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🇫🇷 Does a French need a visa for Benin 🇧🇯?

What this means for your trip

An e-Visa is applied for on the destination's official government website. You upload your passport scan and photo, pay online and receive an approval letter by email.

Apply well before departure and print the approval; use only the official portal, as many look-alike sites charge extra.

Your passport should normally be valid for at least six months beyond your planned departure date and have blank pages for stamps; many countries apply this rule.

Benin at a glance

Capital: Porto-Novo · Currency: West African CFA franc (XOF, Fr) · Official languages: French · Calling code: +229

U.S. State Department travel advisory for Benin: Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (updated 7 January 2026). It is written for U.S. citizens; read the advisory before you book.

Plugs and voltage

Your plugs fit: every plug type used in France (C, E) works with sockets in Benin. Mains voltage differs (Benin: 220 V; France: 230 V): most phone and laptop chargers accept 100–240 V, but single-voltage devices such as some hair dryers need a converter.

More about entering Benin →

Your embassy in Benin

If your passport is lost or stolen, or you need help in an emergency in Benin, contact the embassy of France:

• Embassy of France, Cotonou · 2235, avenue Jean-Paul II · bj.ambafrance.org

Missions from Wikidata (CC0), checked 2026-09-26. Addresses and opening hours change: check the mission's website before you go.

Easier destinations near Benin for French passport holders

• 🇨🇻 Cape Verde — Visa-free 30 days
• 🇬🇲 Gambia — Visa-free 90 days
• 🇸🇳 Senegal — Visa-free 90 days
• 🇬🇼 Guinea-Bissau — Visa on arrival
• 🇸🇱 Sierra Leone — Visa on arrival

The other way round

🇧🇯 Beninese passport holders visiting France: Beninese passport holders need a visa for France, applied for at an embassy or consulate of France before travelling.

The French passport at a glance

All destinations for France passport holders → · Who needs a visa for Benin →

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