Benin Travel requirements, advice , Coronavirus status and Visa Policy
2022-11-30 04:19:02
Benin is located in Sub-Saharan Africa. It is a developing country. Current Travel Advice to visitors travelling to Benin is Exercise Increased Caution. Check Benin Travel Advisory, visa Requirements below.
Travel advice and advisories
Published 04.05.2022
Passengers must have:
- a negative COVID-19 PCR test taken at most 5 days before departure from the first embarkation point; or
- a negative COVID-19 rapid antigen test taken at most 72 hours before departure from the first embarkation point.
- This does not apply to passengers younger than 1 year.
Travel Advisory By USA
Tue, 29 Nov 2022
Reissued with updates to security information and an expansion of locations to avoid travel.
Exercise increased caution in Benin due to crime, kidnapping, terrorism, and maritime crime. Some areas have increased risk. Read the entire Travel Advisory.
Do Not Travel to:
The northern regions of Benin, including:
- The cities of Kandi and Tanguieta
- North from Kandi and Tanguieta to the Niger / Burkina Faso border
- Pendjari and W National Parks, Zones Cynegetique De La Pendjari, De Latakora, and De Djona, and the adjacent hunting zones
- RNIE 7 between Banikora and Segbana
- RN10 between Nikki and Segbana
Violent crime, such as armed robbery and assault, is common in Benin. There is a risk of maritime crime, including violent attacks and kidnapping at sea, in the Gulf of Guinea.
Terrorists continue plotting attacks in Benin. Terrorists may attack with little or no warning, and could target shop, markets, hotels, places of worship, restaurants, bars, schools, government installations, transportation hubs, and other places where crowds gather.
Read the country information page for additional information on travel to Benin.
If you decide to travel to Benin:
- Do not physically resist any robbery attempt.
- Use caution when walking or driving at night.
- Keep a low profile.
- Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive Alerts and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
- Follow the Department of State on Facebook and Twitter.
- Review the Country Security Report for Benin.
- Obtain comprehensive travel medical insurance that includes medical evacuation prior to travel.
- Prepare a contingency plan for emergency situations. Review the Traveler’s Checklist.
- Visit the CDC page for the latest Travel Health Information related to your travel.
- Read the Department of State’s COVID-19 page before you plan any international travel, and read the U.S. Embassy's web page for country-specific COVID-19 information.
Northern Benin – Level 4: Do Not Travel
Extremist groups have carried out attacks in areas of southern Burkina Faso, southern Niger and northern Benin (including near Park Pendjari, Park W, and adjacent hunting zones). Attacks may occur with little or no warning. Western tourists have been kidnapped in Park Pendjari, in northern Benin.
Extremist groups have also operated in the vicinity of Kandi and Tanguieta and in the northeastern border region between Benin and Nigeria, specifically in the border region north of Nikki. Attacks may occur with little or no warning. Foreign nationals and residents are at risk of kidnapping in this region.
The U.S. government has limited ability to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens in Benin’s northern border areas. U.S. government employees are prohibited from personal travel and must obtain special authorization for official travel to the regions described above.
Visit our website for Travel to High-Risk Areas.
Visa Policy for Visitors travelling to Benin
eVisa[needs update?]
- Afghanistan
eVisa / Visa on arrival
- Albania (30 days / 8 days)
- Andorra (30 days / 8 days)
- Argentina (30 days / 8 days)
- Armenia (30 days / 8 days)
- Australia (30 days / 8 days)
- Austria (30 days / 8 days)
- Azerbaijan (30 days / 8 days)
- Bahamas (30 days / 8 days)
- Bahrain (30 days / 8 days)
- Bangladesh (30 days / 8 days)
- Barbados (30 days / 8 days)
- Belarus (30 days / 8 days)
- Belgium (30 days / 8 days)
- Belize (30 days / 8 days)
- Bhutan (30 days / 8 days)
- Bolivia (30 days / 8 days)
- Bosnia and Herzegovina (30 days / 8 days)
- Brazil (30 days / 8 days)
- Brunei (30 days / 8 days)
- Bulgaria (30 days / 8 days)
- Cambodia (30 days / 8 days)
- Canada (30 days / 8 days)
- Chile (30 days / 8 days)
- China (30 days / 8 days)
- Colombia (30 days / 8 days)
- Costa Rica (30 days / 8 days)
- Cuba (30 days / 8 days)
- Cyprus (30 days / 8 days)
- Czech Republic (30 days / 8 days)
- Denmark (30 days / 8 days)
- Dominica (30 days / 8 days)
- Dominican Republic (30 days / 8 days)
- El Salvador (30 days / 8 days)
- Estonia (30 days / 8 days)
- Fiji (30 days / 8 days)
- Finland (30 days / 8 days)
- France (30 days / 8 days)
- Georgia (30 days / 8 days)
- Germany (30 days / 8 days)
- Greece (30 days / 8 days)
- Grenada (30 days / 8 days)
- Guatemala (30 days / 8 days)
- Guyana (30 days / 8 days)
- Honduras (30 days / 8 days)
- Hungary (30 days / 8 days)
- Iceland (30 days / 8 days)
- India (30 days / 8 days)
- Ireland (30 days / 8 days)
- Italy (30 days / 8 days)
- Jamaica (30 days / 8 days)
- Japan (90 days)
- Jordan (30 days / 8 days)
- Kazakhstan (30 days / 8 days)
- Kiribati (30 days / 8 days)
- Kuwait (30 days / 8 days)
- Kyrgyzstan (30 days / 8 days)
- Laos (30 days / 8 days)
- Latvia (30 days / 8 days)
- Liechtenstein (30 days / 8 days)
- Lithuania (30 days / 8 days)
- Luxembourg (30 days / 8 days)
- Macau (30 days / 8 days)
- Macedonia [FYROM] (30 days / 8 days)
- Malaysia (30 days / 8 days)
- Maldives (30 days / 8 days)
- Malta (30 days / 8 days)
- Marshall Islands (30 days / 8 days)
- Mexico (30 days / 8 days)
- Micronesia (30 days / 8 days)
- Moldova (30 days / 8 days)
- Monaco (30 days / 8 days)
- Mongolia (30 days / 8 days)
- Montenegro (Must have an international vaccination certificate.)
