Deep coverage14 verified routes across visit, study, work, investment, family and more.
Personalize for your passports
Select the passports you hold to see short-stay access and per-route eligibility for Senegal.
5 routes
Visit
Short stays: tourism, transit, business trips, medical, pilgrimage.
Tourist Visa
Senegal Consular Tourist / Visit Visa
Nationals of countries that are neither visa-exempt nor eligible for visa on arrival (the embassies' Category C, covering roughly seventy nationalities) must obtain a short-stay visa in advance from a Senegalese diplomatic mission before travelling. The visa is issued for tourism, family visits and similar short stays, typically single-entry for up to one or two months; multiple-entry conversion may be arranged on arrival. Applicants lodge a completed application with a passport, photographs and supporting documents at the consulate. Consular fees vary by nationality and reciprocity and are not published in a single national schedule, so the government fee is recorded as unknown. The visa does not authorise paid work or enrolled study and does not lead to residence.
Processing time
14 days
Max stay
90 days
Validity
90 days
Document checklist (6)
Visa application formCompleted and signed Senegal visa application lodged at a Senegalese embassy or consulate.
PassportValid for at least six months beyond the intended stay, with at least one blank page.
Return or onward ticketConfirmed travel itinerary out of Senegal.
Proof of accommodationHotel booking or letter of invitation from a host in Senegal.
Yellow fever vaccination certificateOptionalInternational vaccination certificate where required.
Tourist Visa
Senegal Visa on Arrival (Dakar Airport)
A special arrangement at Blaise Diagne International Airport (DSS) in Dakar allows certain nationalities that are not visa-exempt to be issued an entry visa on arrival, at no charge, for a short stay (commonly up to 30 days). It is available only at the Dakar airport and not at land or sea borders. Travellers should present a passport valid at least six months, a return or onward ticket, and proof of accommodation or an invitation. The facility is discretionary and depends on nationality; travellers should confirm eligibility before departure, as carriers and border officers may otherwise require a consular visa. The visa on arrival does not authorise employment or study and does not lead to residence.
Government fee
≈ F CFA 0
Indicative — varies by nationality
Processing time
0 days
Max stay
30 days
Validity
30 days
Document checklist (4)
PassportValid for at least six months beyond the date of entry, with a blank page.
Return or onward ticketConfirmed onward or return air ticket.
Proof of accommodationHotel reservation or letter of invitation from a host in Senegal.
Yellow fever vaccination certificateOptionalInternational certificate against yellow fever where required by origin/transit.
Tourist Visa
Senegal Visa-Free Short Stay (90 Days)
Senegal abolished its mandatory biometric entry visa on 1 May 2015 (it had been introduced 1 July 2013), and nationals of a large list of countries may enter for tourism, family visits or short business for up to 90 days without any visa. The exemption covers all ECOWAS member states (under regional free movement), all European Union states, the UK, USA, Canada, Brazil, India, Japan, South Korea, Switzerland, Morocco, Tunisia, Mauritania, the UAE and many others. Travellers must hold a passport valid at least six months and may be asked for proof of onward or return travel and accommodation. The stay does not authorise paid employment or enrolled study, and does not by itself lead to residence. A foreigner intending to remain beyond three months must obtain a carte d'identite d'etranger.
Max stay
90 days
Validity
90 days
Document checklist (5)
PassportTravel document valid for at least six months beyond the date of entry, with at least one blank page.
Return or onward ticketEvidence of travel arrangements out of Senegal.
Proof of accommodationOptionalHotel booking or invitation/host address in Senegal; may be requested at the border.
Yellow fever vaccination certificateOptionalInternational certificate of vaccination against yellow fever, required for travellers arriving from or transiting endemic countries.
Proof of sufficient fundsOptionalEvidence of means to cover the stay, which border officers may request.
Transit Visa
Senegal Transit Visa
Travellers whose nationality requires a visa for Senegal and who need to pass through the country en route to a third destination may apply for a transit visa at a Senegalese diplomatic mission. Visa-exempt nationals do not need it and may transit on their normal entry rights; passengers remaining airside on connecting flights generally do not require a Senegalese visa. The transit visa is short-validity and intended only for the brief passage through Senegal, requiring evidence of onward travel and any visa for the next country. Consular fees vary by nationality and are not published in a single national schedule. The visa does not authorise work, study or settlement.
Processing time
14 days
Max stay
5 days
Validity
90 days
Document checklist (5)
Visa application formCompleted transit visa application lodged at a Senegalese mission.
PassportValid at least six months with a blank page.
Onward travel ticketConfirmed ticket to the onward destination.
Visa for onward countryOptionalWhere applicable, the entry visa for the final destination.
Business Visitor Visa
Senegal Business Visit (Short Stay)
Foreign nationals travelling to Senegal for meetings, negotiations, conferences, trade fairs and market prospecting use either visa-free entry (for exempt nationalities) or a short-stay visa obtained from a Senegalese mission (for Category C nationalities). Permitted activities are non-remunerated business activities; any paid work for a Senegalese entity requires a contract approved by the labour authority and a residence card. Stays are up to 90 days. Applicants from visa-required countries provide a business invitation from the Senegalese host alongside the standard short-stay documents. Consular fees vary by nationality, so the government fee is recorded as unknown.
