Benin Visa Types
Obtaining a Benin visa can help you have an easy and hassle-free trip. Foreigners can enter Benin and apply for a visa for tourism, business, courtesy and residence purposes. We can distinguish 5 types of Benin visas:
- electronic visa
- Tourist visa
- business visa
- Residence visa
- Courtesy Visa.
In this article, you'll learn more about each visa type so you can be sure which options are right for you.
Benin e-Visa
As a foreigner, you can apply for a Benin e-Visa if you want to visit the country. It is available to citizens of all other countries for tourism, transit or business purposes. Please note that African citizens do not need a visa to visit Benin.
There are different types of e-visas, such as:
- Single entry visa is valid for 30 days
- Multiple entry visa is valid for 30 days
- Multiple entry visa is valid for 90 days.
Processing time usually takes about 2-3 business days. Sending on non-business days may cause delays, so please keep that in mind.
Benin e-visa requirements
To apply for an e-visa for Benin, you must prepare:
- The visa application form contains accurate personal information, such as name, gender, date of birth, occupation, address, email, etc.
- Passport with at least 6 months validity and 2 blank pages
- Proof of adequate financial situation
- Airline ticket confirmation (in transit suitcase)
- Invitation letter (in case of business visa)
- Hotel booking (for travel purposes)
- Paying fee.
If you encounter any difficulties during this process, you can contact the Benin embassy or consulate. Alternatively, you can apply for a Benin e-Visa through the appropriate website.
Tourist Visa
If you want to apply for a tourist visa to Benin, you can do so at an embassy or consulate depending on the Benin government. As the name suggests, this type of visa is used for tourism purposes such as sightseeing and is valid for 30 days.
There is also a special tourist visa valid for 8 days.
Benin tourist visa requirements
To get a Benin tourist visa, you must prepare:
- Visa application form
- Passport with at least 6 months validity and 2 blank pages
- Full-color full-face photo in 3.5 x 4.5 format
- Proof of accommodation
- Invitation letter (if any)
- Yellow fever vaccination certificate (only if requested)
- Ticket booking.
Important! The tourist visa policy states that the embassy may request additional documents that you must submit. Additionally, you have to pay a fee. Please note that processing time can take up to 5 business days and depends on various factors.
Business Visa
Benin business visa can be used by foreigners who regularly visit Benin for business or economic activities. This visa is valid for 3 or 6 months.
Benin business visa requirements
The requirements for a Benin business visa are the same as for a tourist visa, so you must:
- Complete the visa application form
- Have a passport with 6 months validity and 2 blank pages
- Send a photo
- Submit proof of accommodation
- Provide an invitation letter from the organization or partner
- Show airline tickets
- Present a certificate (proof of yellow fever vaccination).
Here, again, additional documents may be required and processing time is approximately 3 to 5 working days.
You can apply for a Benin business visa at special centers such as embassies or consulates. If there is no such place in your country, you must visit the place near you.
Resident Visa
Benin residence visa is for foreigners who want to reside in Benin. This visa is issued by the Cotonou Directorate General of Migration and Immigration. If you want to reside in Benin, you must have a residence card.
Permanent residence visa requirements for Benin
To obtain a residence visa, you must present:
- Registration form
- Passport and copy of main page (valid for 6 months with 2 blank pages)
- Passport size photo
- Proof of accommodation
- Tickets for flights
- Yellow fever vaccination certificate (possible, but not required).
Additional documents (possible, but not necessary). Regarding processing time, it can range from 3 to 5 business days. Additionally, you must pay a fee.
Courtesy Visa
Benin courtesy visas are used in diplomatic, official and military activities. It is issued for official functions. To apply, you must fill out the Benin visa application form, have a passport valid for at least 6 months and 2 blank pages, photo identification, proof of accommodation, flight ticket and vaccination certificate (possible, but not necessary). ).
Additionally, you may be asked to submit a memo, invitation letter from the delegation organizers and other documents.
Processing time may vary and may even take up to 5 business days. Additionally, you do not need to pay the Benin courtesy visa application fee.
