Deep coverage14 verified routes across visit, study, work, investment, family and more.
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Select the passports you hold to see short-stay access and per-route eligibility for Cameroon.
4 routes
Visit
Short stays: tourism, transit, business trips, medical, pilgrimage.
Tourist Visa
Cameroon Short-Stay e-Visa (Tourism / Visit)
The ordinary short-stay e-visa is the main route for tourism and short visits to Cameroon, valid for up to 6 months with single or multiple entries. Since 30 April 2023 all entry visas must be applied for online through the official portal evisacam.cm: the applicant pre-enrols and pays online, the diplomatic mission processes the file, and biometric enrolment and printing of the visa sticker are completed either at a consular post or on arrival at the airport (Douala/Yaounde). The ordinary fee is 100,000 CFA francs (about EUR 153); standard processing is within roughly 72 hours after payment. A single stay typically does not exceed 90 days and extensions of up to 90 days may be requested but are not guaranteed.
Online application formPre-enrolment form completed on the evisacam.cm consular portal with an applicant account.
PassportValid at least 6 months beyond the planned stay, with at least two blank pages.
Passport photographRecent biometric-standard photo uploaded to the portal.
Yellow fever vaccination certificateInternational certificate of vaccination against yellow fever, mandatory for entry.
Proof of accommodationHotel reservation or a certificate of accommodation endorsed by the local mayor where staying with a host.
Return or onward ticketRound-trip flight reservation or confirmed onward travel.
Proof of sufficient fundsBank statements or other evidence of means of subsistence for the stay.
Proof of online fee paymentConfirmation of payment of the visa fee by card or mobile money (MTN/Orange).
Tourist Visa
Cameroon Short-Stay e-Visa (Express)
The express short-stay e-visa carries the same conditions and document checklist as the ordinary short-stay e-visa but with accelerated processing, generally within a maximum of two working days (about 24 hours) after payment. It is valid for up to 6 months with single or multiple entries and is issued through the same evisacam.cm portal with biometric enrolment at a consular post or on arrival. The express fee is 150,000 CFA francs (about EUR 229). The visa does not authorise work and does not by itself lead to residence.
Online application formPre-enrolment form on evisacam.cm with the express option selected.
PassportValid at least 6 months beyond the planned stay, with two blank pages.
Passport photographRecent biometric-standard photo uploaded to the portal.
Yellow fever vaccination certificateInternational certificate of vaccination against yellow fever.
Proof of accommodationHotel reservation or mayor-endorsed accommodation certificate.
Return or onward ticketRound-trip or confirmed onward travel.
Proof of sufficient fundsEvidence of means of subsistence for the stay.
Proof of express fee paymentConfirmation of the 150,000 CFA express fee paid online.
Transit Visa
Cameroon Transit e-Visa
The transit visa allows a short passage through Cameroon to reach a third country, applied for online via evisacam.cm. Transit of less than five days is free of charge, while a transit of more than four days costs 100,000 CFA francs; the maximum validity is around 30 days for entry. Applicants must show an onward ticket and a visa or right of entry to the final destination. Biometric enrolment is completed at a consular post or on arrival. The visa does not authorise work or extended stay.
Business travellers attending meetings, negotiations, conferences or short assignments use the short-stay e-visa with a business purpose, applied for through evisacam.cm. Conditions mirror the tourist short-stay visa (valid up to 6 months, single or multiple entries, 100,000 CFA ordinary fee, biometric enrolment at a consular post or on arrival) but the applicant additionally provides an invitation letter from a host company in Cameroon and proof of business activity. The visa permits business visits but not local employment, which requires a separate work permit and long-stay visa.
Proof of accommodationHotel reservation or host accommodation certificate.
Return or onward ticketRound-trip or onward travel reservation.
Not yet researched
Medical Treatment Visa
Pilgrimage Visa
2 routes
Study & Training
Universities, language courses, internships and exchanges.
