Visa requirements
Passport: Generally required, the passport must be valid for at least 6 months when entering Burundi.
Visa: is generally required for entry into Burundi.
Visa on entry: The visa is only issued at the border if the traveler normally lives in a country where there is no Burundian embassy.
Application: In person or by post to the consular section of the embassy (Burundi – important addresses).
Processing time: about 2 to 3 days
Documents: Tourist Visa: a passport that is still valid for six months – 3 original, completed application forms (no copy, no fax) – 3 current passport photos (no scans) – confirmation by the travel agency of a booked and paid outward and return journey – fee (proof of postal order).
Business Visa: In addition, a letter from the sending company about the purpose and duration of the trip and the assumption of all travel expenses – invitation letter from the partner in Burundi.
When applying by post, an addressed and prepaid envelope (registered letter) must be enclosed.
You can download the visa application for Burundi here.
Visa issuance costs:
- Single entry: 50.00 euros
- multiple entry: 150.00 euros
Vaccinations: Information on international vaccination certificates that are required for entry can be found in the chapter Burundi – Health.
Entry with children
Germany: Children need their own passport to enter Burundi (children’s passport or electronic passport).
Austria: own passport for children.
Switzerland: own passport for children
The same visa requirements apply to children as to their parents.
Money
National currency: 1 Burundi franc divided into 100 centimes.
Currency abbreviation: BuFr, BIF – ABBREVIATIONFINDER.ORG
Banknotes worth 10,000, 5,000, 1,000, 500, 100, 50, 20 and 10 BuFr are in circulation. Coins are available in nominal amounts of 5 and 1 BuFr. The most common sizes range from 100 francs to 5,000 francs.
Currency exchange: Foreign currencies (preferably US dollars) can be exchanged at the airport, in the banks in Bujumbura and in large hotels. The black market offers higher prices than the banks. It is recommended to change cash as banks charge high fees especially for travelers checks.
Exchange rate Burundi Franc:
Currency converter at OANDA
Credit Cards: Diners Club, American Express and MasterCard are hardly accepted.
ATMs: do not exist in Burundi.
Traveler’s checks: Should be issued in US dollars, the fees are very high. Traveler’s checks can be cashed in at banks and major hotels in Bujumbura.
Foreign exchange regulations: The import of the national currency and foreign currencies is subject to declaration from an amount equivalent to 5,000 BuFr. The export of the national currency and foreign currencies is subject to declaration.
Bank opening times: Mon – Fri 7:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Health and Diseases
In Burundi there are the following health risks: intestinal infections including amebiasis, hepatitis A, typhoid, schistosomiasis, hepatitis B and C, venereal diseases, HIV / AIDS, rabies and sleeping sickness.
Polio, elephantitis, river blindness, yellow fever and typhus are less common.
A yellow fever vaccination must be proven upon arrival. No further mandatory vaccinations are currently required.
Generally, the following are standard vaccinations recommended: tetanus, diphtheria, polio, hepatit i s A.
If you stay in the host country for a longer period of time, you should also be vaccinated against the following diseases: yellow fever, hepatitis B, typhoid, meningococcal meningitis and possibly rabies.
There is a high risk of malaria all year round in Burundi. F ÜR malaria prophylaxis various prescription drugs (eg Malarone, doxycycline, Lariam) are available in the market. The predominant, more dangerous form Plasmodium falciparum (85%) is said to be chloroquine resistant. The selection and personal adjustment as well as side effects or intolerance to other medications should be discussed with a tropical or travel doctor before taking chemoprophylaxis.
Across the country, considerable bottlenecks in medical and drug care are to be expected. Adequate equipment of the first-aid kit (observe customs regulations, advising accompanying certificate) and international health insurance with coverage of the rescue return risk for emergencies are strongly recommended.
The greatest risk of infection is intestinal infections, which are caused by contaminated food or drinks. Therefore, careful food and drinking water hygiene measures should always be carried out. In general, water should either be boiled or otherwise sterilized prior to use for drinking, brushing teeth, and making ice cubes. Milk is not pasteurized outside of urban areas and should also be boiled. Avoid dairy products from uncooked milk. Meat and fish dishes should only be cooked well and served hot. Avoid eating pork, raw salads and mayonnaise. Vegetables should be cooked and fruit peeled.
In addition to my general disclaimer, please note the following important note:
A guarantee for the correctness and completeness of the medical information as well as a liability for possible damage cannot be assumed. You stay responsible for your healthy.
The regional doctor at the embassy in Nairobi / Kenya is available for further information.
Tourist highlights
The capital and port city of Bujumbura on Lake Tanganyika offers some good restaurants and bars. A colonial military base was founded here by Germany in 1899 and buildings from this period can still be seen today (e.g. the postmaster’s house). The visitor can visit museums, the Islamic cultural center and the lively market. Lake Tanganyika is arguably Burundi’s main attraction. Some beaches are among the best that Central Africa has to offer, especially Saga Beach. Other interesting places in the country are the former royal cities of Muramvya and Gitega (National Museum) and the source of the White Nile at Kasumo.
The famous “Maîtres Tambours du Burundi” (Burundi master drummers) should not be missed. Burundi has some national parks, but they are not comparable to those of other African countries. The civil war has also claimed victims in Burundi’s wildlife. In the Parc National de la Kibira there are no more chimpanzees, in the Parc National de la Ruvubu and in the Réserve Gérée de la Ruzizi you can still see antelopes, hippos and crocodiles.