Benin: entry and exit regulations
Formalities, visas
Tourists from EU countries need a valid passport, a visa and a return ticket to enter Benin. A valid yellow fever vaccination must be proven when entering from a yellow fever infection area.
Issuing of visas in Germany
Embassy of the Republic of Benin
Englerallee 23
14195 Berlin
Tel: 0049 (0) 30 – 236 347
Fax: 0049 (0) 30 – 236 31 4740
Import and export of foreign currency
Local currency
There are no restrictions on the import of local currency. The export of the local currency is unrestricted for EU citizens, citizens of other countries must declare the amounts exported and, if necessary, provide proof of origin.
Foreign currencies
The import of foreign currencies is not subject to any restrictions, but must be declared. The export of foreign currencies is limited to the equivalent of 100,000 CFA Fr.
Import and export of goods
The following articles can be imported into Benin duty-free:
200 cigarettes or 100 cigarillos or 25 cigars or 250 g tobacco
1 bottle of wine and 1 bottle of spirits
500 ml eau de toilette and 250 ml perfume.
Benin: travel medicine, vaccinations and warnings
Infectious Diseases
In Benin, the following infectious diseases, which are not or less common in Germany or Central and Northern Europe, are to be expected:
- Malaria: There is a risk of infection with malaria nationwide and all year round. About 85% of the infections occur with the very dangerous malaria tropica, the rest with malaria tertiana.
- Schistosomiasis: There is a risk of infection nationwide.
- cholera
- Intestinal infections from contaminated food or water, including amoebas, lamblia, salmonella, shigella, worm infestation and all kinds of viruses and bacteria
- Filariasis
- Yellow fever
- Guinea worm infection
- Hepatitis A and B
- Meningococcal meningitis
- Polio, polio
- Sleeping sickness
- tetanus
- rabies
- typhus
- Tick bite fever
Vaccination recommendations
- Diphtheria – a vaccination against diphtheria should always exist, also in the home country.
- Yellow fever
- Hepatitis A and B
- Polio, polio – vaccination against polio should always exist, also in the home country.
- Meningococcal meningitis
- Tetanus – a vaccination against tetanus should always exist, also in the home country.
- Rabies – but only for high-risk travelers who can come into contact with the vector animals.
- Typhoid – but only for travelers who can come into contact with polluted water or contaminated food.
Compulsory vaccination
For all persons older than one year and arriving from a yellow fever infection area designated by the WHO, vaccination against yellow fever is mandatory.
Malaria prophylaxis
When traveling in the country, it is strongly advised to undergo malaria prophylaxis. However, if the side effects seem questionable, you should at least have a “stand-by preparation” with you.
Who pays for vaccinations in Germany?
Most people in Germany are vaccinated against a number of infectious diseases at an early age. However, the vaccination protection only lasts up to 10 years, in some cases even shorter. Therefore, before traveling abroad, you should carefully consider against which infectious diseases a vaccination is necessary or useful in the country concerned and whether the vaccination protection, if applicable, was not too long ago.
Most statutory health insurances have been reimbursing the costs for the following vaccinations since June 2007. There is even no 10 € practice fee – but the insured usually have to pay the statutory additional payment, which is 10% of the vaccine price – that is at least 5 € and a maximum of 10 €. Under these conditions, the following vaccinations are free of charge. Some health insurance companies also reimburse the cost of malaria prophylaxis. As a rule, private health insurance companies (inquire beforehand) also cover the costs mentioned.
- cholera
- diphtheria
- Early summer meningoencephalitis (TBE)
- Yellow fever
- Hepatitis A and B
- Meningococcal meningitis
- Pneumococci
- Polyo (polio)
- Tetanus (tetanus)
- rabies
- typhus
Current warnings
Foreign Office of the Federal Republic of Germany
Citizens Service
Tel: 0049 – (0) 30 – 5000 – 2000
Fax: 0049 – (0) 30 – 5000 – 51000
www.auswaertiges-amt.de
Benin: arrival and transport
How do you get to Benin?
As a rule, the quickest and cheapest way to get to Benin is by plane.
Airplane
Direct flights from Europe to Cotonou are only available from Paris.
Ship
There is also a ship connection between Marseille and Cotonou. Ships from local shipping companies connect Lagos with Porto Novo.
Railways
Up to now there are no rail connections to the neighboring countries, but a connection between Parakou and Niamey in Niger is under construction.
Car, bus
The three main roads connect Cotonou with Niamey in Niger, Lagos in Nigeria with Porto Novo, Cotonou with Lomé in Togo and Accra in Ghana and Parakou with Kara in Togo. Two more roads lead to Burkina Faso.
Travel in the country
Bus
There are buses on the main streets of Benin. In addition, so-called bush taxis (taxi brousse) with 6 to 9 seats operate between the individual cities, but they only start when they are fully occupied.
Roads, rental cars
The roads are in relatively good condition, the larger ones are mostly paved. Unpaved roads are only passable in the dry season. There are several rental car companies in Cotonou. You can also rent cars or minibuses with a driver. An international driver’s license is required.
Railway
The railway network covers about 600 km. Trains run daily from Cotonou to Pobé, Ouidah and Parakou.
Flight connections
There are domestic air connections between Cotonou and Parakou, Natitingou, Djougon and Kandi. Two-seater planes can also be chartered.
International license plate
According to Abbreviationfinder, Benin’s international license plate is:
| BN |
Benin: Currency, Shopping, and Exchange Rates
The national currency of Benin is the
CFA Franc, 1 CFA Franc = 100 Centimes.
