+257 explained
The Burundi country code, 257, is what you dial before a Burundi number when you call from abroad. It is also known as the Burundi dialing code, Burundi calling code, or Burundi phone code. In the Burundi phone number format, +257 comes first, then the area code and the local number.
- Country code
- +257
- The 00257 country code is the same number
- ISO country codes
- BI, BDI
- Use the BI country code or the BDI country code on forms and passports. To call Burundi, dial +257
- Used in
- Burundi
- No other country or territory dials +257
- Exit code
- 00
- From most countries. Also 011 from United States and Canada, 0011 from Australia, and + from any mobile
- Trunk prefix
- None
- Keep every digit after +257
- Number length
- 8 digits
- After +257
- Time now in Burundi
- Burundi mobile number format
- 79 56 12 34
- From abroad: +257 79 56 12 34
- Burundi landline number format
- 22 20 12 34
- From abroad: +257 22 20 12 34
Burundi phone number types
The first digits of a Burundi number tell you what kind of number it is: a landline, a mobile, a free number, or one that costs more to call. Here is a sample of each type of Burundi phone number, as dialed inside Burundi and from abroad.
Good to know before you call Burundi
“Muraho”
It means hello in Kirundi and works at any time of day. No source names a separate phone greeting, so this is the everyday one, from a Kirundi phrasebook.
Emergency number
111
109 reaches the Red Cross of Burundi, and 110 reaches the maritime authority.
ARCT, assigned numbering resourcesARCT calls Burundi's numbering plan a closed plan of eight digits, under the format it names APPQMCDU.
ARCT, assigned numbering resourcesARCT last updated Burundi's national numbering plan on 27 July 2023.
ARCT, national numbering planBurundi's numbering plan gives 109 to the Red Cross, 110 to the maritime authority, and 111 to Burundi's judicial police, the Police judicaire.
ARCT, assigned numbering resourcesARCT, Burundi's telecom regulator, runs a free call center at 151 for consumer questions.
ARCT
What it costs to call Burundi (using Suparelay)
Landline from $1.02/minMobile from $0.92/min
Only 26 of 221 countries cost more to call than Burundi.
Enter a numberEach bar counts the countries at that price
Want to call Burundi?
Call any phone from this tab. Nothing to install on either side, and you pay cents a minute.
Why a call to Burundi fails
You call from: 🇺🇸 United States
The exit code is wrong for your country
00 works from Burundi, from Europe, and from most of the world. From the US and Canada, the exit code is 011.
- Connects
- 011 257 22 20 12 34
- Does not connect
- 00 257 22 20 12 34
A neighbouring country still needs the code
Rwanda, Tanzania, and DR Congo border Burundi, but calling from next door still needs +257 or 00257 first.
- Connects
- 011 257 22 20 12 34
- Does not connect
- 00 257 22 20 12 34
Questions about +257
Which country is +257?
+257, or country code 257, belongs to Burundi, a country in East Africa between Rwanda, Tanzania, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
What is +257?
+257 is the code you dial before a Burundi number when you call from outside the country. Burundi's 8 digit numbers have no area code to drop, so you add it straight in front.
What is the difference between +257 and 00257?
The + stands for your own exit code. 00 is Burundi's exit code too, and the exit code in Europe and most of the world, so 00257 and +257 reach the same number. From the US and Canada, dial 011 257 instead.
Can I text a +257 number?
Yes. Write the number as +257 followed by its 8 digits, and your phone sends the text abroad at your carrier's international rate.
How much does it cost to call Burundi?
A call to a Burundi mobile can cost more than a call to a landline. The dialer on this page shows the exact price of the number you enter before you call.
Does Burundi have area codes?
No. Burundi runs a closed 8 digit numbering plan, so every number is dialed the same way nationwide, with no separate area code to add or drop.
What is the emergency number in Burundi?
Burundi's numbering plan gives 111 to Burundi's judicial police, the Police judicaire. The Red Cross uses 109, and the maritime authority uses 110.
What network does a Burundi mobile number use?
A number starting with 61, 62, 68, or 69 belongs to Viettel Burundi. One starting with 71, 72, 75, 76, 77, or 79 belongs to Econet Leo, Lacell, or Onatel.
The information on this page is accurate as of September 26, 2026.
ARCT, Agence de Régulation et de Contrôle des Télécommunications, assigned numbering resources