Published on and written by Cyril Jarnias
Applying for a passport in Burundi is not particularly complicated, but the system is highly regulated, centralized in Bujumbura, and entirely biometric. Between the documentary requirements, the high fees relative to average income, and the obligation to apply in person, it’s best to know exactly what to expect before starting. This detailed guide brings together official information and observed practices to explain, step-by-step, how to obtain the country’s passport in Burundi, whether you live in the country or abroad.
Understanding the passport system in Burundi
Burundi now only issues biometric passports. This shift was enacted by a ministerial decree on March 2, 2011, and since then, all new issuances have followed this modernized format. In concrete terms, the document is a standard international format blue booklet of about thirty pages, with the mention of the Republic of Burundi in Kirundi, French, and English, and a chip containing the holder’s biometric data.
Old non-biometric passports were not abruptly invalidated. They remain valid until the printed expiration date. But this tolerance has a clear limit: anyone physically in Burundi must travel with a biometric passport. A Burundian can still return to the country with an old, unexpired passport, but they will not be able to leave the territory again without first obtaining the new biometric document.
Burundians in the diaspora holding old digital passports benefited from a unique two-year extension (decided in 2012) to allow them to return to the country and apply for a biometric passport. Targeted extensions were also granted, upon reasoned request, to diplomats, their families, and students already abroad at the time of the reform.
Who issues passports in Burundi
Several institutions are involved, but each has a very specific role. Politically, the overall responsibility for issuing passports lies with the Ministry of Public Security. Operationally, two police structures share the tasks:
– the General Commissariat for Migration (CGM), integrated into the General Inspectorate of the National Police of Burundi, which defines and implements migration policy, manages entries and exits from the territory, visas, and travel documents;
– the Air, Border, and Foreign Police (PAFE), which is the specific police service in charge of processing applications for biometric passports.
To obtain a Burundian passport, the applicant must appear in person in Bujumbura, at the PAFE or CGM office, to submit their file, register, and provide their fingerprints. No proxy procedure is permitted.
Ordinary, service, or diplomatic passport
The Burundian system distinguishes three main categories of passports:
– the ordinary passport, intended for citizens for private travel (tourism, studies, personal business);
– the service passport, reserved for state agents or persons on official mission without diplomatic status;
– the diplomatic passport, issued to high-ranking officials, diplomats, and certain personalities recognized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
Beyond their status, these three documents differ in their use and the required supporting documents, but share the core biometric procedure. The ordinary passport for an adult is in principle valid for ten years, with about fifty visa pages, while that for minors (ages 1 to 15) is limited to five years and has fewer pages. Diplomatic passports generally have a five-year validity.
Where and how to submit your passport application
One of the particularities of Burundi is the highly centralized issuance of passports. Unlike other countries where embassies and consulates can produce the documents, Burundian passports are in principle all produced within the country.
Application submission location
For a Burundian living in Burundi, the rule is simple: the application is made in Bujumbura, at the General Commissariat for Migration or the Air, Border, and Foreign Police. Enrollment forms also exist in some provinces, but the decisive step remains the biometric capture and centralized processing.
For Burundians residing abroad, embassies and consulates generally do not issue biometric passports. According to a note from the embassy in Germany, these documents are issued in Burundi “until further notice.” In practice, except during exceptional campaigns, a citizen must therefore go to Bujumbura to complete all the formalities.
Only one operation deviates from this rule: in August 2013, the Burundian embassy in Brussels organized a one-time test for issuing biometric passports, with the arrival of a PAFE team from Bujumbura. For about ten days, Burundians from Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and other European countries were able to register there. The operation was not made permanent, and the possible repetition of such a mission would depend on a decision by the authorities and the dispatch of a specialized enrollment team.
The on-site procedure process
The process for obtaining the country’s passport in Burundi follows a fairly standardized path. It begins at the reception of the CGM or PAFE and ends at the delivery counter:
The applicant appears with a complete file in originals and copies. After filling out a form legibly in black or blue ink in block letters, they submit their file, sign a confirmation, and go to the office for personal data registration. Payment of fees is then made in Burundian francs at the on-site partner bank counter (e.g., BANCOBU). With the receipt, the person goes to the biometric capture station for the photo and fingerprints (adults and sometimes children). The file is transmitted for review and validation, then, if accepted, the passport is produced in a workshop and made available at the delivery counter.
Weekday submission is the rule: no passport service is provided on weekends or Burundian public holidays or, at the relevant foreign missions, on American or other public holidays.
