Togo
TGOTogo is a narrow West African nation bordering Ghana, Benin, and Burkina Faso, with its commercial hub in the coastal capital Lomé. The country uses the CFA franc shared across the WAEMU economic zone, providing currency stability tied to the euro. Togo allows dual citizenship and grants nationality by descent through either parent. Naturalisation requires five years of continuous legal residence.
Income tax is residence-based and levied on a progressive scale up to 45%. The cost of living is among the lowest in the region, though infrastructure, healthcare, and institutional quality remain limited. Political stability has improved since constitutional reforms in 2019, though civil liberties watchdogs note ongoing restrictions on opposition activity.
- Naturalisation
- 5 years
- Tax system
- Residence Based
- Currency
- West African CFA franc (XOF)
- Dual citizenship
- Allowed
- Capital
- Lomé
- Region
- africa
- Population
- 8,848,699
- Cost-of-living
- 36 /100
Passport Rank
#93
Visa-Free
54
destinations
Visa-free travel
A Togo passport has visa-free access to 54 destinations. See the full Togo passport breakdown →
Passports that enter Togo without a prior visa (15)
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 Togo
Current IRCC processing times for Togo nationals, by application type.
| Visitor visa (outside Canada) | 123 days |
| Super visa | No processing time available |
| Study permit | 16 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
- Lomé
- Currency
- West African CFA franc (XOF)
- Languages
- French
- Population
- 8,848,699
- Tax System
- Residence Based
- Dual Citizenship
- Allowed
- Naturalisation
- 5 years
- Schengen / EU
- No
- Climate
- Tropical; hot and humid in south, semi-arid in north
- GDP per capita
- $1,384
- Life expectancy
- 62.94 yrs
- Population growth
- 2.18%/yr
GDP per capita, life expectancy, and population growth: World Bank (2025).
Indices
Cost of Living
36
Safety
48
Healthcare
33
Quality of Life
34
Tax Summary
- Tax System
- Residence Based
- Territorial Taxation
- No — worldwide income taxed for residents
- Naturalisation
- 5 years of legal residency
- Dual Citizenship
- Allowed
Climate
Lomé
Rainfall range: 20–210 mm/month · Daylight 11.5h (winter) to 12.5h (summer)
Visa Categories & Immigration Authority
Major Visa Categories
- Tourist (eVisa)
- Business
- Long-stay
- Work
- Family
- Student
- Investor
- Authority
- Direction Générale de la Documentation Nationale (DGDN)
- Official Portal
- www.securite.gouv.tg
Naturalisation Details
- Residence Years
- Language Test
- Yes (level n/a)
- Civic Test
- No
- Oath Required
- No
- Dual Allowed
- No
- Fee
- —
- Processing
- —
Safety
GPI Rank
#120
Global Peace Index ranking (lower is safer)
Regulators & official sources
Bodies that regulate immigration advice in Togo, and the official sources indexed for it by Visa Atlas. Descriptions are verbatim; each links to its source.
Togo Voyage
TOGO-VOYAGEOfficial travel portal for Togo immigration formalities, eVisa applications, visa eligibility checks and online travel payments.
Direction Generale de la Documentation Nationale
DGDNOfficial documentation authority publishing visa and residence-card guidance and issuing residence, travel and identity documents.
Related Guides
Related on The Citizenship Desk
Visa routes
Official visa and residence routes for Togo, indexed from Visa Atlas. Each links to its government source. This is a licensed external index, distinct from our own curated visa guides.
Residence
Immigration Visa
ResidenceTogo entry visa for people establishing themselves in Togo for study, internship, family reunification or professional purposes before completing residence-card formalities.
Ordinary Residence Card
ResidenceThree-year Togo residence card for foreign nationals staying for longer periods, renewable on the same conditions.
Retiree Residence Card
ResidenceTogo residence-card pathway for retirees, using DGDN retiree-specific document conditions.
Temporary Residence Card
ResidenceOne-year Togo residence card for non-student foreigners who want to stay or establish residence in Togo.
Short-term / business
Professional Visa
Short-term / businessTogo professional visa for journalism, reporting, commerce, project work or important professional activity in Togo.
Tourist and Business eVisa
Short-term / businessTogo online visa route for tourism, meetings, trade fairs, seminars, conferences and short business visits.
Study
Student Residence Card
StudyTogo residence card for foreign students and interns, available as one-year temporary or three-year ordinary student cards.
Skilled migration
Privileged Residence Card
Skilled migrationFive-year Togo residence card for categories including foreign investors, highly qualified people, temporary workers and family members.
Citizenship by descent
Reintegration into Togolese Nationality
Citizenship by descentTogo nationality authority-check route for people checking reintegration after previously renouncing Togolese nationality.
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