Senegal

Senegal visa guide: short stays, residence and asylum

  • 4 visa types
  • checked 24 October 2026

How visas for Senegal work

Senegal's entry rules rest on Law No. 71-10 of 25 January 1971 and Decree No. 71-860 of 28 July 1971, as applied by circular No. 448/MAESE/DAJC/CHAN of 7 July 2015. Entry visas are issued by the Minister of the Interior or, on his behalf, by Senegalese embassies and consulates. Since 1 May 2015 citizens of a published list of countries, including every EU state except Ireland, the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, China, India, Japan and much of West Africa, need no visa for a stay of less than three months; they only need a passport or laissez-passer valid for at least six months.

Everyone else, and anyone travelling on a refugee travel document, must obtain a visa from a Senegalese mission before departure. Consulates sort applicants into three categories: A (visa-exempt), B (visa required, issued by the mission without prior clearance from the Interior Ministry) and C (visa required only after mandatory consultation of the Interior Ministry). The foreign ministry publishes the list of Senegalese embassies and consulates abroad; apply at the one covering your place of residence.

Short-stay visas and visa-free stays are limited to less than three months and do not allow paid work. Foreigners who settle in Senegal for work or study apply to the Interior Ministry for the carte d'identité d'étranger (foreigner identity card) through the police division for foreigners in Dakar. People fleeing persecution can apply for refugee status inside Senegal at the Commission Nationale d'Éligibilité (CNE).

The government has discussed visa reciprocity and an electronic visa in public statements, but no official e-visa portal is listed on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website. In 2026 the ministry also stated that a vaccination booklet is no longer compulsory for entry from countries without an epidemic or endemic situation; yellow fever, DPT, measles and hepatitis A and B vaccinations remain recommended.

Which visa do I need?

Holiday or family visit of less than three months: check the exemption list; exempt citizens travel on a passport valid for six months, others apply for a short-stay visa at the Senegalese mission for their place of residence.

Meetings, trade fairs, conferences or company visits of less than three months: the same short-stay visa, with the business section of the form completed; investors can also use the APIX one-stop shop.

Employment, studies or any stay of three months or more: enter lawfully, then apply for the carte d'identité d'étranger at the Division de la Police des Étrangers et des Titres de Voyage (DPETV) in Dakar.

Fear of persecution or flight from conflict: file an asylum application at the Commission Nationale d'Éligibilité in Dakar; it cannot be filed at an embassy abroad.

Visa types for Senegal

Visits and short stays

  • Tourist visa Visa-free entry and short-stay entry visa (less than three months)

    Citizens of the countries on Senegal's exemption list visit for less than three months with a passport or laissez-passer valid for at least six months.

    Maximum stay: Less than three months for visa-exempt visitors; for visa holders, the length of stay and number of entries are set by the mission on the visa sticker.

Business and self-employment

  • Business visa Short-stay entry visa for business trips, conferences and events

    Senegal does not run a separate business visa: business travellers use the same short-stay entry visa, valid for stays of less than three months, and state the companies or event they will visit on the form.

    Maximum stay: Less than three months; the exact stay and entries are set on the visa.

Residence

  • Residence permit Foreigner identity card (carte d'identité d'étranger, CIE)

    Foreigners who live in Senegal beyond a short stay, for example to work or study, hold the carte d'identité d'étranger issued under the authority of the Minister of the Interior.

    Processing time: No official time frame; first applications go up to the Minister of the Interior for decision, renewals and duplicates do not.

Asylum and international protection

  • Asylum and international protection Refugee status application to the Commission Nationale d'Éligibilité (CNE)

    A foreign national in Senegal who fears persecution, or who fled foreign aggression, occupation or serious disturbances of public order, can apply for refugee status at the Commission Nationale d'Éligibilité in Dakar.

    Validity: Asylum application receipt: six months, renewable. Document issued while a petition to the President is pending: two months.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a visa for Senegal?

Only if your nationality is not on the foreign ministry's exemption list, or if you travel on a refugee travel document. In that case you obtain the visa from the Senegalese embassy or consulate for your place of residence before travelling; official sources mention no e-visa or visa on arrival.

Which nationalities can enter Senegal without a visa?

The foreign ministry lists 20 African countries (among them Morocco, Tunisia, Kenya, Nigeria and Côte d'Ivoire), 27 European countries (EU states except Ireland, plus the United Kingdom) and 12 others: Brazil, Canada, China, South Korea, Djibouti, the United Arab Emirates, the United States, Mauritius, India, Japan, Malaysia and Singapore. The exemption covers stays of less than three months.

Does Senegal have an official e-visa?

No official e-visa portal is published on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website. Visas are issued by Senegalese embassies and consulates. Be careful with websites that offer paid online Senegal visas and are not linked from diplomatie.gouv.sn.

Is a yellow fever certificate required to enter Senegal?

According to the foreign ministry's update of 9 March 2026, travellers coming from countries without an epidemic or endemic situation do not have to show a vaccination booklet. Vaccination against yellow fever, DPT, measles and hepatitis A and B is recommended. Travellers from affected countries should check the health rules before departure.

How long can I stay in Senegal without a residence card?

Visa-free entry and the short-stay visa both cover stays of less than three months. A foreigner who comes to work, study or settle applies to the Interior Ministry for the carte d'identité d'étranger.

Can I apply for asylum at a Senegalese embassy?

The official procedure is filed in Senegal, at the secretariat of the Commission Nationale d'Éligibilité in Dakar. Refugee status granted by another country is not automatically recognised; a refugee arriving from elsewhere must file a new application with the CNE.

Embassies and consulates

Last checked 24 October 2026. Each visa page lists the official sources it is based on.