Documents required for an ordinary passport
To hope to receive a passport, it is not enough to appear at the counters: without a complete file, the application is simply not processed. The services specify that any incomplete file is rejected outright.
Basic documents for an adult
For a first application for an ordinary passport, an adult Burundian must generally produce:
– a birth certificate (full copy) or, failing that, a birth attestation / birth certificate;
– a national identity card (CNI) or a valid old passport;
– at least one to two passport-size ID photos on a white background;
– a complete identity certificate, issued by the competent authorities;
– a residence certificate or clear proof of address (complete address);
– a document attesting to profession (employment contract, employer’s attestation, etc.);
– for civil servants: a service attestation issued by the Personnel Management Bureau or their hierarchy.
When the applicant presents only a birth attestation and not a formal birth certificate, the PAFE services may conduct an additional verification of their identity. This verification may take the form of additional questions or summoning witnesses.
In case of renewal, the following must be added to these documents: the required supporting documents.
– a copy of the birth certificate;
– the old passport (original and photocopy);
– a copy of the CNI;
– two recent ID photos.
Without these key documents (identity, civil status, residence), it is not possible to obtain a passport.
Specificities for minors
Obtaining the country’s passport in Burundi for a child is more demanding than it seems, particularly regarding parental authorization. Requirements are stricter for those under 16.
For a minor, the following is generally required:
To put together a passport application file for a child, you must provide: an original extract of the birth certificate and a copy, one or two recent ID photos, and written parental authorization (often legalized) if only one parent accompanies the child. It is also necessary to include copies of both parents’ identity cards. For students, a school certificate or copy of a diploma is required.
The family situation influences the additional documents. Two cases are distinguished:
– if the child lives with the father, their file must contain the birth certificate, the father’s passport, and his written authorization;
– if the child lives with the mother, the birth certificate, the mother’s passport, her written authorization, as well as a “household composition” document or proof showing she is head of the family (for example a divorce decree) are required.
For those under 16, the presence of a parent at the time of application is in principle mandatory. If the child applies without their parents, a specific parental attestation document, authorizing them to undertake the procedure alone, must be provided.
The table below summarizes the main documents according to the applicant’s profile.
| Applicant Profile | Civil Status Documents | Identity Documents | Authorizations / Other Documents |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adult (First Application) | Birth certificate or attestation | CNI or old passport, photo(s) | Complete identity certificate, residence certificate, proof of profession, service attestation for civil servants |
| Adult (Renewal) | Copy of birth certificate | Old passport + copy, CNI, photo(s) | Complete identity certificate |
| Minor living with father | Birth certificate | Father’s passport, photo(s) | Father’s written authorization, copies of parents’ CNI |
| Minor living with mother | Birth certificate | Mother’s passport, photo(s) | Mother’s written authorization, household composition or proof of head of family, copies of parents’ CNI |
| Minor < 16 years unaccompanied | Birth certificate extract | Photo(s) | Parental attestation authorizing the procedure without parents’ presence |
Service and diplomatic passports
For a service or diplomatic passport, the basis of the file remains identical to that of an ordinary passport, but additional supporting documents are essential.
For a diplomatic passport, the adult must generally provide:
– the same documents as for an ordinary passport (identity, birth, residence, profession);
– a note verbale issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, attesting to the diplomatic status or function entitling them to the document.
For a service passport, the following is requested:
Two specific documents are required for the issuance of a Burundian passport, depending on the applicant’s status.
For minors benefiting from a diplomatic passport (children of diplomats for example), the requirements additionally include:
– an extract of the birth certificate;
– a notarized parental authorization;
– copies of the parents’ CNI;
– copies of the parents’ diplomatic passports;
– a school certificate.
Cost of the country’s passport in Burundi
Compared to other identity documents, the Burundian passport is an expensive document. The amounts are set in Burundian francs (BIF or FBu) and must be paid at the accredited bank counter on site.
Official fees for travel documents
The main fees related to travel documents are as follows:
| Document Type | Official Fees (BIF) | Observations |
|---|---|---|
| Ordinary biometric passport | 235,000 | Standard document for citizens |
| Service biometric passport | 135,000 | Reserved for state agents on mission |
| Diplomatic biometric passport | 135,000 | For diplomats and high-ranking officials |
| Laissez-passer (simple travel document) | 30,000 to 35,000 | Variable rate according to sources |
| CEPGL travel document | 18,000 | For mobility in the Great Lakes region |
Equivalents in foreign currencies are sometimes given for reference: in certain assessments, 235,000 BIF was estimated at around 115 euros or approximately 136 US dollars, but these amounts fluctuate based on the exchange rate.
