Visa for Sweden from the Democratic Republic of the Congo: price, documents and processing time 2026

A Schengen short-stay visa is mandatory for Congolese nationals visiting Sweden. It covers tourism, family visits and short business trips, for a maximum of 90 days within any 180-day window. Sweden must be your main destination (where you spend the most nights) or your first point of entry into Schengen for it to be the country that handles your file.

• Government fee90 EUR
• Application centre feeCapped at €45
• Agency or online serviceOptional, added on top
• ExtrasVariable

Bring a passport valid for at least three months beyond your planned departure, the completed Schengen application form, a compliant photo, travel medical insurance covering at least €30,000, proof of accommodation and a return flight booking, evidence of sufficient funds and a travel itinerary. The visa fee is usually €90 for an adult; the service provider may add its own handling fee. Confirm the exact amount before you submit.

Applicants in the DRC lodge their file with the Swedish embassy or consulate responsible for Kinshasa, or through the mandated visa application centre (often VFS Global). Because Sweden is sometimes represented by another Schengen state in a given country, check swedenabroad.se to confirm which mission covers the DRC. Booking an appointment and giving biometrics (fingerprints and photo) must be done in person.

• Your application goes to the state that is your main destination. If Sweden is where you spend the longest, it handles the file, whatever the entry point.
• With no main destination, the competent state is the one you enter first.
• If Sweden has no consulate in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, another Schengen state may act on its behalf under a representation arrangement, or the file goes to the post accredited for your country.

Then the application goes to the post accredited for the Democratic Republic of the Congo, often in a neighbouring capital, or to a state acting on its behalf. Confirm which post is competent with the official source before travelling to a third country to apply, a rejected file at the wrong counter costs the trip and the fee.

The regime follows your nationality, not where you live. If you reside in the Democratic Republic of the Congo but travel on another country's passport, the rule on this page is not yours. Filing usually still happens from your country of residence, at the post competent for it, but the requirement itself comes from your passport.

Processing normally takes 15 to 45 days; ideally apply six to eight weeks ahead, as appointment slots in Kinshasa can be limited. Submit a coherent, complete file: ties to your home country (job, family, property) reassure the consulate about your return. Also check whether a yellow-fever vaccination certificate is required when leaving the DRC or transiting a third country.

Refusals often stem from insufficient insurance (below €30,000), weak proof of funds, a passport whose validity is too short, or a wrongly chosen main destination (applying to Sweden when the stay is mostly elsewhere). Do not buy non-refundable tickets before the visa is granted, and do not leave the appointment booking to the last minute.