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West Africa · 6.50° N · 2.63° E

Benin visa and entry requirements

Benin issues its visas online on evisa.bj, with three choices: 30 days single entry, 30 days multiple entry or 90 days multiple entry. Nationals of African countries need no visa for stays of up to 90 days.

Verified on evisa.bj · October 21, 2026

Key facts

Authorisation
Bénin e-Visa (Tourist / Business / Private visit)
Stay
30 days · Single entry
Validity
30 days from issue
Authority processing
Up to 4 days
Passport
6 months beyond departure

File at least 7 days before the entry date you declare and no more than 90 days ahead. The portal announces a decision within 1 to 96 hours, usually 2 to 3 working days, so the 7-day lead time leaves room for a payment or photo problem.

With your passport

Visa-freeStay up to 90 days

No visa needed for up to 90 days

With a Burkinabe passport you can enter to Benin without a visa and stay up to 90 days. Check the passport and entry rules below before you fly.

Official portal

The Benin e-Visa covers tourism, business and private visits and is issued by the Beninese immigration authorities through the official evisa.bj portal. Three products exist: 30 days single entry (EUR 50), 30 days multiple entries (EUR 75) and 90 days multiple entries (EUR 100). Issuance is automated: you receive a PDF carrying a barcode, which officers scan at every official border point, and your fingerprints are taken on arrival. The validity does not start on the approval date but on the entry date you declare in the travel data section, and the stay allowed equals the validity you chose.

Most visited cities

  • 6.37° N · 2.43° E

    Cotonou

    Economic capital and main entry point, known for the vast Dantokpa market and the nearby stilt village of Ganvié.

  • 6.37° N · 2.08° E

    Ouidah

    Historic town on the Slave Route with the Door of No Return, and a centre of Vodun culture.

  • 6.50° N · 2.60° E

    Porto-Novo

    Official capital on a lagoon, with Afro-Brazilian architecture, the Great Mosque and the Ethnographic Museum.

Photo credits: Cotonou — Adoscam, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Ouidah — Aurelefreddy, CC0 · Porto-Novo — GBETONGNINOUGBO JOSEPH HERVE AHISSOU, CC BY-SA 4.0

How it works

From scan to payment in under 60 seconds.

  1. 01

    Scan your passport

    Point your phone at the photo page or upload it. We read it in seconds — nothing to type.

  2. 02

    See the full price, then pay

    Service fee and government fee are shown before you pay. No account needed, just your email.

  3. 03

    Answer what’s left

    Only the official questions your passport did not answer. Saved as you go; finishing them is what lets us file.

  4. 04

    Track it to your inbox

    We file on the official portal, follow up with the authority and send you the approved document.

Entry rules at the border

Passport
6 months beyond departureTo confirm before you flyValid at least 6 months after your return date. The e-Visa is tied to the passport number and expiry date typed at the very first step, so travel with that exact passport.
Blank pages
Benin publishes no minimum number of blank pages. Keep at least one free page for the entry and exit stamps.
Onward ticket
RequiredA return or onward ticket is required at entry; airlines flying to Cotonou may also ask for it at check-in.
Vaccinations
Yellow fever certificate requiredA yellow fever certificate is required from every traveller aged 9 months or older, whatever the country of departure. The vaccine must have been given at least 10 days before arrival. The certificate is not uploaded with the application but is checked on arrival.
Insurance
RecommendedNot part of the e-Visa file. Travel medical insurance with repatriation cover is recommended.
Ports of entry
Cotonou Cardinal Bernardin Gantin International Airport and the official land border posts, including Hillacondji on the Togo border and Sèmè-Kraké on the Nigeria border. Several governments advise against travel to the northern border areas with Burkina Faso and Niger.

Carry a printed copy of your authorisation

Also good to know

  • Fingerprints and a facial photo are recorded at the immigration desk on arrival.
  • Carry the hotel booking or the host's name and address declared in the accommodation section; officers can ask where you are staying.

Why applications get refused — and what we check

Passport details that do not match the document

The application is opened with an email address, passport number and passport expiry date, and these feed the barcode on the e-Visa. Because issuance is automated, nothing can be corrected after submission and the fee is not refunded.

What we checkWe compare the passport number, expiry date, surname and given names with the machine-readable lines of the passport page before anything is submitted.

Entry date that does not match the flight

The validity runs from the entry date declared in the travel data section. An e-Visa that starts after your actual arrival, or ends before your departure, is not valid for your trip.

What we checkWe take the entry date from the arrival time in Cotonou, not the departure date, which matters for overnight flights, and check that the chosen 30 or 90 days cover the return flight.

Unusable photo or passport scan

The portal asks for a colour scan of the passport identity page and a recent photo on a white background. A cropped scan, glare on the page or a photo with a coloured background can block the automated check.

What we checkWe check that the scan shows the full page including both machine-readable lines, and that the photo is a recent 35x45 mm format on a white background with the face uncovered.

