Immigration and Residency in Benin: How to Get and Renew Your Visa and Resident Card
Living in Benin starts with two separate documents: an e-visa to enter, then a residence card if your stay lasts. This page repeats what official sources publish, with their dates, and flags what they do not say.
The essentials (information checked on 4 October 2026)
- The e-visa is requested on evisa.bj: 50 euros (30 days, single entry), 75 euros (30 days, multiple entries), 100 euros (90 days, multiple entries). Processing takes from one hour to 96 hours.
- An e-visa that expires during your stay is extended through the Direction de l'Émigration et de l'Immigration (DEI), according to the platform.
- The residence card comes in three forms: ordinary (3 years), privileged (10 years) and ZES for investors in special economic zones (5 years), according to the national portal's sheet.
- The file asks for the foreigner's personal identification certificate (CIPE) issued by ANIP. Estimated processing time: 45 days.
The e-visa to enter
The official platform shows the fees: 50 euros for 30 days single entry, 75 euros for 30 days multiple entries, 100 euros for 90 days multiple entries. Through an embassy, add 10 euros per type. The FAQ states processing "from one hour to 96 hours" and recommends applying at least 7 days before arrival.
Use only evisa.bj. This page previously cited another address; we replaced it with the one the platform displays itself.
Extending a stay
According to the platform's FAQ, if the e-visa expires during your stay you should go to the Direction de l'Émigration et de l'Immigration to have it extended. The sources checked give neither the fees, nor the documents, nor the delay for this extension: ask the DEI before the expiry date.
The residence card
The sheet "Carte de résident (ordinaire, privilégiée)" on the national public services portal distinguishes three cards.
| Card | Validity | Condition or audience |
|---|---|---|
| Ordinary | 3 years | Resident foreigner |
| Privileged | 10 years | Regular resident with two renewals, with an activity, real estate, conjugal residence or an establishment in Benin |
| ZES | 5 years | Foreign investors in special economic zones |
The sheet gives an estimated delay of 45 days. For the privileged card it shows 100,000 FCFA for an ECOWAS national and 800,000 FCFA for a non-national; for the ZES card, 350,000 FCFA. The fee for the ordinary card depends on nationality: check the sheet before paying.
Documents for a first ordinary card application
According to the DEI list, the file includes: the application form downloadable from the DEI site, two ID photos, a photocopy of the passport valid for more than one year from the application date, a photocopy of the CIPE, proof of employment, of income-generating activity, of a work contract promise or of means of subsistence, a criminal record extract from the country of origin for a first application, and the payment receipt.
We could not re-read the DEI lists on the day of checking (the site was down for maintenance). Take the current list from dei.gouv.bj before assembling the file.
The CIPE and ANIP
ANIP's page "Certificat d'Identification Personnelle" describes a certificate for foreign residents (CIPR): 1,000 FCFA, valid two years, with a copy of the RAVIP receipt, a copy of the birth certificate and proof of address (SBEE or SONEB bill). Most documents are available as soon as payment is validated, on eservices.anip.bj or the ANIP BJ mobile app.
The portal and the DEI say CIPE, ANIP says CIPR: check with ANIP the exact name of the document to attach to the residence file. For the biometric ID card and the NPI, see our guide to the biometric card and CIP.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I request the e-visa?
On evisa.bj, the official platform.
What if my e-visa expires?
Go to the DEI to extend it, according to the platform.
What are the residence cards?
Ordinary (3 years), privileged (10 years) and ZES (5 years), according to the national public services portal sheet.
How long does it take?
The sheet estimates 45 days.
Does an ECOWAS national need a visa?
Nationals of the 53 African countries listed by the government can enter and move freely for 90 days, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs communication of 23 September 2020.
Official sources (checked on 4 October 2026)
- e-Visa Benin, Les coûts des visas d'entrée au Bénin and Foire aux questions.
- National public services portal, Carte de résident (ordinaire, privilégiée): validity, conditions, fees, delay (sheet read through a summary, to be reconfirmed on the page).
- Direction de l'Émigration et de l'Immigration, document list for the ordinary residence card and privileged card.
- ANIP, Certificat d'Identification Personnelle.
- Government of Benin, List of countries exempt from entry visa to Benin, 23 September 2020.
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