Benin: visa and entry rules
What you need to get in, how long you may stay, and what an overstay costs
Benin's borders: every crossing point
Airports 1
Benin's land border crossings, neighbour by neighbour:
With Nigeria: Krake - Seme on the coast, the main crossing on the Cotonou - Lagos road.
With Togo: Sanvee Condji on the coast and Ketao inland.
With Niger: Malanville in the north, over the bridge across the river Niger.
With Burkina Faso: Porga in the north-west. This direction is complicated by the security situation.
The northern parts of the country are unsafe because of tension spilling over from the Sahel, and a trip to Pendjari National Park calls for a separate assessment of the situation.
The main way in is Cadjehoun International Airport in Cotonou.
Bringing a car into Benin
How long temporary import into Benin lasts and whether a carnet is needed are questions for local customs. Neighbouring countries have their own rules, and general figures do not carry over.
Insurance has to be bought locally, at the border.
An International Driving Permit is required.
Traffic police are active on the roads, and documents are checked often.
Travelling to Benin with a pet
An international veterinary certificate is required, endorsed by the state veterinary service of the country you are leaving.
The rabies vaccination must be valid on the date of entry.
An import permit is arranged in advance with the veterinary service.
Confirm the vaccination deadlines, the microchip and the quarantine rules for bringing an animal into Benin with your carrier before you buy tickets.
Overstaying your visa in Benin
A fine is charged for exceeding the term of the visa and is paid when you leave.
The amount of the fine in Benin will only be named at the border. The rates change and it cannot be calculated in advance - keep a reserve of cash for the day you leave.
Extensions are arranged in advance, before your stay runs out.
A serious overstay means detention and deportation at your own expense.
What else to check before you go
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Entry rules change faster than anything else on this site, and they change without notice. We cross-check every page against several sources and state the date it was verified, but that does not replace the main step: before you travel, check an official source — the country’s consulate, its immigration service or its e-visa portal. Especially if more than a couple of months have passed since our check.