Cameroon student visa: studying and training in Cameroon

Decree No. 2023/147 defines students as persons admitted to start or continue studies at a university or vocational training institution in Cameroon, and long-term trainees as foreigners admitted to a training placement of more than three months. Both belong to the category of foreigners in residence, together with workers, family members and refugees. The decree adds that, apart from the long-stay visa, no visa gives the right to study in Cameroon, so a tourist or business visa cannot be used to enrol.

The Washington mission's checklist distinguishes programmes by length: a course of up to six months can be covered by a short-stay visa with study documents, while an academic programme or internship lasting more than six months requires the long-stay visa. Volunteers follow the same split, with a confirmation letter legalised by the police in Cameroon.

Article 36 of the decree requires for a long-stay visa: a passport valid for more than six months, a ticket or other travel document to Cameroon, the required vaccination certificates, a repatriation guarantee and, for students, a certificate of enrolment or re-enrolment signed by the head of the institution; trainees provide a placement certificate signed by a competent authority.

Missions add proof of means. The Washington checklist asks for a letter from the student's current school acknowledging the trip, the admission letter from the Cameroonian institution for a programme longer than six months, and a bank statement or bank letter from the student or sponsor showing sufficient resources. For a stay longer than three months, the repatriation guarantee is a return ticket valid for at least one year; without it, a refundable deposit equal to an economy fare from Yaoundé to your capital must be paid to the Treasury within three months of arrival.

Ordinance No. 2024/001 of 20 June 2024 fixed the long-stay visa at 200,000 XAF; the London High Commission lists EUR 305. MINREX's e-Visa page shows the earlier rate of 150,000 XAF for an ordinary long stay and the Washington mission USD 272.73, so the figure on evisacam.cm when you pay is decisive. The Washington mission stresses that paying the long-stay fee does not guarantee a long-stay visa: check the requirements before paying, because the money is not refunded.

Students file on evisacam.cm and select the long-stay visa. The Cameroonian mission competent for their place of residence examines the file; applicants living in the mission's city are invited for biometric enrolment there, while those living elsewhere may receive the QR-coded authorisation and get the sticker at Douala or Yaoundé-Nsimalen airport. Keep the original enrolment certificate, vaccination card and return ticket with you: they are needed again for the residence card.

A student admitted for a long stay applies to the emigration-immigration services for the carte de séjour, a blue biometric card valid for two years and renewable. The decree requires a certified copy (less than three months old) of the passport bearing the long-stay visa, a certificate of domicile from the administrative authority or police commissioner endorsed by the neighbourhood or village chief, a special criminal record extract, a valid tax clearance certificate (attestation de non redevance), payment of the stamp duty set by the finance law and the supporting documents of the stay. A provisional identity document valid for three months is issued while the card is produced.

Renewal must be requested at least one month before expiry with the old card and proof that the studies continue. Students who leave Cameroon during their stay need an exit visa, for example a return exit visa valid up to three months.