How to Apply for a Benin Visa in Atlanta

Atlanta has a population of over 6 million people, making it the 9th most populous metropolitan area in the United States.  Atlanta is the capital of Georgia, which is the 8th most populous of the 50 states.  The city and surrounding area—known as the Atlanta metropolitan area—is also the commercial capital of the Southeast United States.  The metropolitan area includes the municipalities of Dunwoody, Sandy Springs, Chamblee, Roswell, Alpharetta, Marietta, Duluth, Norcross, Tucker, Decatur, Mableton, Clarkston, Conyers, and others.  Atlanta has become a very diverse and international city.  The Atlanta metropolitan area has nearly 85,000 immigrants from Sub-Saharan Africa and has one of the largest populations of West Africans in the country.  There are even some immigrants from Benin, however the numbers are small because there are only about 5,000 Beninese in the Untied States.  The city of Atlanta has a sister city agreement with Cotonou, the largest city in Benin.  As a former colony of France, this is a French speaking country and visitors from Atlanta might find it useful to prepare for their trip by enrolling in language courses at the Alliance Francaise d’Atlanta in Midtown.  Yoruba is also spoken in Benin, a language that has been taught by The University of Georgia since 1996.

Benin is a small country located in West Africa that is about three fourths the size of Georgia but has about a million more residents than the Peach State.  Benin’s population of 12 million people is made up of over 40 ethnic groups speaking nearly 60 languages.  The majority of Beninese live along their country’s southern coastline, which is only about 75 miles long.  Cotonou and Porto-Novo (the two largest cities in Benin) will likely be the top destinations for visitors from Atlanta.  Cotonou International Airport (COO) can be reached from Atlanta by connecting through Paris (CDG) on Delta Airlines and Air France.  Others may arrive to Cotonou by car after visiting Nigeria, which is only a few hours’ drive from Lagos.  Atlanta tourists coming from Nigeria will enjoy the relative tranquility and cleanliness of Benin.  This is a country where you can unwind and enjoy views of the sea from one of Cotonou’s four-star hotels and savor local foods like gboman, gbo kpete, fevi, and djewo.  One of the top cultural attractions in Benin is the Voodoo Festival, which takes place each January in the city of Ouidah.  Ouidah also happens to be the port that saw the last recorded shipment of slaves to the United States in 1860, and is home to the Door of No Return, a concrete and bronze arch that memorializes this part of history. 

Obtaining a Benin Visa from Atlanta

Visas for Benin are issued by the government of Benin in the United States.  The government of Benin is represented by their embassy located in Washington, D.C.  Visas are also issued electronically by the Directorate of Emigration and Immigration in Cotonou, Benin through the following website: Accueil e-visa (evisa.gouv.bj)

To apply for a Benin visa from Atlanta, we recommend applying for the electronic visa using the e-visa platform mentioned above, especially if you are traveling to Benin for tourist or business purposes.  If you require a different type of visa such as a diplomatic or official visa, you will complete the visa application and send your original passport and supporting documents to their embassy by US Mail, FedEx, or UPS.  Here is the address:

Embassy of Benin
2124 Kalorama Road NW
Washington, DC 20008

It is important to review the requirements for visas on the Benin embassy website and ensure your application and all supporting documents are accurate.  Here is the link to the embassy website with detailed information: Visas Requirements – beninembassy.us

You should include a self-addressed USPS (US Postal Service Express Mail or Priority Mail), FedEx, or UPS prepaid envelope (please make note of the tracking number) so the embassy can return your passport and visa to your home or office. 

Other things to consider:

  • Visas for Benin are not issued upon entry so you must have a valid visa in advance of your journey to the country. 
  • U.S. citizens must have a valid visa and a passport that does not expire within six months of your date of entry into Benin.
  • Your U.S. passport must be signed; the signature page of your passport is located opposite the data page that has your name and photo.
  • All visitors to Benin are required to have a valid World Health Organization (WHO) card with yellow fever vaccination. The vaccination should be taken at least ten 10 days before your date of departure to Benin.  Please use the following link from the Center for Disease Control website to find the nearest clinic offering the yellow fever vaccine: Search for Stamaril yellow fever vaccination clinics | Travelers' Health | CDC
  • Please read the latest COVID-19 entry requirements on the US Department of State website as follows: COVID-19 Information - U.S. Embassy in Benin (usembassy.gov)
  • It is recommended to purchase travel insurance before any international trip in case of medical emergencies.  We advise getting the Geo Blue Voyager Single Trip Plan.

Emergency Assistance for Benin Citizens in Atlanta  

If you are a citizen of Benin living in the Atlanta area with an emergency or require urgent assistance, you can reach the embassy in Washington, D.C. by calling 202-232-6656 or 202-232-2611.  The embassy’s email address is ambassade.washington@gouv.bj.  If you need to renew your Benin passport or obtain a first-time passport, please review the procedures on the embassy website found here: PASSEPORT ORDINAIRE BIOMETRIQUE – beninembassy.us 

We Can Help if You Need Assistance

If you live in Atlanta or anywhere in the state of Georgia and have difficulty applying for a Benin visa, or require assistance with this process, please give our office a call at 404-682-5445 or schedule an appointment with our company.  We are a private agency in the city of Sandy Springs (our office is located about 15 miles north of downtown Atlanta) providing Benin visa services for Americans and other U.S.-based residents.  Our number one goal is to ensure your application documents for a visa are submitted accurately to the government of Benin.  Our services eliminate delays and give you the peace of mind to focus on your travel plans. 

We provide the following Benin visa services for our customers:

  • Benin Tourist Visa
  • Benin Business Visa
  • Benin Transit Visa
  • Benin Official Visit Visa (Diplomatic and International Organizations Visa)
  • Benin Visitor Visa (For Visiting Family or Friends)
  • Benin Hotel Accommodations