Privileged Resident Card (Carte de Résident Privilégié)

To qualify for the Privileged Resident Card, you must meet specific residency and character thresholds. Eligibility is primarily determined by your current status and nationality:

• Prior Residency: You must have lived in Benin legally for at least 5 consecutive years under a temporary or ordinary residence permit. You must demonstrate that your stay has been continuous and that you have maintained a clean legal record during this time.
• Financial Self-Sufficiency: You must prove you have the financial means to support yourself and any dependents without requiring state assistance. This can be demonstrated through stable employment, a pension, or significant personal assets/investments within Benin.
• ECOWAS Status: If you are a citizen of an ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States) country, you benefit from a simplified regime. While you still need to formalize your residency for long-term stays, the administrative hurdles and residency duration requirements may be more flexible compared to non-ECOWAS nationals.
• Bilateral Agreements: Citizens of certain countries, most notably France, may be subject to different residency timelines or specific conditions based on long-standing bilateral treaties between Benin and their home country.
• Health and Character: You must be in good health (confirmed by a local medical exam) and possess a clean criminal record both in Benin and your country of origin.