The ordinary passport could increase from 235,000 to 300,000 BIF, according to budget projections.
Additional fees and payment method
In addition to issuance fees, some cases entail additional costs:
– during the exceptional campaign in Belgium in 2013, a 10 euro surcharge was requested for postal delivery of the passport to the home;
– when a laissez-passer is issued at an embassy to allow return to Burundi in case of an expired passport, the displayed fee is 10 euros.
On site, payment is made in Burundian francs, generally in cash, directly at the indicated bank counter (for example BANCOBU). For other consular services (legalization, certificates) or at certain foreign missions present in Bujumbura, payments in dollars or euros are sometimes required, but this concerns those countries’ services, not the Burundian passports themselves.
Processing times and passport collection
The timeframes for obtaining the country’s passport in Burundi may seem short on paper but vary depending on the pressure on services and the state of the production system.
Announced timeframes
Burundian authorities put forward several references:
– a maximum timeframe of about one week for the majority of applications;
– a press release from the Ministry of Public Security mentioned the possibility of obtaining the passport in two days in certain contexts;
– other internal documents refer to 14 working days as the standard service timeframe.
The delivery timeframes for identity documents are not fixed. They depend on several factors: the volume of applications to process, the availability of biometric equipment and necessary supplies (such as booklets, ink, or chips). It is important to note that periods preceding holidays or major seasonal migrations are particularly subject to slowdowns and service congestion.
For foreign passports processed by certain embassies in Bujumbura (for example for French nationals), the timeframes are much longer, sometimes up to eight weeks between making an appointment and receiving the document, which clearly shows that each country has its own circuit.
Collection procedures
In Burundi, the applicant is informed when they can return to collect their passport. Depending on the systems, this can be done by SMS or via internal tracking. In other countries, tracking is done via online platforms, but for Burundian passports, available information indicates a more traditional administrative tracking.
The new passport must be collected exclusively in person, upon presentation of an identity document (CNI, receipt, old passport). Unclaimed passports may be destroyed after a certain period (e.g., three months for some nationalities), so it is important not to delay.
Special cases: Burundians living abroad
The Burundian diaspora faces a simple reality: to obtain the country’s passport in Burundi, you generally have to… go to Burundi. As embassies lack the capacity to capture biometric data and produce the booklets, their role is most often limited to issuing temporary travel documents.
Returning to the country with a laissez-passer
When a Burundian abroad finds themselves with an expired or non-biometric passport and wishes to return to the country, they can obtain a laissez-passer from the embassy or consulate. This document:
Key details concerning the travel document issued for a trip to Burundi
Issued on A4 paper, with details relating to the holder and the itinerary.
Allows a typically one-way trip to Burundi, sometimes via certain Central or East African countries.
Not valid for travel to the United States.
Issued within a few days, typically two days according to some sources.
Costs about 10 euros when issued by an embassy abroad.
The laissez-passer is not a passport: once back in Burundi, the national will have to start the complete procedure to apply for a biometric passport if they wish to travel again.
Exceptional extension of old passports
Given the practical difficulties posed by the biometric reform, a special agreement was found for some Burundians living abroad. During a Council of Ministers meeting in October 2012, the two-year, non-renewable extension of digital passports for Burundians in the diaspora was accepted. The goal was to offer them a window to return and make their application for a new passport on site.
Targeted validity extensions could be granted, after review of a reasoned request, to diplomats, their families, and Burundian students who had not returned to the country since March 2, 2011. These exemptions, managed by the Ministry of Public Security, remain exceptional and do not waive the general obligation to hold a biometric passport.
Biometric laissez-passer and other travel documents
Alongside the passport, Burundi introduced a biometric laissez-passer in March 2011. This document may interest those who do not have the immediate means to pay the fees for a full passport but nevertheless need to travel.
This laissez-passer:
The Burundian laissez-passer is valid for one year. It allows travel abroad from Burundi to certain destinations, but with more restrictions than an ordinary passport. Its official cost is 30,000 BIF according to the 2011 decree, although other sources mention 35,000 BIF. It can be obtained in a timeframe similar to that of a passport, sometimes in just two days.
