DRC: Long waits in the sun, pushing in queues and bribes—the ordeal of obtaining a passport

Author: actualite.cdPublished on: October 21, 2026Country: Democratic Republic of the Congo
Society & Lifestyle
DRC: Long waits in the sun, pushing in queues and bribes—the ordeal of obtaining a passport

In Kinshasa, applicants seeking biometric passports at the Infinity centre in the Gombe commune report long waits in the sun and pushing as they try to enter for biometric processing. Some say people who arrived later are admitted after phone calls, prompting anger and clashes with police. A sick young woman was knocked in the crowd, while one applicant said she had spent a second day waiting, with the ordeal affecting her family life. The report also raises allegations of bribes despite the official fee.

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