Benin business visa

Decree No. 2026-049 of 4 March 2026 creates the business visa for foreigners who travel to Benin for the needs of an economic, commercial or industrial activity. It suits people who come repeatedly over a long period: each entry allows up to 90 days, and the visa stays valid for two years. Short one-off professional trips can also be made on the tourist or visit visa, which the decree allows for professional reasons.

Applicants provide a copy of a passport or travel document valid for more than six months from the application date, a ticket guaranteeing departure from Benin (not required if you enter driving your own vehicle), proof of accommodation such as a hotel booking, an invitation from a Beninese institution or company, or an accommodation certificate from a Beninese or resident host, and the receipt for the visa fee. Anyone whose stays add up to more than 90 days also needs a foreigner personal identification certificate (CIPE).

Visas are issued by the Director General of the Republican Police and, by delegation, by the DEI; Benin embassies and consulates receive delegation to issue the visas that cannot be obtained online. At the DEI, the procedure for a long-stay visa of 6 or 12 months starts with a letter of request to the Director of Emigration and Immigration; if accepted, you pay the fee online, bring your documents and the payment receipt to the DEI, are enrolled and keep the enrolment receipt, then collect the visa three working days later.

The business visa is renewable for the same two-year validity. Renewal is requested before the current visa expires, early enough to respect the issuing time, with a statement of the reason, the renewal fee receipt and, if the stay has exceeded 90 days, the CIPE.

A refusal to issue or renew a visa is notified to the applicant and, under Law No. 2025-15, cannot be appealed; a foreigner refused a renewal must leave the country within three days. Staying without a valid title is punished with a fine of at least twice the cost of the required title, and a repeat offence can bring one to six months in prison.