  • Name, postal address, and telephone number of sponsor/company
  • Details regarding the applicant’s working position, starting date of the employment, and salary
  • The timeframe of work leave (expected date to resume duties) and purpose of travel
• Valid trade license copy and company ownership documents (if a person is an owner of the company).
• Letter from University (if student)
• Copy of sponsor’s valid passport and residence visa (if any) to be attached to letter from sponsor (if an applicant is a dependent)

9. Invitation Letter (If any)

• From the inviting party in the Central African Republic

10. For Minors:

• Copy 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

11. For Tourism:

• Confirmation of the accommodation (hotel confirmation, apartment rental contract, etc.)

12. For Work:

• Invitation Letter
  • From the employing company based in the CAR
• Letter from the Applicant’s Employer
  • Stating that they will leave the Central African Republic at the end of their work contract

13. Diplomatic, Official:

• A Verbal Note

14. Family/Friends Visit:

• Relationship between the applicant and family member
  • Marriage Certificate
  • Birth Certificate etc.
• Invitation Letter
  • Stating the relationship with the inviter and purpose of visiting the country & taking responsibility for housing / related expenses during the guest's stay in the Central African Republic

15. For Study:

• Acceptance Letter
  • From University in CAR

*Additional documents may be required by the embassy.

Processing Time for Central African Republic Short-term Visa

The average processing time for a Central African Republic Short-term visa is 2-5 working days. It depends on your visa application country.

The Central African Republic Short-term Visa Fee

The Central African Republic Short-term visa fee is 90-165 USD. The fee may vary depending on your nationality or your country of submission.

Where to Apply for Central African Republic Short-term Visa?

You will apply for a Central African Republic Short-term visa in the Central African Republic 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.

Even if your country is exempt from visa requirements for a short-term period, if you intend to stay longer in the Central African Republic, you may need to apply for a long-stay visa from your home country before coming to the Central African Republic. The validity of the Central African Republic Long-term visa is 1 year.

Required Documents for Central African Republic Long-term Visa

1.  Application Form (2)

• Duly completed and signed in French or English

2. Photo

• The photo should be of passport format, a recent whole-face capture with a light background.
• It must be in the size of 3.5 x 4.5 colored, and the head should take 70-80% of the photo.
• You must be looking straight at the camera with a neutral facial expression (no smile and mouth closed).
• Try to avoid uniforms or colors matching the background.

3. Passport and Copy of the Main Page

• Your passport must be valid for at least six months beyond the return date.
• It also must have at least two blank pages.

4. Copy of ID Card

5. Residence Permit/Visa Copy

• If your country of residence and citizenship are different

6. Vaccination Certificate

• Yellow fever certificate

7. Flight Ticket Reservation

• Flight ticket booking

8. Letter from Local Employer/Sponsor (Proof of Occupation)

• The letter must include:
  • Name, postal address, and telephone number of sponsor/company
  • Details regarding the applicant’s working position, starting date of the employment, and salary
  • The timeframe of work leave (expected date to resume duties) and purpose of travel
• Valid trade license copy and company ownership documents (if a person is an owner of the company).
• Letter from University (if student)
• Copy of sponsor’s valid passport and residence visa (if any) to be attached to letter from sponsor (if an applicant is a dependent)

9. Invitation Letter (If any)

• From the inviting party in the Central African Republic

10. For Work:

• Invitation Letter
  • From the employing company based in the CAR
• Letter from the Applicant’s Employer
  • Stating that they will leave the Central African Republic at the end of their work contract
• Company Registration Certificate

11. For Study:

• Acceptance Letter
  • From University in CAR

*Additional documents may be requested by the embassy.

Processing Time for Central African Republic Long-term Visa

The average processing time for a Central African Republic Long -term visa is 2-5 working days. It depends on your visa application country.

The Central African Republic Long-term Visa Fee

The central African Republic Long-term visa fee is 210-240 USD. The fee may vary depending on your nationality or your country of submission.

Where to Apply for the Central African Republic Long-term Visa?

You will apply for a Central African Republic Long-term visa in the Central African Republic 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.