Foreign Exchange Limits for Service Payments, issued pursuant to the Foreign Exchange Regulation of December 28, 2023

BANQUE DE LA REPUBLIQUE
OF BURUNDI
THE GOVERNOR

CIRCULAR NO. 001/RC/2023 ON FOREIGN EXCHANGE LIMITS FOR SERVICE PAYMENTS, ISSUED PURSUANT TO THE FOREIGN EXCHANGE REGULATION

Having regard to Law No. 1/34 of December 2, 2008 establishing the Statutes of the Banque de la République du Burundi;
Having regard to Law No. 1/17 of August 22, 2017 governing banking activities;
Having regard to the Foreign Exchange Regulation of December 28, 2023;

The Banque de la République du Burundi, hereinafter referred to as the "Central Bank", hereby issues:

Article 1: Object
This circular aims to specify the foreign exchange limits for service payments by authorized intermediaries, as well as the required documents.

Article 2: Application for foreign exchange and/or transfer of currencies
The applicant completes an application form for foreign exchange and/or currency transfer according to the model in the annex.

Article 3: Professional travel
The documents required for professional travel are:

1. the mission order;
2. the airline ticket or any equivalent document;
3. the sponsorship/coverage document, where applicable.

1. Allowances for official missions
Expenses are granted in accordance with the directives of the competent authority setting the scales and procedures for granting orders and expenses for official missions.

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2. Contact and representation expenses
Expenses are granted in accordance with the amount indicated on the payment voucher for public administration and public companies, or the amount decided by the competent body for mixed companies.

Required documents:

1. the mission order;
2. the airline ticket or any other transport document;
3. the payment voucher showing the granted amount;
4. the decision of the competent body, where applicable.

3. Allowances for other professional missions
Expenses are granted in accordance with decisions taken by the competent body, without exceeding the scales and procedures for granting orders and expenses for official missions.

Residents who, for professional reasons, are relocating abroad may benefit, in a private capacity, to foreign exchange up to a maximum amount of 10,000 USD for the civil servant.

For a family, this amount may go up to 30,000 USD, of which 20,000 USD may be received via a bank card.

The required documents are:

1. the confirmed airline ticket or any other transport document;
2. the passport and/or any equivalent document;
3. the assignment or appointment letter and/or any equivalent document;
4. the family composition certificate for those relocating abroad.

Article 4: Personal travel
1. Allowances for healthcare
Amounts for overseas healthcare are granted based on the following documents:
a) valid medical certificate issued by the Ministry in charge of Public Health;
b) estimated care quote, issued by the healthcare facility treating the patient abroad;
c) airline ticket or any other transport document.

If, at the time of departure, the patient does not have an estimated care quote, a provision of up to 10,000 USD may be granted.

In case of exceeding the 10,000 USD provision, the estimated care quote issued by the healthcare facility treating the patient is required before granting the additional amount.

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Amounts granted for healthcare expenses are transferable to the bank account of the healthcare facility treating the patient abroad, and their use must be justified subsequently by submitting final invoices.

Unused funds must be repatriated and credited to the bank that granted the foreign exchange.

The patient and the accompanying caregiver may each benefit from 5,000 USD in cash foreign exchange. However, they may receive an additional transfer upon submission of a document justifying the extension of their stay abroad beyond 15 days.

The required documents for the caregiver are:
a) the patient's medical certificate;
b) the airline ticket or any other transport document.

2. Allowances for overseas training
Residents undergoing long-term (3 months or more) overseas training benefit from foreign exchange to cover the following needs:
a) installation and equipment costs, capped at 5,000 USD per year;
b) subsistence costs, capped at 3,000 USD per quarter;
c) tuition and/or internship fees according to the training institution's rates, transferable to said institution's account.

The required documents are:
a) enrollment document or any equivalent;
b) tuition fee schedule or any equivalent;
c) airline ticket or any other transport document;
d) certificate of non-scholarship or non-coverage issued by the competent authority.

Scholarship students may benefit from foreign exchange equivalent to the difference between the caps indicated above and the amount granted by the funding body, upon presentation of the following documents:
a) sponsorship certificate;
b) airline ticket;
c) enrollment certificate.

Residents undergoing short-term (less than 3 months) overseas training benefit from foreign exchange to cover the following needs:
a) subsistence costs granted by the employer or sponsor;
b) training fees according to the organizing institution's rates, transferable to said institution's account.

The required documents are:
a) internship certificate or mission order;
b) internship document specifying financial conditions;
c) airline ticket or any other transport document.

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Tuition fees must be transferred directly to the bank account of the concerned educational institution.

3. Allowances for visits and tourism
Banks may allocate a maximum amount of 5,000 USD per trip.

The required documents are:
a) confirmed airline ticket or any other transport document;
b) passport and/or any equivalent document.

4. Allowances for business trips
Banks may allocate a maximum amount of 10,000 USD per trip.

The required documents are:
a) mission order;
b) confirmed airline ticket or any other transport document;
c) passport and/or any equivalent document;
d) copy of the commercial register.

5. Others
Banks may grant, for any other reason not specified in this circular, a maximum amount of five hundred United States dollars (500 USD) or equivalent, per day and per transaction, without exceeding three thousand United States dollars (3,000 USD) or equivalent per month and per beneficiary.

Article 4: Entry into force
This circular enters into force on the day of its publication on the Central Bank's website and in the Official Bulletin of Burundi.

Done at Bujumbura, December 28, 2023
Edouard Normand BIGENDAKO
Governor.

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APPLICATION FOR FOREIGN EXCHANGE AND/OR TRANSFER
Name of the institution: ………………
Order No.: ………

The applicant's name
Applicant's address
Currency and amount requested
Nature and purpose of the operation
Supporting documents	-<br>-<br>-<br>-

Space reserved for the Bank

Item
Amount granted / transferred	-<br>-
Payment method	-<br>-
Observations

Reserved for control

Amount in foreign currency
Counter-value in BIF

Date: /.../20…
Applicant's signature ………………………………
Bank's signature and seal ………………………………