Location: Embassy of the United States, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)
Event: U.S. Embassy Kinshasa Closed to the Public from January 31 through February 3, 2023
The United States Embassy in Kinshasa will be closed during the official visit of Pope Francis to the Democratic Republic of the Congo from Tuesday, January 31 through Friday, February 3, 2023. During this period, the Embassy will be closed to all routine visa and American Citizen Services appointments. We are sending guidance on how to reschedule via email to all individuals with Consular appointments on those dates.
During the Pope’s visit, U.S. citizens in Kinshasa should expect road closures, heavy traffic, increased police presence, and large gatherings throughout his visit. The public mass at N’Dolo Airport on Wednesday, February 1 at 9:30 AM and the meeting with Catholic youth at the Stade des Martyrs on Thursday, February 2 at 9:30 AM are expected to draw particularly large crowds.
The U.S. Embassy reminds U.S. citizens to maintain general awareness and remain vigilant as even peaceful gatherings can become chaotic and potentially turn violent and to note that phone networks may be overloaded and experience outages unexpectedly.
Actions to take:
- Avoid demonstrations and large crowds.
- Be aware of your surroundings.
- Monitor local media for updates.
- Ensure that you have adequate supplies of food and water at home should roads be closed.
- Keep phone batteries charged.
Assistance:
- U.S. Embassy Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, 310 Avenue des Aviateurs, Kinshasa/Gombe, +243 81-556-0151/0152 or +243-972-616-193 (after hours and weekends).
- ACSKinshasa@state.gov
- https://cd.usembassy.gov/
- State Department – Consular Affairs +1 888-407-4747 or +1 202-501-4444
- Democratic Republic of Congo Country Information
- Enroll in Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP)to receive security updates.
- Follow us on Facebook and Twitter