Benin is part of the West African Economic and Monetary Union. The ISO 4217 code of the Franc CFA here is XOF.
The following banknotes are valid and in circulation in the country:
- 10,000,
- 5,000,
- 2,000
- 1,000 and
- 500 XOF
The CFA franc (Communanté Financiére Africaine) is the currency in 14 African countries that were usually French colonies in the past: Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Cameroon, Republic of the Congo, Chad, Central African Republic, Benin, Burkina-Faso, Côte d’Ivoite, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal and Togo. It is tied to the euro.
Exchange rate
The exchange rate of the euro and the CFA franc is always the same as the CFA franc is pegged to the euro (it was pegged to the franc before the euro was introduced). For countries that belong to the West African Economic and Monetary Union, the exchange rate is:
1 Euro (€) = 655.957 CFA francs (XOF)
Bank opening times
Banks in Benin are usually open from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on weekdays.
Shop
Shop opening times
The larger shops in Benin are usually open during the week and on Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and from 3:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. The small shops on the streets are mostly open daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. or 10 p.m.
Inexpensive or country-specific goods, souvenirs
In Benin, a wide variety of decorative arts items such as wood carvings (masks and small statues), bronze work, tapestries, basketry, drums, ceramics as well as glass jewelry and batiks are available.
Benin: embassies, consulates and tourist office
Visit Countryaah for a full list of Benin embassies and consulates in each country around the world.
Representations of Benin in Germany
The building of the Embassy of Benin is located on Englerallee – at the corner of Rohlfsstrasse in the Berlin district of Dahlem in the Steglitz-Zehlendorf district. The building is a very beautiful villa surrounded by a larger garden.
In the immediate vicinity of the embassy there is a bus stop for bus routes 101 and N 3 – where the N stands for night bus. The parking situation in the vicinity of the embassy can be regarded as favorable, so that nothing prevents a visit by car in this regard.
Embassy of the Republic of Benin in Berlin
Englerallee 23
14195 Berlin
Tel: 0049 – (0) 30 – 2363 1470
Fax: 0049 – (0) 30 – 2363 1474 0
Honorary Consulate of the Republic of Benin in Munich
Tengstrasse 27
80798 Munich
Tel: 0049 – (0) 89 – 2729 3125
Fax: 0049 – (0) 89 – 2729 3120
Responsible for Bavaria
Honorary Consulate of the Republic of Benin in Saarbrücken
Puccinistraße 2 66119 Saarbrücken
Tel: 0049 – (0) 681- 926 5613
Fax: 0049 – (0) 681 – 525 565
Responsible for Saarland, Rhineland-Palatinate and Hesse
German representations in Benin
Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany
7 Avenue Jean Paul II
Cotonou
Ambassade de la République fédérale d’Allemagne
BP 504, Cotonou
Bénin
Tel: 00229 – (0) 21 – 312 967
00229 – (0) 21 – 312 968
Fax: 00229 – (0) 21 – 312 962
00229 – (0) 21 – 314 121
Email: info@cotonou.diplo.de
www.cotonou.diplo.de
Austrian representations in Benin
Embassy
The Federal Republic of Austria does not have an embassy in Benin, but is represented by an honorary consulate. The embassy in Nigeria is responsible
Embassy of the Federal Republic of Austria in Nigeria
Plot 9, Usuma Street
Maitama – Abuja
Tel: 00234 – 706 – 418 3226
Fax: 00234 – 9 – 461 2715
Email: abuja-ob@bmeia.gv.at
The Austrian embassy in Nigeria is still responsible for:
- Equatorial Guinea
- Gabon
- Ghana
- Cameroon
- Sao Tome and Principe
- Chad
- Togo
- Central African Republic
Honorary Consulate in Cotonou
Benin Cotonou Residence Fadoul C/00628A Les Cocotiers
Tel: 00229 – (0) 21 – 2130 9890
Fax: 00229 – (0) 21 – 2130 9888
Email: cons-otr@otitelecom.bj
Representations of Benin in Austria
Benin does not have an embassy in Austria, but is represented by an honorary consulate. The embassy in Geneva is responsible.
Honorary Consulate of the Republic of Benin in Vienna
Burggasse 60
1070 Vienna
Tel: 0043 – (0) 1 – 523 9300
Fax: 0043 – (0) 1 – 526 1705
Email: wagner@reiwag.at
Swiss representations in Benin
SDC cooperation office and consular agency Cotonou
Lot. K16
Quartier Les Cocotiers
Cotonou
Bénin
Bureau de la coopération suisse DDC et Agence consulaire
BP 08-0123
Cotonou
Bénin
Tel: 00229 – (0) 21 – 301 468
00229 – (0) 21 – 300 578
00229 – (0) 21 – 300 806
Fax: 00229 – (0) 21 – 300 896
Email: cotonou@sdc.net
www.cooperation-suisse.admin.ch/benin
Representations of Benin in Switzerland
Embassy of the Republic of Benin in Geneva
Chemin du Petit-Saconnex 28
1209 Geneva
Tel: 0041 – (0) 22 – 906 8460
Fax: 0041 – (0) 22 – 906 8461
Email: info@missionbenin.ch
www.missionbenin.ch
Tourist office
Tourist office of the Espace Entente
(Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, Niger, Togo)
Tempelhofer Weg 2
12099 Berlin
Tel: 0049 – (0) 30 – 6830 2193
Fax: 0049 – (0) 30 – 685 7405
Email: berlin. office@westafrika.de
