Benin digital nomad visa: requirements (2026)

Legal framework

Law No. 2025-15 of 2 July 2025 on the entry, stay, residence and departure of foreigners in Benin; administered by the Direction de l'Émigration et de l'Immigration (DEI) under the Ministry of Interior

Key points: digital nomad & residency in Benin

1. 01No dedicated digital nomad visa

   Benin does not offer a dedicated digital nomad or remote-work visa. None of the 2025-2026 global digital nomad visa indexes include Benin among countries with such a programme.

   dei.gouv.bj evisa.gouv.bj

2. 02Professional visa (best available route)

   Law No. 2025-15 introduced a 'professional visa' valid for 12 months and renewable once, intended for foreign nationals conducting professional activity in Benin. Independent contractors or consultants with demonstrated professional ties could apply under this category, though it is not explicitly designed for remote workers earning income abroad.

   lebeninoislibere.bj lanation.bj

3. 03Business & tourist eVisas (short-stay)

   Short-term remote workers may enter on a tourist/visit eVisa (up to 90 days, renewable once) or a business eVisa (90 days per entry, valid up to two years with multiple entries). These are available entirely online via the official eVisa portal.

   evisa.gouv.bj visages-du-benin.bj

4. 04Tiered long-stay residence card

   Foreigners staying beyond 90 days (consecutive or cumulative) must register and obtain a residence card: temporary (1 year, for ECOWAS and non-ECOWAS nationals), ordinary (3 years, requires two prior temporary renewals and proof of financial means), or privileged (10 years, for those with deep economic or conjugal ties to Benin). Applications are processed via the national public-services portal.

   service-public.bj lanation.bj

5. 05ECOWAS facilitation

   Citizens of ECOWAS member states (16 West African countries) benefit from a parallel temporary resident card track and generally easier mobility under the ECOWAS free-movement protocol, reducing barriers to longer stays without requiring the same documentation as non-ECOWAS nationals.

   service-public.bj dei.gouv.bj

6. 062025 immigration law reform

   Law No. 2025-15, promulgated 2 July 2025 by President Patrice Talon, replaced older fragmented rules with a consolidated framework. It mandates a foreigner identification certificate for stays beyond 90 days and clarifies residence card eligibility criteria, but introduced no digital-nomad-specific provisions.

   beninwebtv.bj lanation.bj

Sources

1. 1.evisa.gouv.bj/en/
2. 2.dei.gouv.bj/services/visas
3. 3.service-public.bj/public/services/service/PS00409
4. 4.lanation.bj/actualites/residence-au-benin-une-nouvelle-reglementation-sur-le-sejo
5. 5.lanation.bj/actualites/assemblee-nationale-refonte-de-la-loi-sur-les-regimes-des-
6. 6.beninwebtv.bj/le-benin-adopte-une-loi-sur-lentree-le-sejour-la-residence-et-la-sort
7. 7.lebeninoislibere.bj/sejour-des-etrangers-au-benin-visa-residence-droits-ce-quil-faut-savo
8. 8.visages-du-benin.bj/visas-sejour-residence-le-benin-clarifie-les-regles-pour-les-ressorti
9. 9.dei.gouv.bj/