Student Visa
Cameroon Student Long-Stay e-Visa
Foreign students admitted to a Cameroonian university or training institution enter on the long-stay e-visa with a study purpose, applied for through evisacam.cm. Applicants must provide an enrolment or admission certificate from the institution and proof of means of subsistence; the long-stay fee is 200,000 CFA francs. After arrival, students staying beyond six months apply for a carte de sejour at the immigration authorities within three months, using their entry visa valid for at least six months. The visa is for study and does not authorise employment.
Study: Enrolment at the admitting Cameroonian institution.
Proof of accommodationUniversity residence confirmation or accommodation certificate.
Proof of fee paymentConfirmation of the 200,000 CFA long-stay fee paid online.
Internship / Trainee Visa
Cameroon Internship / Training (Stage) Long-Stay Visa
Foreign nationals coming to Cameroon for an internship or professional training (stage) use the long-stay e-visa with a training purpose, applied for through evisacam.cm, supported by a training certificate or internship agreement. Conditions follow the long-stay visa (up to one year, 200,000 CFA fee, biometric enrolment). For stays beyond six months the trainee obtains a carte de sejour after arrival. The visa is for the named training only and does not authorise general employment.
Study: Training/internship at the host organisation.
Digital nomad, freelance, skilled employment and company transfers.
Skilled Work Visa
Cameroon Work Permit (Visa de Travail)
Any foreign national working in Cameroon needs a work permit issued by the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, on the basis of an employment contract visaed (approved) by the ministry. The process is employer-driven: the legally registered Cameroonian employer must show the role cannot be filled by a qualified Cameroonian and files the contract (typically six signed copies) together with company documents. The foreign worker enters on a long-stay visa, then obtains the residence card. Processing of the work permit commonly takes about 2-3 months. Government fee amounts are not published on a single official schedule and are not stated here.
Work: Authorises employment with the sponsoring employer per the visaed contract.
Residency after 6 years
Processing time
75 days
Document checklist (6)
Visaed employment contractEmployment contract approved (visa) by the Ministry of Labour, typically submitted in six signed copies.
Long-stay entry visaValid long-stay e-visa allowing the worker to enter Cameroon.
PassportValid passport with the long-stay visa, copy under 3 months old for residence steps.
Employer company documentsProof the employer is legally registered and operating, with details of its activity.
Proof of qualificationsDiplomas or certificates evidencing the specialised skills justifying the foreign hire.
Medical certificateOptionalMedical fitness certificate where required.
Not yet researched
Digital Nomad Visa
Freelancer Visa
Self-Employment Visa
Startup / Entrepreneur Visa
Seasonal Work Visa
Intra-Company Transfer Visa
1 route
Invest & Capital
Golden visas, real estate, citizenship by investment, passive income.
Cameroon has no passive golden-visa or citizenship-by-investment programme; investor migration runs through active business establishment under the 2013 Investment Code (Law No. 2013/004), administered by the Investment Promotion Agency (API/CIPA). The Code sets no minimum investment and does not discriminate between local and foreign investors, offering tax, customs and administrative incentives; the agency acts as a one-stop shop and helps obtain entry visas for an approved project's expatriate staff. The investor enters on a long-stay visa, registers the business, and obtains a carte de sejour. There is no published fixed government fee or investment threshold for this route.
Work: Authorises running and managing the approved business.
Residency after 6 years
Document checklist (6)
Investment approval applicationApplication file for approval under the Investment Charter submitted to the Investment Promotion Agency (API/CIPA).
Business registrationRegistration of the company at the one-stop business creation centre.
Business plan / project fileProject documentation supporting the investment for agency assessment.
Long-stay entry visaLong-stay e-visa for the investor and expatriate staff.
PassportValid passport with two blank pages and the long-stay visa.
Proof of funds / capitalEvidence of the capital available for the investment.
Not yet researched
Golden Visa (Residence by Investment)
Residence by Real Estate
Citizenship by Investment
Non-Lucrative / Passive Income Visa
No verified routes yet
Retire & Lifestyle
Retirement visas and working holiday schemes.
