Your team is critical to your company’s success as it grows in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. If you’re onboarding workers from your parent company or hiring candidates from another country, you’ll need to manage documentation and visas for your nonnational employees.
Our goal at G-P is to help you pursue business growth without borders as boundaries. If you’re hiring nonnational workers abroad, our team will make sure they have the visas and permits they need to work legally.
Types of Work Visas in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
In the DRC, there are two main types of work visas:
- Standard work permit: This permit type is for nonnational employees with contracts at a company registered in the country. Depending on the contract, a standard permit will be valid for one to two years.
- Work-specific visa: If a nonnational employee is planning a temporary stay in the country for specific work, they can receive this one-year visa. This option is nonrenewable.
For a brief business visit, an employee may instead obtain a travel visa.
The best visa option for your employees will depend on the nature and duration of work.
Requirements to Obtain Democratic Republic of the Congo Work Visas
Work with your nonnational hires to gather the legal documentation they need to begin working in-country. Keep in mind that your company will need to furnish some documents as proof of the employees’ contracts in your country of business. Each employee will need the following:
- A passport valid for at least the next six months
- Four official passport photos
- An international vaccination card
- Proof of professional qualifications, such as degree diplomas or training certifications
- A certificate of service with the company
Application Process
When you begin the work visa application process, you’ll want to ensure you’re meeting all the requirements for each employee’s unique situation. Contact your local embassy or consulate to confirm employee immigration requirements and ensure your team members have all the necessary documentation to travel.
Your employees’ visa application requirements may vary depending on their countries of citizenship. That said, you can generally take the following steps:
- Discuss any specific considerations for employee work visas with your embassy.
- Gather all the necessary documentation to submit with the application.
- Pay the embassy and visa acquisition fees, which will vary depending on the type of visa required.
- Wait for visa approval for each employee.
Other Important Considerations
An entrepreneur visa may be an option to bring managers or associates over to your international business branch if you have recently incorporated. Promoters or agents may be eligible for a special establishment visa for five to 10 years if the investment code has approved the company.
If your nonnational employees plan to work in the DRC long-term, you may want to consider helping them obtain residency permits eventually. This permit will allow the holder to freely travel to and from the country. To be eligible for a residency permit, an employee will need to have been a resident of the DRC for 15 years.
Partner With G-P
As your Employer of Record (EOR), G-P will deliver trusted solutions to address your global business requirements. Our team will use country-specific expertise and resources to manage visa applications for you. We can seamlessly bring your nonnational team into the Democratic Republic of the Congo so you can focus on other aspects of your company’s growth.
If you’re interested in learning more about how our services can meet your needs, contact us today to request a free proposal.