Immigration
A 2002 immigration regime with mandatory exit visas historically
Entry and residence are governed by the 2002 immigration law and its decrees, administered by the Direction Générale de Migration. Residence permits are tied to purpose, and refugee status is governed by the 2002 asylum law.
Key rules
- Jurisdiction — The Direction Générale de Migration controls entry and status.
- Deadline — Residence permit: applied for on arrival for stays beyond the visa
- Deadline — Asylum claim: lodged with the CNR
Governing law
- Loi n° 021/2002 portant régime général des étrangers
- Loi n° 021/2002 portant statut des réfugiés en RDC
- Décrets on the carte de résident
In practice
DR Congo both hosts and generates large displaced populations, and the 2002 refugee statute — enacted the same year as the general immigration law — is the instrument that matters most for the millions affected by the conflict in the eastern provinces.