Not yet researched
Retirement Visa
Working Holiday Visa
1 route
Family & Origin
Reunification, spouse routes and ancestry-based repatriation.
Spouse / Partner Visa
Cameroon Spouse / Family Long-Stay Route
Cameroon has no single named family-reunification visa class; foreign spouses and family members of a Cameroonian citizen or of a legally resident foreigner enter on a long-stay visa and then obtain a carte de sejour as the residence basis. The entry visa must be valid for at least six months, and the residence card (valid two years, renewable) is applied for within three months of arrival with proof of the family relationship plus the standard residence documents. A foreign woman marrying a Cameroonian, and family members generally, regularise stay through this residence-card route rather than a dedicated reunification permit. Spouses of Cameroonians may later pursue naturalisation, subject to Cameroon's single-nationality rule.
Study: Lawful residence permits study.
Residency after 6 years
Family: Route is specifically for joining a spouse / family member legally in Cameroon.
Government fee
FCFA 200,000
Validity
730 days
Document checklist (7)
Long-stay entry visaLong-stay e-visa applied for via evisacam.cm, valid at least 6 months.
Marriage or birth certificateProof of the family relationship to the sponsor (spouse or parent).
Sponsor's status proofSponsor's Cameroonian ID or the foreign sponsor's valid residence card.
Residence card applicationCarte de sejour application lodged within 3 months of arrival.
Certificate of residenceResidence certificate endorsed by the neighbourhood chief.
Criminal record extractExtract from the criminal record.
Passport with visaRecent passport copy bearing the long-stay entry visa.
Not yet researched
Family Reunification Visa
Dependent Relative Visa
Ancestry / Repatriation
5 routes
Special Categories
Talent, religious, humanitarian, media, official and permanent residence.
Religious Worker Visa
Cameroon Religious / Missionary Long-Stay Route
Foreign missionaries and members of religious congregations serving in Cameroon enter on a long-stay visa and regularise their stay with a carte de sejour, like other long-stay residents. Members of religious congregations submit, in addition to the standard residence-card documents, an act of recognition of their congregation and proof of membership. There is no separate fixed government fee for the religious category beyond the long-stay visa (200,000 CFA) and residence-card stamp duty; the card is valid two years and renewable up to the six-year limit before permanent residence.
Work: Permits the declared religious/missionary activity within the recognised congregation.
Study: Lawful residence permits study.
Residency after 6 years
Government fee
FCFA 200,000
Validity
730 days
Document checklist (7)
Long-stay entry visaLong-stay e-visa applied for via evisacam.cm, valid at least 6 months.
Act of recognition of congregationOfficial act recognising the religious congregation in Cameroon.
Proof of membershipDocumentation confirming the applicant's membership of the congregation.
Certificate of residenceResidence certificate endorsed by the neighbourhood chief.
Criminal record extractExtract from the criminal record (casier judiciaire).
Passport with long-stay visaRecent passport copy bearing the long-stay entry visa.
Stamp duty paymentPayment of the residence-card stamp duty.
Humanitarian / Asylum Route
Cameroon Refugee Card (Carte de Refugie)
The carte de refugie is the residence document issued to persons granted asylum protection in Cameroon, which hosts large refugee populations from the Central African Republic and the Lake Chad basin. It is granted on the basis of UNHCR identification and a refugee attestation issued by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, is valid for two years and renewable, and is exempt from stamp duty. Renewal requires presenting the old attestation and card at least one month before expiry. This is a protection status, not a discretionary migration route.
Work: Recognised refugees may, in principle, work; practical access varies.
Study: Access to education as recognised refugees.
Residency: Protection status; long-term integration possible but not a fixed years-to-PR formula.
Family: Family members of a recognised refugee are generally documented together.
Government fee
FCFA 0
Validity
730 days
Document checklist (5)
UNHCR identification cardIdentification card issued by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.
