Step by Step Process for Obtaining Beninese Citizenship

 https://myafroorigins.bj/ 

The My Afro Origins website is the official source for current information provided by the Republic of Benin regarding the citizenship application process established for Afro-descendants. Once an application is approved, the applicant receives a provisional certificate of eligibility for Beninese nationality that remains valid for three years.  

Within that time frame,  the applicant is expected to travel Benin to complete the citizenship process in person. This provisional certificate grants freedom of entry, residence, and exit from the territory of the Republic of Benin.  If Benin requires a visa for your nationality, airlines will require a visa to board your flight to Benin, even with possession of a provisional certificate of eligibility for Beninese nationality.  e-Visas for travel to Benin are available at this website 

The Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Benin announces the dates for the official ceremonies for the presentation of Beninese nationality certificates to approved Afro-descendants. These dates are announced in the same My Afro Origins portal where applicants submit their applications and upload their supporting documents.

Approved applicants are required to select their preferred ceremony date in advance to allow the Ministry of Justice to prepare accordingly. Participation in the official ceremonies for the presentation of Beninese nationality certificates requires pre registration.

ANIP

Prior to the official ceremony for the presentation of Beninese nationality certificates, applicants must arrive in Cotonou, Benin with sufficient time in advance to provide the required biometric data in order to be registered in L’Agence Nationale d’Identification des Personnes (ANIP).  ANIP is the government agency legally mandated to manage the Registre National des Personnes Physiques (RNPP), the centralized biometric database containing the nominative and biometric data of all Beninese citizens and residents. 

When ANIP registers an individual in the RNPP system, it generates a unique personal identification number or NPI. A NPI is required to participate in the official ceremonies for the presentation of Beninese nationality certificates and to  apply for Beninese legal documents, including  birth certificates (Acte de Naissance) and the Benin national ID card, the Certificat d’Identification Personnelle Afro-Descendant  (CIP-A).  

Applicants may apply at an ANIP office, through the ANIP BJ mobile app, available at Google play or Apple app stores, or via the ANIP website. The Certificat d’Identification Personnelle Afro-Descendant card  may be used as identification in Benin.  Once received electronically, this card must be  laminated after printing. 

CIP-A are not residency cards. The CIP-A is proof that a person has completed biometrics and has received a personal identification number.  The CIP-A can be verified online at eservices.anip.bj/verifier-document or by using the ANIP BJ mobile app.

Required Items to Bring to Benin

• Provisional Certificate of Eligibility for Beninese Nationality
• Decree of Nationality 
• Passport
• Visa, if required
• Birth Certificate
•  A smartphone with active cellular service in Benin capable of reliably receiving SMS notifications.  
• Yellow fever vaccination is required for entry into Benin for all travelers over 9 months of age.

It is recommended to plan to stay in Benin for at least two weeks to ensure sufficient time to complete the ANIP registration and citizenship processes and to ensure all documents are received. 

This ceremony is where applicants receive their official documentation recognizing them as Beninese citizens. Beninese nationality by recognition is transmissible to descendants. Current law in Benin requires a five-year waiting period for spouses to apply for Beninese citizenship through an Afro-descendant spouse who was granted Beninese citizenship. 

Ceremony details, applicable fees, and logistical information will be provided via official invitations to approved applicants who have received certificates of eligibility for Beninese nationality and have completed ceremony registration.

Once applicants are officially recognized as  citizens they are eligible to apply for Republic of Benin passports either in Benin or abroad where Benin provides consular services. 

Benin's Passport Application Website

This website offers an expedited VIP service at an additional charge.

Benin's e-service application for an ordinary biometric passports is strictly reserved for people wishing to go in person to the Directorate of Emigration and Immigration (DEI) in Cotonou, Benin.

Once applicants have completed the administrative steps in Cotonou and become citizens, they are expected to spend time in the Republic of Benin; to experience and support the country, its people, visit the beautiful Atlantic coast beaches; to visit nearby cities, and observe, learn and participate in the everyday rhythms that shape daily life in Benin. 

Beninese nationality granted by recognition carries legal obligations and standards of conduct. Upon the recommendation of the Minister of Justice, such nationality may be revoked by decree of the Council of Ministers if the beneficiary no longer satisfies the requirements of Article 16 of the law governing the recognition of nationality for Afro-descendants.