- Myanmar [Burma] (30 days / 8 days)
- Nauru (30 days / 8 days)
- Nepal (30 days / 8 days)
- Netherlands (30 days)
- New Zealand (30 days / 8 days)
- Nicaragua (30 days / 8 days)
- North Korea (30 days / 8 days)
- Norway (90 days)
- Oman (30 days / 8 days)
- Pakistan (30 days / 8 days)
- Palau (30 days / 8 days)
- Panama (30 days / 8 days)
- Papua New Guinea (30 days / 8 days)
- Paraguay (30 days / 8 days)
- Peru (30 days / 8 days)
- Philippines (30 days / 8 days)
- Portugal (30 days / 8 days)
- Qatar (30 days / 8 days)
- Romania (30 days / 8 days)
- Russia (30 days / 8 days)
- Saint Kitts and Nevis (30 days / 8 days)
- Saint Lucia (30 days / 8 days)
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (30 days / 8 days)
- Samoa (30 days / 8 days)
- San Marino (30 days / 8 days)
- Saudi Arabia (30 days / 8 days)
- Serbia (30 days / 8 days)
- Slovakia (30 days / 8 days)
- Slovenia (30 days / 8 days)
- Solomon Islands (30 days / 8 days)
- South Korea (30 days / 8 days)
- Spain (30 days / 8 days)
- Sri Lanka (30 days / 8 days)
- Suriname (30 days / 8 days)
- Sweden (30 days / 8 days)
- Switzerland (30 days / 8 days)
- Tajikistan (30 days / 8 days)
- Thailand (30 days / 8 days)
- Timor-Leste (30 days / 8 days)
- Tonga (30 days / 8 days)
- Trinidad and Tobago (30 days / 8 days)
- Turkey (30 days / 8 days)
- Turkmenistan (30 days / 8 days)
- Tuvalu (30 days / 8 days)
- Ukraine (30 days / 8 days)
- United Kingdom (30 days / 8 days)
- Uruguay (30 days / 8 days)
- Vanuatu (30 days / 8 days)
- Vatican City (30 days / 8 days)
- Venezuela (30 days / 8 days)
- Vietnam (30 days / 8 days)
- Yemen (30 days / 8 days)
Visa not required
- Algeria (90 days)
- Angola (90 days)
- Botswana (90 days)
- Burkina Faso (90 days)
- Burundi (90 days)
- Cameroon (90 days)
- Cape Verde (90 days)
- Central African Republic (90 days)
- Chad (90 days)
- Comoros (90 days)
- Congo [DRC] (90 days)
- Congo [Republic] (90 days)
- Côte d'Ivoire (90 days)
- Djibouti
- Egypt (90 days)
- Equatorial Guinea (90 days)
- Eritrea (90 days)
- Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) (90 days)
- Ethiopia (90 days)
- Gabon (90 days)
- Gambia (90 days)
- Ghana (90 days)
- Guinea (90 days)
- Guinea-Bissau (90 days)
- Haiti (90 days)
- Hong Kong (14 days)
- Indonesia (90 days)
- Israel (90 days)
- Kenya (90 days)
- Lesotho (90 days)
- Liberia (90 days)
- Libya (90 days)
- Madagascar (90 days)
- Malawi (90 days)
- Mali (90 days)
- Mauritania (90 days)
- Mauritius (90 days)
- Morocco (90 days)
- Mozambique (90 days)
- Namibia (90 days)
- Niger (90 days)
- Nigeria (90 days)
- Rwanda (90 days)
- São Tomé and Príncipe (90 days)
- Senegal (90 days)
- Seychelles (90 days)
- Sierra Leone (90 days)
- Singapore (14 days)
- Somalia (90 days)
- South Africa (90 Days)
- Sudan (90 days)
- Tanzania (90 days)
- Togo (90 days)
- Tunisia (90 days)
- Uganda (90 days)
- Zambia (90 days)
- Zimbabwe (90 days)
Visa online, eVisa, eVisitor
- Croatia
eVisa
- Ecuador (30 days)
- Iraq
- Poland (30 days / 8 days)
- Syria (30 days / 8 days)
- United Arab Emirates (30 days)
Electronic Visa
- Lebanon
Visa required
- Uzbekistan
Visa Requirements for Benin Citizens
References
- U.S Department of State - Bureau of Consular Affairs
- Systematic dataset of Covid-19 policy, from Oxford University
- International Air Transport Association (IATA)