Refugee attestationAttestation of refugee status issued by the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Refugee card applicationApplication for the carte de refugie lodged with the competent authority.
Passport or identity documentOptionalTravel or identity document where available.
Passport photographsRecent identity photographs.
Long-Term Residence Permit
Cameroon Long-Stay e-Visa
The long-stay e-visa is for stays of more than six months and up to one year, and is the gateway entry visa for foreigners who intend to work, study, invest or settle in Cameroon. It is applied for online via evisacam.cm with single or multiple entries; the fee is 200,000 CFA francs (about EUR 305). Long-stay applicants must provide purpose documents such as a ministerially approved employment contract, a training or enrolment certificate, and repatriation guarantees. Crucially, an entry visa valid for at least six months is the prerequisite for applying for a residence card (carte de sejour) within three months of arrival.
Proof of accommodationAccommodation certificate or hotel reservation.
Proof of long-stay fee paymentConfirmation of the 200,000 CFA fee paid online.
Long-Term Residence Permit
Cameroon Temporary Residence Card (Carte de Sejour)
The carte de sejour is the temporary residence card every foreigner aged 18+ legally settling in Cameroon must obtain, in principle within three months of arrival, to avoid deportation. The prerequisite is an entry visa valid for at least six months. The card is valid for two years and renewable, covering legal residence up to a maximum of six consecutive years before permanent residence becomes available. Stamp duty is reported at 200,000 CFA francs for French nationals and 250,000 CFA francs for other nationalities. Required documents include a residence certificate endorsed by the neighbourhood chief, a criminal-record extract, and a Ministry-of-Labour-approved work contract for employees or a tax/trade licence for the self-employed.
Work: Permits residence; employment still depends on holding a valid work permit underlying the card.
Study: Lawful residence permits enrolment in study.
Residency after 6 years
Government fee
FCFA 200,000
Validity
730 days
Document checklist (7)
Residence card applicationApplication lodged with the authority managing foreign residence, in principle within 3 months of arrival.
Passport with long-stay visaRecent passport copy (under 3 months old) bearing an entry visa valid at least 6 months.
Certificate of residenceCertificate from local authorities endorsed by the neighbourhood (quartier) chief.
Criminal record extractExtract from the applicant's criminal record (casier judiciaire).
Work contract or trade licenceMinistry-of-Labour-approved work contract for employees, or tax certificate / business licence for merchants and entrepreneurs.
Stamp duty paymentPayment of stamp duty (reported 200,000 CFA for French nationals, 250,000 CFA for others).
Passport photographsRecent identity photographs.
Permanent Residence
Cameroon Permanent Resident Card (Carte de Residence)
The carte de residence is Cameroon's permanent resident card, granted to a foreigner after a regular, continuous stay on Cameroonian territory of at least six consecutive years (typically after the temporary carte de sejour has been renewed to its limit). It is valid for ten years, far longer than the two-year temporary card. Applicants submit the renewed/expiring residence card, a residence certificate endorsed by the neighbourhood chief, a special criminal-record extract, a valid passport with a long-stay visa, and tax or business documentation as applicable. Cameroon does not allow dual nationality, so naturalisation requires renouncing the prior citizenship; there is no citizenship-by-investment route.
Work: Permanent residence; broad right to live and work in Cameroon.
Study: Education on the same footing as other residents.
Residency after 6 years
Validity
3,650 days
Document checklist (6)
Permanent residence applicationApplication lodged with the authority managing foreign residence.
Prior residence cardRenewed residence card or third renewal of the temporary carte de sejour, submitted at least one month before expiry.
Certificate of residenceResidence certificate endorsed by the neighbourhood (quartier) chief.
Special criminal record extractSpecial extract from the criminal record (casier judiciaire).
Passport with long-stay visaRecent valid passport bearing a long-stay visa.
Tax or business documentationOptionalTax certificate or business licence where applicable to the applicant's activity.
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