Côte d'Ivoire resident card (carte de résident)

The biometric carte de résident is the document for non-ECOWAS foreigners who live in Côte d'Ivoire. ONECI charges a penalty to any foreigner who lives regularly in the country beyond three months after the date of entry without applying, and to anyone whose old provisional residence permit (titre provisoire de séjour) had expired when biometric cards were introduced. ECOWAS nationals use a separate ECOWAS resident card with its own document list and the RNPP stamp fee.

ONECI also runs an online service for a temporary resident card intended for non-ECOWAS nationals whose stay is 90 days or less, with uploads of an ID photo, the passport's first page, the entry stamp and the visa details, and collection online or at the Plateau main agency. A separate online service issues an attestation that a resident card application is in progress, which serves as a provisional document.

The basic file contains a valid passport or consular card, the online sponsorship form (fiche de parrainage), the online pre-enrolment form, an optional birth certificate, the original certificate of residence less than six months old issued by an ONECI agency, and the bank payment receipt. The certificate of residence is itself obtained at ONECI with an identity document and proof of address, such as a CIE electricity or SODECI water bill, a lease, a hotel booking, or a host's accommodation certificate with the host's ID.

Category documents are added on top: an original work attestation following ONECI's specimen for employees, a commercial register extract for traders, a pension statement for retirees, an attendance certificate, registration receipt or student card for students, a certificate of religious life for clergy, an administrative attestation for French cooperation staff, and a vocational certificate or equivalent for craftsmen. The government portal adds that documents in a language other than French must be translated and certified.

ONECI applies the annual tax set by decrees 2002-332 and 2002-333 of 13 June 2002: FCFA 300,000 for non-ECOWAS nationals, FCFA 150,000 for French nationals and FCFA 35,000 for French clergy and cooperation staff. The same rate is listed for first applications, renewals, duplicates and modifications.

Late applicants pay a penalty on top. For non-ECOWAS nationals the table runs from FCFA 60,000 in the first year to 72,000, 90,000, 105,000 and FCFA 125,000 in the fifth year; for French nationals from FCFA 30,000 to 65,000. Optional extras are the VIP service (FCFA 15,000), the Premium service (FCFA 25,000) and card delivery (FCFA 7,500 in Abidjan, FCFA 15,000 elsewhere). Payment is made into ONECI's account at Versus Bank or BHCI, with a separate slip for the fee, any penalty and any VIP access.

Complete the pre-enrolment online, fill in the sponsorship form online, obtain the certificate of residence, pay at the bank, then enrol with your file at an ONECI resident card agency. In Abidjan the agencies are the Plateau main agency opposite St Paul's Cathedral, the Prestige VIP agency at 2 Plateaux Vallons and the Premium and Latrille agencies in Cocody, the Premium Zone 4 and Club House Gendarmerie agencies in Marcory, and the Cosmos agency in Yopougon. Outside Abidjan, ONECI lists Bouaké, San Pédro and Daloa.

To collect the card, bring the enrolment receipt or another identity document, together with the collection message containing your ID/BL number, received by phone or downloaded from ONECI's site. The call centre answers on 1340 or +225 27 22 50 99 20, Monday to Friday 07:00 to 17:00 and Saturday 08:00 to 16:00.

A renewal file repeats the passport, pre-enrolment and sponsorship forms, bank receipt, a fresh certificate of residence and category documents, with a copy of the old card or an ONECI identification sheet. A duplicate after loss requires a loss declaration from the police and a copy of the lost card if available. Changes to the card's data are requested online through ONECI's modification form with proof of the change.

A spouse who is supported by their partner applies with a statement of support legalised at the town hall, a copy of the partner's resident card or receipt (if a foreigner) or national ID card or passport (if Ivorian), and proof of the supporting partner's means. For a child under 16 applying for the first time, ONECI asks for a parental authorisation legalised at the town hall, a copy of the authorising parent's ID or passport, proof of that parent's means, the parent's resident card or receipt if foreign, and school documents for pupils and students.