Benin Entry and Travel Requirements

Benin entry requirements are a set of rules that travelers planning to visit Benin must follow. Among the most important requirements are the necessary documents that must be collected before the planned departure.

First of all, any traveler planning a trip to Benin must check the validity of his or her passport. It must be valid for the entire expected period of stay in Benin. However, it is not necessary to have a passport valid beyond the planned stay. Benin's visa policy stipulates that citizens of about 60 different countries can visit Benin without a visa. Most of these visa-exempt visitors are citizens of African countries who can enjoy freedom of movement and visit Benin without a visa for a maximum period of 90 days. Visa-free entry to Benin is also possible for certain territories in Southeast Asia, Israel and Haiti. These countries are allowed to stay visa-free from 14 to 90 days.

Any other foreigner who is not a citizen of a visa-exempt country will need to obtain an appropriate visa before traveling to Benin. Visa types may vary depending on the traveler's reason for visiting as well as the expected length of stay in the country.

Fortunately, passport holders from most countries around the world can now apply for an eVisa Benin by submitting an online application form. This eliminates tedious appointments at the embassy and greatly reduces the stress of the in-person visa application process. Whether travelers need to visit Benin once or multiple times, single and multiple entry e-visas are available.

Each eVisa Benin type can be used for tourism, business or transit purposes. This is why if your travel goals are not these three or if you need to stay in Benin for a longer period than is allowed by your eVisa, you will need to go to a diplomatic mission Nearest Beninese to apply for an e-Visa.

Additionally, approximately 45 nationalities worldwide require a traditional Benin visa, regardless of their reason for traveling or expected length of stay in Benin. These visitors cannot apply for an e-visa even when traveling for tourism, transit or business purposes.

During the current Covid-19 pandemic, Benin authorities have introduced additional restrictions to reduce the risk of spreading the virus. However, all these entry rules against coronavirus are no longer in effect. As of June 16, 2022, all persons arriving in Benin by land, air or sea no longer need to present Covid-related documents.

Important:
Entry requirements for Benin are subject to change at short notice. Remember to follow all Covid-19 updates to ensure a smooth and trouble-free entry into Benin.

Who can enter Benin?

There are no visas or entry bans for foreigners wishing to enter Benin. In addition, the country's government does not check visitors' Covid-19 vaccination status.

Checklist of documents to enter Benin

  1. valid passport
  2. Benin Visa
  3. Travel insurance (optional)

visaguide

https://visaguide.world/online/

Testing, Vaccination, and Quarantine Requirements

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Check before departure

All travelers, regardless of their Covid-19 vaccination status, no longer need to present a negative result from a PCR test taken within 48 hours before they plan to travel to Benin.

check in after arrival

All arrivals to Benin no longer need to take a post-arrival test at their own expense. Previously, the tests were mandatory and visitors had to pay for them themselves (except children under 5 years old were tested for free).

Vaccination required

Benin has the same entry regulations for all travelers, whether they have been vaccinated or not. People who have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19 must follow the same entry procedures as unvaccinated travellers.

Quarantine required

Travelers who test positive for Covid-19 during their stay in Benin may be required to self-quarantine. They will receive free medical care if necessary.

Traveling from Benin

All passengers departing from Cotonou Cadjehoun International Airport may be required to take mandatory Covid-19 tests at their own expense.

It is essential to familiarize yourself with the entry requirements of your next travel destination to see what documents you will need to prepare for smooth entry.

Traveling to Benin

The Benin government lifted all coronavirus-related regulations in July 2022. Now, all visitors to Benin no longer need to provide Covid-19 related documents to enter the country .

However, foreign visitors should still consider meeting other requirements, including obtaining the appropriate visa and possibly purchasing comprehensive travel insurance for the entire period of their stay in Benin.

Entry Rules for Children

Children must also follow certain rules when entering Benin, including visa requirements.

Remember that visas for any minor travelers must be obtained by a parent or legal guardian!

Transit through Benin

Passengers planning to transit through Benin no longer need to present a negative PCR test result provided within 48 hours of expected arrival in the country.

However, to transit to Benin by air, a valid transit visa is required. You can apply for a transit eVisa at least 5 business days before your planned transit trip. If you plan to transit through Benin by land or sea, apply for a 48-hour transit eVisa.

