Benin digital nomad visa & residency (2026)

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.