Last Update: Reissued with updates to the health information.
Reconsider travel to the Democratic Republic of Congo due to crime and civil unrest. Some areas have increased risk. Read the entire Travel Advisory.
Do Not Travel To:
Country Summary: Violent crime, such as armed robbery, armed home invasion, and assault, is common and local police lack resources to respond effectively to serious crime. Assailants may pose as police or security agents.
Demonstrations are common in many cities and some have turned violent. Police have at times responded with heavy-handed tactics that resulted in civilian casualties and arrests.
The U.S. government has extremely limited ability to provide emergency consular services to U.S. citizens outside of Kinshasa due to poor infrastructure and security conditions.
Read the country information page for additional information on travel to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
If you decide to travel to the Democratic Republic of the Congo:
North Kivu Province – Level 4: Do Not Travel
Violent crime, such as murder, rape, kidnapping, and pillaging, continue throughout North Kivu province. Road travelers are frequently targeted for ambush, armed robbery, and kidnapping.
Demonstrations and large gatherings can occur throughout these regions, especially in urban areas, and escalate to violence. Extrajudicial mobs can form rapidly and turn violent, posing a threat to humanitarian aid workers and other personnel operating in the area.
Terrorist and armed groups operating in North Kivu province have attacked military and civilian targets and represent an ongoing threat to humanitarian aid workers and other NGO personnel operating in the area.
Armed groups, individuals, and military forces routinely clash with each other. Civilians are frequently targeted in attacks.
The U.S. government is unable to provide emergency consular services to U.S. citizens in North Kivu province as U.S. government travel to these areas is restricted.
Visit our website for Travel to High-Risk Areas.
Ituri Province – Level 4: Do Not Travel
Violent crime, such as murder, rape, kidnapping, and pillaging, continue throughout Ituri province. Road travelers are frequently targeted for ambush, armed robbery, and kidnapping.
Demonstrations and large gatherings can occur throughout these regions, especially in urban areas, and escalate to violence. Extrajudicial mobs can form rapidly and turn violent, posing a threat to humanitarian aid workers and other personnel operating in the area.
Terrorist and armed groups operating in Ituri province have attacked military and civilian targets and represent an ongoing threat to humanitarian aid workers and other NGO personnel operating in the area.
Armed groups, individuals, and military forces routinely clash with each other. Civilians are frequently targeted in attacks.
The U.S. government is unable to provide emergency consular services to U.S. citizens in Ituri province as U.S. government travel to these areas is restricted.
Visit our website for Travel to High-Risk Areas.
Eastern DRC Region and the Three Kasai Provinces – Level 4: Do Not Travel
Violent crime, such as murder, rape, kidnapping, and pillaging, continue throughout South Kivu, Tanganyika, Haut Lomami, Bas-Uele, and Haut-Uele and three Kasai provinces of Kasai Oriental, Kasai Central, and Kasai. Road travelers are frequently targeted for ambush, armed robbery, and kidnapping.
Demonstrations and large gatherings can occur throughout these regions, especially in urban areas, and escalate to violence. Extrajudicial mobs can form rapidly and turn violent, posing a threat to humanitarian aid workers and other personnel operating in the area.
Armed groups, individuals, and military forces routinely clash with each other. Civilians are frequently targeted in attacks.
The U.S. government is unable to provide emergency consular services to U.S. citizens in eastern DRC and these provinces, as U.S. government travel to these regions is restricted.
Visit our website for Travel to High-Risk Areas.