Visa requirements

Electronic visa for Benin

Since 2018, visitors from most countries around the world can apply for an electronic visa to Benin. They can choose between three types of eVisas available: a single-entry visa or a multiple-entry visa for a one-month or three-month stay.

Holders of any type of Benin eVisa are permitted to travel for tourism and business purposes.

To obtain a Benin e-visa, applicants simply need to fill out a short online application form, pay the processing fee, and receive the approved visa via email.

Approved visas must be sent to the applicant's email inbox within a maximum of 5 working days.

Embassy or consulate visa

According to Benin's visa policy, citizens of about 50 different countries must apply for a visa from an embassy or consulate, regardless of the expected length of stay in Benin and the reason for their trip.

The length of stay allowed in the country as well as the validity of the visa will vary depending on the type of visa chosen.

Applying for a visa by the Benin embassy requires the applicant to make an appointment at the nearest Benin diplomatic mission and submit certain supporting documents, which may also vary for different types of different visas. Applicants for embassy or consular visas must also pay the consular visa fee.

Since traditional visa approval can take many weeks, you should start the application process well in advance of your planned trip to Benin. Full list of nationalities that require an embassy or consulate visa in Benin:

  • Aland Islands
  • American Samoa
  • Anguilla
  • Antarctica
  • Aruba
  • Bermuda
  • Bonaire
  • British Indian Ocean Territory
  • British Virgin Islands
  • Cayman Islands
  • Christmas Island
  • Cocos Islands
  • Cook Islands
  • Curacao
  • Falkland Islands
  • Faroe Islands
  • French Guiana
  • French Polynesia
  • Gibraltar
  • Greenland
  • Guadeloupe
  • Guam
  • Guernsey
  • Isle of Man
  • Jersey
  • Martinique
  • Mayotte
  • Montserrat
  • New Caledonia
  • Niue
  • Norfolk Island
  • Northern Mariana Islands
  • Pitcairn Islands
  • Puerto Rico
  • Reunion
  • Saint Barthelemy
  • Saint Helena
  • Saint Martin
  • Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  • Sint Maarten
  • South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
  • Svalbard and Jan Mayen
  • Tokelau
  • Turks and Caicos Islands
  • United States Virgin Islands
  • Wallis and Futuna

Visa-free countries

Some visitors can visit Benin without a visa under reciprocal visa waiver agreements. Among these visa-exempt countries are all other African countries. However, their visa-free stay can last a maximum of 90 days (3 months).

Additionally, citizens of Macau and Indonesia can visit Benin without a visa and can stay there for up to 90 days. Benin's visa policy also allows citizens of Singapore and Hong Kong to stay 14 days visa-free. In all cases, travelers only need to be in possession of a valid passport or ID card to pass through Benin immigration control without any problems.

However, if a visa-exempt traveler plans to stay longer in Benin, they will need to obtain the appropriate visa from the nearest Benin diplomatic mission before their planned trip.

The full list of countries whose citizens do not need a visa to visit Benin is as follows:

  • Algeria
  • Angola
  • Botswana
  • Burkina Faso
  • Burundi
  • Cameroon
  • Cape Verde
  • Central African Republic
  • Chad
  • Comoros
  • Congo
  • Democratic Republic of the Congo
  • Djibouti
  • Egypt
  • Equatorial Guinea
  • Eritrea
  • Ethiopia
  • Gabon
  • Gambia
  • Ghana
  • Guinea
  • Guinea Bissau
  • Haiti
  • Hong Kong
  • Ivory Coast
  • Kenya
  • Lesotho
  • Liberia
  • Libya
  • Madagascar
  • Malawi
  • Mali
  • Mauritania
  • Mauritius
  • Morocco
  • Mozambique
  • Namibia
  • Niger
  • Nigeria
  • Rwanda
  • Sao Tome and Principe
  • Senegal
  • Seychelles
  • Sierra Leone
  • Somalia
  • South Africa
  • South Sudan
  • Sudan
  • Swaziland
  • Tanzania
  • Togo
  • Tunisia
  • Uganda
  • United Kingdom
  • Zambia
  • Zimbabwe

Travel Insurance

Although there is no legal requirement for travel insurance when entering Benin, access to medical care in Benin can be very limited and you may need to seek medical services. even abroad.

Consider purchasing travel insurance that will cover all your travel needs and cover any unexpected expenses, including medical evacuations and hospitalizations for Covid-19.

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