Child listed on a parent's application

Benin issues one e-Visa per traveller. A child who travels on the strength of a parent's e-Visa has no barcode to scan at the border.

What we checkWe file a separate application for each minor, using the child's own passport number and expiry date, and align the entry date with the parents' applications.

What if…

Real situations our agents handle, and what to do.

Your flight is moved to a later date after the e-Visa is issued
The validity still starts on the date you declared, so each day of delay is a day lost from your stay. If you would arrive after the validity has ended, a new e-Visa is needed: the portal allows no changes once an application is submitted.
You want to cross into Togo for a few days and come back
A 30-day single-entry e-Visa is used up when you leave Benin. Choose the 30-day multiple-entry (EUR 75) or 90-day multiple-entry (EUR 100) product when you apply, because an issued e-Visa cannot be upgraded.
You spot a typo in your name after paying
Errors in the name, date of birth or passport number make the barcode disagree with your passport at the scan. Since submitted applications cannot be edited and fees are not refunded, the only fix is a new application with correct data.
You realise you are not vaccinated against yellow fever a week before departure
The certificate only becomes valid 10 days after vaccination, and Benin checks it for every traveller on arrival. Get vaccinated at once and move your flight if needed rather than travelling without a valid certificate.
Your phone battery is flat when you reach the immigration desk
Officers scan the barcode on the e-Visa PDF. Carry a printed copy in addition to the file saved offline on your phone, so a dead battery or lost signal does not hold you at the border.

Questions travellers ask

Which Benin e-Visa should I choose?
There are three: 30 days single entry for EUR 50, 30 days multiple entries for EUR 75 and 90 days multiple entries for EUR 100. Choose multiple entries if you plan a side trip to Togo, Nigeria or another neighbour, since the choice cannot be changed after issuance.
When does my e-Visa start?
On the entry date you declare in the travel data section, not on the day it is approved. The stay allowed equals the validity chosen, so a 30-day e-Visa with an entry date of 1 March covers you until 30 March.
Why did the portal email me before I could fill in the form?
evisa.bj opens each application with your email, passport number and passport expiry date, then emails a confirmation link. Only that link opens the four-part form (personal data, e-Visa data, travel data, passport data), so check your spam folder if nothing arrives.
My card was declined. What can I do?
The portal accepts Visa and Mastercard with 3-D Secure 2 authentication only, and some cards issued outside Europe are refused. Use a card enrolled in 3-D Secure with online international payments enabled, or a different bank's card.
Do I need a visa if I hold an African passport?
No. Benin lets nationals of all African countries enter without a visa for up to 90 days. The yellow fever certificate is still checked on arrival.
Is the yellow fever vaccination really compulsory?
Yes. Benin requires a yellow fever certificate from all travellers aged 9 months or older, even if you fly in from Europe. The vaccination must date from at least 10 days before arrival.
Does my child need an e-Visa?
Yes. Every minor needs their own Benin e-Visa issued against their own passport, including babies, and must also hold a yellow fever certificate from 9 months of age.
Can I enter Benin by road with the e-Visa?
Yes. The e-Visa barcode is scanned at all official border points, including Hillacondji from Togo and Sèmè-Kraké from Nigeria. Avoid the northern borders with Burkina Faso and Niger, which several governments advise against visiting.
Can I extend my stay in Benin?
The e-Visa itself cannot be modified, and the stay equals the validity bought. If your plans may run past 30 days, the safer choice is the 90-day multiple-entry e-Visa from the start; any extension request goes to the immigration service in Cotonou before your e-Visa expires.
Can I get my money back if I cancel the trip?
No. Benin's e-Visa fees are non-refundable once the application is submitted, and since issuance is automated, an issued e-Visa cannot be moved to new dates.
What happens at the airport in Cotonou?
The officer scans the barcode of your e-Visa, records your fingerprints and may ask for your return ticket and accommodation address. The health desk checks your yellow fever certificate.

Other passports

The requirements above are for a Burkinabe passport. For another passport, change it in the price column or see the list.

Entry without a visaSee the 57 passportsPassports57Stay14 to 90 daysGovernment feeNoneProcessingNone
Your passport is in this group

57 passports enter Benin without a visa, for stays of 14 to 90 days. Nothing has to be filed before the flight to Benin: the passport is stamped at the border. What trips people up: Benin wants the passport valid 6 more months after the departure date.

E-visa before departureSee the 141 passportsPassports141StayUp to 30 daysGovernment fee€50ProcessingUp to 4 days

141 passports need the e-visa for Benin, filed online before departure. The government fee for the e-visa for Benin is €50, and the authorities take up to 4 days. Apply at least 7 days before flying to Benin: the airline checks the e-visa at boarding.

Visaska is a private company, unaffiliated with any government. You can apply directly with the authorities at evisa.bj.

Nothing to do

Up to 90 days without a visa