Benin
BENBenin is a small West African nation bordering Nigeria, Togo, Burkina Faso, and Niger, with its economic hub in Cotonou and political capital in Porto-Novo. A founding member of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), it uses the CFA franc and shares a common central bank with seven regional neighbours. The country is administratively stable by regional standards, holding regular elections since its 1990 democratic transition.
Its economy relies on re-export trade with Nigeria, cotton agriculture, and a growing port sector at Cotonou. Infrastructure is limited outside urban centres, and healthcare provision remains basic. French is the sole official language; several dozen local languages are widely spoken. Naturalisation requires ten years of lawful residence. Dual citizenship is permitted.
- Naturalisation
- 10 years
- Tax system
- Residence Based
- Currency
- West African CFA franc (XOF)
- Dual citizenship
- Allowed
- Capital
- Porto-Novo
- Region
- africa
- Population
- 13,712,828
- Cost-of-living
- 33 /100
Passport Rank
#93
Visa-Free
58
destinations
Visa-free travel
A Benin passport has visa-free access to 58 destinations. See the full Benin passport breakdown →
Passports that enter Benin without a prior visa (61)
Visa-free, visa on arrival, or on an eTA.
Community-sourced (passport-index, synced 2026-08-18) — verify with the embassy before travel.
Immigrating to Canada from Benin
Current IRCC processing times for Benin nationals, by application type.
| Visitor visa (outside Canada) | 128 days |
| Super visa | No processing time available |
| Study permit | 17 weeks |
| Work permit | No processing time available |
| Sponsor a dependent child | No processing time available |
| Adopted child (citizenship) | Not enough data |
| Government-assisted refugees | Not enough data |
| Privately sponsored refugees | sponsor: Not enough data / refugee: Not enough data |
Your application may take longer than the times shown here. They’re not a maximum or a guarantee.
As of 2026-09-22 (IRCC). See all Canada processing times →
Source: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada — “Check processing times”. This is a copy of the version available at https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/check-processing-times.html. Reproduced under the Government of Canada’s non-commercial reproduction terms; not endorsed by or affiliated with IRCC.
Sources & last verified
Government of Canada — non-commercial reproduction (canada.ca Terms and conditions)
Country Details
- Capital
- Porto-Novo
- Currency
- West African CFA franc (XOF)
- Languages
- French
- Population
- 13,712,828
- Tax System
- Residence Based
- Dual Citizenship
- Allowed
- Naturalisation
- 10 years
- Schengen / EU
- No
- Climate
- Tropical; two rainy seasons in south, one in north
- GDP per capita
- $1,658
- Life expectancy
- 60.96 yrs
- Population growth
- 2.4%/yr
GDP per capita, life expectancy, and population growth: World Bank (2025).
Indices
Cost of Living
33
Safety
52
Healthcare
34
Quality of Life
38
Tax Summary
- Tax System
- Residence Based
- Territorial Taxation
- No — worldwide income taxed for residents
- Naturalisation
- 10 years of legal residency
- Dual Citizenship
- Allowed
Visa Categories & Immigration Authority
Major Visa Categories
- Tourist eVisa
- Business
- Long-stay
- Work
- Family
- Student
- Authority
- Direction de l'Émigration et de l'Immigration
- Official Portal
- www.dei.bj
Naturalisation Details
- Residence Years
- Language Test
- Yes (level n/a)
- Civic Test
- No
- Oath Required
- No
- Dual Allowed
- No
- Fee
- —
- Processing
- —
Safety
GPI Rank
#72
Global Peace Index ranking (lower is safer)
Regulators & official sources
Bodies that regulate immigration advice in Benin, and the official sources indexed for it by Visa Atlas. Descriptions are verbatim; each links to its source.
Benin eVisa
EVISAOfficial government platform for Benin eVisa applications, application tracking, FAQ guidance and entry-visa fee information.
Direction de l'Emigration et de l'Immigration
DEIImmigration directorate referenced by the eVisa FAQ for eVisa extension handling during a stay in Benin.
Portail National des Services Publics
SERVICE-PUBLICOfficial national public-service portal linked from the eVisa platform; reviewed here as a boundary source pending deeper procedure verification.
Related Guides
Related on The Citizenship Desk
Visa routes
Official visa and residence routes for Benin, indexed from Visa Atlas. Each links to its government source. This is a licensed external index, distinct from our own curated visa guides.
Short-term / business
eVisa - 30 day multiple entry
Short-term / businessOfficial Benin 30-day multiple-entry eVisa for visitors who need to re-enter during a short trip window.
eVisa - 30 day single entry
Short-term / businessOfficial Benin 30-day single-entry eVisa for eligible non-exempt visitors.
eVisa - 90 day multiple entry
Short-term / businessOfficial Benin 90-day multiple-entry eVisa for longer visitor or business travel within the eVisa system.
Sources & last verified
Route index from Visa Atlas (CC BY 4.0), as of 2026-09-12. Each route links to its official government source.
Sources & last verified
- Last verified