Another travel document, the CEPGL card, exists to facilitate movement within the Economic Community of the Great Lakes Countries. It is priced at 18,000 BIF, with validity and conditions specific to this regional zone.
Supporting documents: civil status, identity, and criminal record
To compile a passport file, many documents come from other administrative services. Understanding where and how to obtain them saves time and avoids back-and-forth trips.
The fees for these documents are relatively low compared to the cost of the passport, but their absence can block the entire procedure.
| Civil status / Identity document | Issuing authority | Indicative Cost (BIF) |
|---|---|---|
| Birth certificate (full copy) | Civil Registry Office (town hall, communes) | 10,000 |
| Birth certificate extract | Civil Registry Office | 1,000 |
| Death certificate (full copy) | Civil Registry Office | 10,000 |
| Death certificate extract | Civil Registry Office | 1,000 |
| Marriage certificate (full copy) | Civil Registry Office | 10,000 |
| Marriage certificate extract | Civil Registry Office | 1,000 |
| National Identity Card (CNI) | Communal Administrator or Bujumbura Civil Registry | 500 |
| Criminal record extract | Judicial Police (Ministry of Interior) | 1,000 |
The registers of birth, marriage, and death are kept in numbered registers within civil registry offices (often at the Bujumbura town hall or in the communes). In case of late birth registration (beyond 10 days), parents must petition the court to regularize the situation, which can add a delay before obtaining the certificate necessary for the passport application.
To obtain a National Identity Card (CNI), you must provide an ID photo as well as a birth certificate or passport. To request a criminal record extract, you must apply directly to the judicial police with a photo and proof of identity.
Links between passport, visas, and stay in Burundi
Even though the core of this guide focuses on obtaining the country’s passport in Burundi for Burundian citizens, it is useful to place this travel document in the broader context of border and visa management.
The General Commissariat for Migration not only controls the issuance of Burundian travel documents, but also the entry and exit of all travelers—Burundians and foreigners alike—through land, lake, and air borders. It manages entry visas, their extensions, and residence permits. This same CGM:
Cost in US dollars for a 30-day visa issued on arrival at Bujumbura airport.
For Burundians, the passport is primarily a tool for traveling and applying for foreign visas, but its acquisition mechanically connects them to this migration architecture overseen by the CGM.
Contact points and practical information
To prepare a passport application, several contact points can be useful. The General Commissariat for Migration, based in Bujumbura, is the nerve center of the system. It has a main telephone number (+257 22 25 79 00) for questions related to foreigner registration and residence permits, and an official website that allows, among other things, to book appointments for certain services like visa renewals.
Foreign embassies in Bujumbura (like those of the United States or the Netherlands) provide consular assistance to their nationals. In case of emergency, such as the loss of a passport, they can issue a temporary travel document (laissez-passer or emergency travel document). These procedures do not directly influence obtaining a Burundian passport but are part of the local consular context.
Practical tips for a successful application
Given the structure of the system, a few recommendations are essential for any Burundian wishing to obtain the country’s passport in Burundi without unpleasant surprises:
For a smooth Burundian passport application, anticipate delays by planning a one-month buffer beyond official timeframes. Gather all necessary documents in advance (birth certificate, CNI, certificates, photos) to avoid rejection of the file. Scrupulously verify the accuracy of information on all certificates (names, dates, spelling). For minors, clarify the family situation and bring supporting documents (divorce decree, household composition). For the diaspora, plan your trip to Bujumbura by integrating the processing time, visa constraints from your country of residence, and travel costs.
In summary, the Burundian passport is today a modern, secure, and centralized document, but its issuance relies on a demanding procedure in terms of physical presence, supporting documents, and fees. Well-prepared, the process can nevertheless proceed smoothly, subsequently allowing the holder to travel legally internationally, apply for visas, and meet the increasing demands of border controls.
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Cyril Jarnias is an independent expert in international wealth management with over 20 years of experience. As an expatriate himself, he is dedicated to helping individuals and business leaders build, protect, and pass on their wealth with complete peace of mind.
On his website, cyriljarnias.com, he shares his expertise on international real estate, offshore company formation, and expatriation.
Thanks to his expertise, he offers sound advice to optimize his clients' wealth management. Cyril Jarnias is also recognized for his appearances in many prestigious media outlets such as BFM Business, les Français de l’étranger, Le Figaro, Les Echos, and Mieux vivre votre argent, where he shares his knowledge and know-how in wealth management.
