Benin
Last update 18 October 2023Diplomatic missions
Risk index
Level 3: Increased level of risk (recommendation not to travel in certain areas of the country unless necessary)
3
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Republic of Benin
The Republic of Bulgaria does not have an embassy in Cotonou, the capital of Benin. The Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria in Abuja, Federal Republic of Nigeria, is accredited to Benin.
Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria in Abuja, Federal Republic of Nigeria
Address: 10 Euphrates Crescent, Maitama, Abuja
Working hours: 09:00 – 17:30
Opening hours of the Consular Office: 09:00 – 12:00 by a preliminary scheduled appointment
Telephone: +234 803 307 8578
Emergency only out-of-hours hotline: + 234 903 000 0275
Е-mail of the Embassy: [email protected]
E-mail of the Consular Office: [email protected]
Website: www.mfa.bg/embassies/nigeria
Honorary Consul of the Republic of Bulgaria in Cotonou, Republic of Benin
Jivko Mihaylov Mihaylov
Consular district: territory of the Republic of Benin
Address: C/141 Ahwanleko Cadjehoun, Cotonou, Republic of Benin
Telephone: + 229 9586 1202
E-mail: [email protected]
The Embassy of Republic of Benin in Paris is accredited to the Republic of Bulgaria
Embassy of Republic of Benin in Paris, France
Address: 87, avenue Victor Hugo, 75116 Paris, France
Telephone: +33 1 45 00 98 82
Fax: +33 1 45 01 82 02
E-mail: [email protected]
General information
Security level:
Caution is advised if travelling outside the areas of the capital Porto Novo and the economic centre of Cotonou. Avoid travelling to the northern parts of the country.
Healthcare:
Service in the hospitals does not meet the European standards. Particular attention to food hygiene is recommended, including the use of fresh fruit and salads. Drink boiled or bottled water.
For up-to-date information on mandatory and/or recommended vaccines you may contact the Regional Health Inspectorates in the country. The yellow fever vaccine is recommended for travellers over 9 months of age, and some airlines may specifically request proof of vaccination. It is therefore advisable to check the airline's requirements in advance.
Specifics of the legislation:
Photography of military sites as well as sites of strategic importance is prohibited.
Customs requirements:
The import or export of means of payment in excess of the equivalent of CFA 1 million (West African francs) must be declared. Exports of currency in excess of the equivalent of CFA 500,000 must be declared. It is advisable to carry euros, cheque books or credit cards. Items for personal use are imported duty free.
Road traffic:
Car travel should be done with local escorts and preferably in a convoy of at least two cars. Poor road conditions. Avoid travelling in the late hours. Violating traffic regulations carries the risk of serious penalties. When entering the country by car - insurance is required at the border.
Practical advice:
Do not leave your personal belongings unattended as pickpocketing is widespread.
Strict personal hygiene is recommended. Particular care should be taken when consuming fresh fruit and vegetables. Water should be boiled or bought bottled.
Local currency:
The local currency is the West African franc - Franc CFA.
Travel papers and visas
Bulgarian citizens may travel to Benin only with a valid passport and visa. The passport must have at least one blank page with no visa on the back. Visa on arrival applications can be submitted via the official portal https://evisa.bj/.
Citizens should undertake travel only after obtaining confirmation from the Benin authorities for visa approval on arrival.
Competitive service
Bulgarian identity documents:
The Consular Office in Abuja is equipped with equipment for processing Bulgarian identity documents and accepts and processes applications for the issuance of passports, identity cards and temporary passports to Bulgarian citizens.
Certifications and legalizations:
Documents presented to the Consular Office for signature certification should be signed in person in front of the consular official and accompanied by a passport or identity card. Sample forms of authorisations and declarations can be obtained from the Embassy or downloaded from the MFA website at: https://www.mfa.bg/bg/uslugi-patuvania/konsulski-uslugi/formuliari. The fee for authentication of a signature is EUR 15 and for authentication of a signature and content of a non-registrable document — EUR 30 for the first page and EUR 15 for the second and each subsequent page.
For legalizations of public documents, the bearer should bring the original document certified by the Benin MFA and the Benin Embassy in Abuja, a photocopy thereof and a photocopy of the bearer's passport personal page. The legalisation fee is EUR 20 per document.
Civil status:
For registration of birth, marriage or death, primary original documents issued by the relevant central authorities in Benin, certified by the Benin MFA and the Benin Embassy in Abuja, must be presented. The Consular Office of the Embassy can legalise the relevant documents. Once the documents have been prepared in this way, they must be translated into Bulgarian by an authorized translation company in Bulgaria and the translation must be certified by the Legalizations and Certifications Department with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria.
The Consular Office is able to collect the fees for the services provided in cash, by bank transfer (bank account information is provided by e-mail upon request) or by bank card (via an installed POS terminal).