🇧🇮Burundi Visa for Eswatini Citizens2026 Requirements, Fees & Documents

Visa de Séjour (Extended Stay Visa)

For foreign nationals who need to extend their stay beyond the expiry of their initial entry visa. Issued by CGM only.

Fee: $10 for every 5 days (up to 25 days); $70 per month thereafter. Validity from 5 days up to 1 month, renewable. Available at CGM only, not at border points.

Visa EAC (East African Community Access Visa)

Free access visa for citizens of EAC Partner States (Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, South Sudan, DRC, Somalia) under the EAC Common Market Protocol Article 7(1).

Valid 1 to 6 months. Free of charge. Documents required: passport/travel document photocopy, access stamp photocopy, and passport photo. Issued at CGM or entry points. Somalia joined EAC on March 4, 2024.

Visa CEPGL (Great Lakes Countries Access Visa)

Free access visa for citizens of CEPGL (Economic Community of the Great Lakes Countries) member states - DRC and Rwanda.

Valid 1 to 3 months. Free of charge. Documents required: passport/travel document photocopy, access stamp photocopy, and passport photo. Issued at CGM or entry points.

Visa d'Étude EAC (EAC Study Visa)

For students from EAC member countries studying in Burundi. Free of charge under EAC Common Market Protocol.

12 months validity. Free for EAC member country students. Issued at CGM. DRC students (also CEPGL members) pay $25 USD and visa expires December 31st of the year.

Visa d'Établissement (Establishment Visa / Long-Stay Residence Permit)

For foreign nationals and their dependents who wish to reside and establish themselves in Burundi for an extended period of up to 2 years. This is the residence pathway used by employed foreigners after their initial entry visa.

Fee: $500 USD. Valid 2 years. Issued at CGM only. Requires at least 6 months of prior residence in Burundi, a request letter approved by the Commissioner General of Migrations, passport copy, current visa copy, and passport photo. For employed foreigners (the work-residence pathway) additional documents are required per the official MAE page: a work contract (contrat de travail), service certificate (attestation de service) and engagement deed (acte d'engagement) for company employees, plus a tax identification number (NIF) and business registration (registre du commerce) for any profit-generating activity. A separate free courtesy establishment visa (2 years) and diplomatic establishment visa (3 years) also exist - see their dedicated entries.

Visa de Résident Permanent (Permanent Residence Visa)

For foreign nationals who qualify for indefinite residence in Burundi. Grants a 99-year permanent resident status.

Fee: $1,200 USD. Valid 99 years. Issued at CGM only. Requires ministerial authorization from Ministry of Interior, letter of application, passport copy, property title, and previous establishment visas received. A free variant exists for transfer to a new passport for existing permanent residents. The MAE also describes a free 'Visa de Résident Permanent' for diplomatic/courtesy holders under the free-visa page.

Visa d'Établissement Diplomatique (Diplomatic Establishment Visa)

For holders of diplomatic passports seeking to establish residence in Burundi as part of an official diplomatic mission.

Free of charge. Valid 3 years. Requires: note verbale from organization, letter from Ministry of Home Affairs, diplomatic passport copy, and current visa photocopy. Issued by MAE.

Visa Sauf-Conduit (Safe Conduct Visa)

Emergency travel document for lost passport holders and Burundian citizens who require a short-term travel document.

Free of charge. Valid 1 week. Issued at CGM or entry points. Intended for lost passport holders and Burundian citizens in exceptional circumstances.

Permis de Travail (Work Permit)

Work authorization for foreign nationals taking up employment with a registered employer in Burundi.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs maintains a dedicated official 'Work Permit' page, confirming a distinct labour-authorization category for foreign workers separate from the residence (establishment) visa. Employment-linked foreigners also obtain a Visa d'etablissement (residence, $500, 2 years) which for employees requires a work contract, service certificate, engagement deed, tax ID (NIF) and business registration. Fee, exact validity, and number of entries are not published on the official page and are left null rather than guessed.

Visa Etudiant RDC (DRC Student Visa)

For students from the Democratic Republic of Congo enrolled at schools or institutions in Burundi.

Listed as a distinct category on the official CGM application portal: $25 USD, annual, multiple entry. DRC is a CEPGL (Great Lakes) member; unlike the free EAC study visa, DRC students pay $25 and the visa expires on December 31st of the year of issue.

Visa d'Etablissement de Courtoisie (Courtesy Establishment Visa)

For staff of organizations (e.g. international organizations / NGOs) granted courtesy status to reside in Burundi, and their minor children.

Free of charge, valid 2 years, per the official MAE free-visa page. Requires a note verbale from the organization addressed to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a letter from the Ministry of Interior/Home Affairs, passport copy, current visa copy, and passport photo. The MAE free-visa page also lists free transfer and certified-copy (for minor children) variants of this visa. Distinct from the Diplomatic Establishment Visa, which is reserved for diplomatic passport holders (3 years).