Eligibility quiz
Are you planning to visit family in Benin?
Benefits
Benefits for youBenefits for you
Live in Benin
A resident card lets you settle in Benin.
An ordinary card lasts 3 years, and a privileged card lasts 10 years; both can be renewed.
Enjoy equal rights
In Benin, residents generally have the same rights and freedoms as Beninese citizens.
This does not automatically grant citizen-only rights, public services or exemptions, which have their own conditions.
Own property
You can own property in Benin, though other laws may restrict or prohibit ownership in some cases.
How to apply
From outside BeninFrom outside Benin
Gather your documents
Prepare the required documents for your Benin visit visa application.
See required documentsStart your application
On the Benin e-Visa platform, select “Demander un E-Visa”. Enter your email address, travel-document number and expiry date, then select “ENVOYER”.
Start your applicationConfirm your application
Open the email you receive and select “POURSUIVRE MA DEMANDE” to continue your application.
Find confirmation helpSearches DuckDuckGo for “How do I confirm my Benin e-Visa application by email?”
Fill in your application
Complete the online sections about yourself, your e-Visa, your travel and your passport. Use “SUIVANT” and “PRÉCÉDENT” to move between sections and correct your answers.
Get application helpSearches DuckDuckGo for “How do I fill in the Benin e-Visa application online?”
Pay the fee online
Select “CONFIRMER ET PAYER”, enter your payment details and confirm the payment. The fee depends on the length of the visa and whether it allows one or multiple entries.
Pay the feeSearches DuckDuckGo for “How do I pay the Benin e-Visa fee online?”
Track your application
Keep the application number sent to you by email after payment. To follow your application, select “SUIVRE VOTRE DEMANDE” on the e-Visa home page and enter the requested details.
Track your applicationWait for your visa
Wait for your e-Visa before travelling to Benin. If you are asked for more information or documents, provide them.
See processing informationSearches DuckDuckGo for “How long does a Benin e-Visa application take?”
Prepare for travel
Once your e-Visa is approved, carry it with your passport or travel document and supporting documents when you travel to Benin.
Find travel guidanceSearches DuckDuckGo for “What should I carry when travelling to Benin with an e-Visa?”
Once in BeninOnce in Benin
Present your visa
On arrival in Benin, present your passport or travel document and your e-Visa at border control. Follow the border officers’ instructions so you can enter Benin.
Find entry guidanceSearches DuckDuckGo for “How do I present my Benin e-Visa at border control?”
Renew your visa
If you need to renew your e-Visa while in Benin, request renewal before it expires and allow time for processing. Give the reason for your request and include the renewal-fee receipt; if your stay has already exceeded 90 days, also include your foreigner personal-identification certificate.
Find renewal guidanceSearches DuckDuckGo for “How do I renew a Benin e-Visa?”
Complete foreigner identification
If your stay exceeds 90 days in total, complete the foreigner identification procedure and obtain your foreigner personal-identification certificate. You can use the certificate if you request a visa renewal after exceeding 90 days.
Find identification guidanceSearches DuckDuckGo for “How do I obtain a foreigner personal-identification certificate in Benin?”
Documents needed
Required to applyRequired to apply
Copy of your passport
Provide a copy of your passport or other travel document. It must be valid for more than six months after the date you apply.
Proof of accommodation
Provide a hotel reservation, an invitation letter from a Beninese institution or organisation, or an accommodation certificate from your host. A host providing an accommodation certificate must be a Beninese citizen living in Benin or a foreign national resident in Benin.
Application form
Complete the online e-Visa application form for your family visit. It asks for your personal, travel and passport details.
Return or onward ticket *
Provide a return or onward transport ticket showing that you will leave Benin. Keep it with your travel documents.
* Only if you are not entering Benin in your own vehicle.
Considerations
Things to think aboutThings to think about
Resident card renewal
You must renew your card when it expires: after 3 years for an ordinary card or 10 years for a privileged card.
Residence can end
If renewal is refused, you must leave within 3 days unless you challenge it in court.
File within 3 days of notice or, if no decision arrives, of the decision deadline.
The challenge pauses departure or expulsion, and the court must decide within 45 days.
Discuss
Online communitiesOnline communities
Bénin expats
Facebook group for people living in Benin interested in Beninese visas (English & French)
Join on FacebookExpat au Bénin
French Facebook group for people living in Benin interested in Beninese local life
Join on FacebookBénin expat
French Facebook group for people living in Benin interested in Beninese local life
Join on FacebookConsultation
Talk to a professionalTalk to a professional
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