Overview of Benin Visa and Foreign Exchange Policy

IMMIGRATION AND VISAS

Passport Requirements

All travelers are expected to have a passport, except as follows:

1. Travellers with National Identity Cards issued to citizens of Benin, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo (Brazzaville), Cote d’Ivoire, Gabon, Ghana, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Rwanda, and Togo.

2. Travellers with documents issued to refugees and people without nationality or citizenship so long as they are permitted to enter by Beninese authorities and have proof of this permission.

Document Validity

Passports and alternative documents, or all of them, must be valid upon arrival.

a. Accepted are expired passports for a maximum period of five years issued to Benin, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo (Brazzaville), Cote d’Ivoire, Gabon, Ghana, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Rwanda, and Togo.

Visa Issuance

Before arrival: Travellers are kindly requested to contact the nearest representation of Benin.

Visa Exemptions

All travelers must hold a visa except the following:

1. Citizens of Benin.

2. Travelers staying for no more than three months given they are:

• People of Algeria, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde Islands, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo (Brazzaville), Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Romania, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, and Togo.
• Travellers with Chinese Taipei passports.
• Travellers with ordinary passports issued to Citizens of the People’s Republic of China, except if they have passports issued by Hong Kong (A Special Administrative Region of China).
• Travellers with diplomatic passports issued to Citizens of the People’s Republic of China.
• Citizens of Israel with United Nations diplomatic passports who are traveling on duty.

3. Travellers staying for no more than two weeks provided they are:

• Travellers with passports issued by Hong Kong (A Special Administrative Region of China).

4. Citizens of Cuba with service or diplomatic passports.

5. Citizens of Cuba with ordinary passports, traveling as a family, servants of the Cuban service, or holders of diplomatic passports.

6. Travelers with a return permit given by Benin.

7. Travelers with travel certificates given to refugees and individuals without nationality or nationality.

TWOV (Transit Without Visa)

1. TWOV is permissible for travelers who proceed with their trip to a third country within 24 hours because they have confirmed tickets and other necessary documents for their next trip. However, they are not allowed to leave the airport.

2. TWOV applies to refugees and people without nationality or citizenship.

Warnings

If travelers do not respect entry regulations, the transporting carrier will have to pay a fine of XOF 25,000 for each week of delay.

CUSTOMS AND FOREIGN EXCHANGE

Import regulations

Travelers aged more than 15 years are allowed free import of:

• Half a liter of eau de toilette and a quarter of a liter of perfume.
• One bottle of wine and one bottle of alcoholic drinks.
• 250 grams of tobacco, 100 cigarillos, 200 cigarettes, 25 cigars.

Pets

Pets are allowed to enter. As for cats and dogs, they must be accompanied by a veterinary certificate of good health and a certificate of vaccination against rabies issued in the home country.

Baggage Clearance regulations

A traveler’s luggage should be cleared at Cotonou International Airport, the only international airport in Benin.

* Exemptions: Luggage of transit travelers whose destination is outside Benin.

Airport tax

Travelers are not required to pay any airport tax upon their departure from the airport.

Currency Import regulations

There are no restrictions on importing local currency (CFA France XOF).

There are no restrictions on importing foreign currencies either provided the sums are declared on arrival.

Currency Export regulations

1. Residents:

a. Local currency (CFA France-XOF):

• There are no restrictions on travelers traveling to countries within the French monetary area.
• Travellers traveling to countries outside the French monetary area can export sums up to XOF 75,000.

b. Foreign currencies:

• Travelers are allowed to export sums up to the equivalent of XOF 150,000. As for higher sums, special permission of the ‘Office des Changes’ is required.

2. Non-Residents:

a. Local currency:

• There are no restrictions on travelers who are residents of European Union countries.
• Travellers who are residents of other countries must declare the sums they carry, and they may be requested to show proof of origin.

b. Foreign currencies: Travellers are allowed to export sums up to the equivalent of XOF 100,000.

What are the Benin visas you can apply with Click2Visas?

Apply E-Visa Multiple Entry 30 Days to Benin
E-Visa Multiple Entry 30 Days is mainly for sight-seeing and holidays. Most of these visas do not give the holder the right to work or start engaging in any business activity in the Benin.

Apply E-Visa Multiple Entry 90 Days to Benin
E-Visa Multiple Entry 90 Days, a document that ultimately allowed travelers for a limited period of leisure travel in Benin, however no business, commercial, or paid activity is permitted.

Apply E-Visa Single Entry 30 Days to Benin
E-Visa Single Entry 30 Days is a valid traveler permit to enter and stay in a Benin for a period of time, which predetermined for tourism and Holiday purposes.