Processing time
14 days
Max stay
90 days
Validity
90 days
Document checklist (6)
Visa application formCompleted visa application (for visa-required nationalities) lodged at a Senegalese mission.
PassportValid at least six months beyond the stay, with a blank page.
Business invitation letterLetter from the Senegalese host company stating the purpose and duration of the visit.
Proof of accommodationHotel booking or host address for the duration of the visit.
Return or onward ticketEvidence of travel out of Senegal.
Not yet researched
Medical Treatment Visa
Pilgrimage Visa
1 route
Study & Training
Universities, language courses, internships and exchanges.
Student Visa
Senegal Student Residence Card
Foreign students admitted to a Senegalese university or higher-education institution who will stay longer than three months must regularise their stay by obtaining a carte d'identite d'etranger in the student category through the Direction de la Police des Etrangers et des Titres de Voyage (DPETV) and the Ministry of the Interior. The application requires proof of enrolment, a fiscal stamp of XOF 15,200, identity photographs, a recent birth certificate and police clearance, and a medical certificate issued in Senegal. The card is generally valid one year and renewable for the duration of studies. ECOWAS students benefit from regional free movement. The card authorises study; limited or vacation work follows the general rules for foreign workers and may require labour authorisation.
Study: Full enrolment at the admitting institution.
Government fee
F CFA 15,200
Validity
365 days
Document checklist (8)
Application to the Ministry of the InteriorCarte d'identite d'etranger application lodged via the DPETV or local police commissariat.
Proof of enrolmentCertificate of admission or registration at a recognised Senegalese institution.
PassportValid travel document with the entry stamp/visa.
A foreign national who wishes to run a business or carry on an independent professional activity in Senegal registers the activity (for companies, typically through the APIX single window) and then regularises residence beyond three months with a carte d'identite d'etranger. There is no separate freelancer or self-employment visa; lawful presence rests on the residence card supported by evidence of the registered activity and means of subsistence. The application is made via the Direction de la Police des Etrangers et des Titres de Voyage and the Ministry of the Interior, with a fiscal stamp of XOF 15,200 and a repatriation deposit of at least XOF 75,000. The card is generally valid one year and renewable. ECOWAS nationals benefit from regional establishment rights.
Work: Authorises the declared independent/business activity; not employment for a third party.
Government fee
F CFA 15,200
Validity
365 days
Document checklist (7)
Carte d'identite d'etranger applicationApplication lodged via the DPETV or local police commissariat to the Ministry of the Interior.
Proof of registered activityCompany registration (RCCM) or evidence of the independent professional activity in Senegal.
PassportValid travel document with the entry visa/stamp.
Criminal record extractPolice clearance less than three months old.
Medical certificateMedical certificate issued in Senegal.
Fiscal stamp and repatriation depositXOF 15,200 fiscal stamp plus repatriation deposit of at least XOF 75,000.
Skilled Work Visa
Senegal Work Authorization (Approved Employment Contract)
A foreign national taking up employment in Senegal must have an employment contract approved (visa du contrat de travail) by the Direction Generale du Travail et de la Securite Sociale (DGTSS); the procedure is employer-sponsored, with the employer demonstrating that the role cannot be filled locally. The employer submits four signed copies of the contract, the employee's passport copy, a court-issued criminal record extract under three months old, and a medical certificate; the labour authority's decision is typically issued within about fifteen days. Once the contract is approved, the worker regularises residence with a carte d'identite d'etranger (XOF 15,200 fiscal stamp plus a repatriation deposit of at least XOF 75,000). Contracts and the resulting authorisation generally run up to 24 months and are renewable. ECOWAS nationals are exempt from the work permit. In oil, gas, mining and maritime sectors local-content rules require a majority of national staff.
Work: Work is authorised only for the specific employer and role in the approved contract; changing employer requires a fresh approval.
Government fee
F CFA 15,200
Processing time
15 days
Validity
365 days
Document checklist (8)
Employment contract (four copies)Four copies of the contract signed by employer and employee, submitted to the DGTSS for approval (visa du contrat de travail).
PassportCopy of the valid passport, plus the original for the residence-card step.
Criminal record extractCourt-issued police clearance less than three months old.
Medical certificateMedical certificate (issued in Senegal for the residence-card step).
Employer justificationEmployer documentation of the company's registration and that the skills are not available locally.
Identity photographsThree recent identity photographs for the carte d'identite d'etranger.
Fiscal stampTax stamp of XOF 15,200 for the foreign identity card.
Repatriation deposit receiptProof of the repatriation guarantee deposit, minimum XOF 75,000 (amount varies by nationality).
Senegal has no distinct statutory intra-company-transfer permit; an employee seconded or assigned from a foreign group entity to a Senegalese affiliate is treated under the same regime as any foreign worker. The local entity must have the assignment or employment contract approved (visa du contrat de travail) by the Direction Generale du Travail et de la Securite Sociale, and the assignee then obtains a carte d'identite d'etranger to regularise residence beyond three months. Standard documents apply, including a court criminal record under three months old and a medical certificate, with the labour decision typically within fifteen days. ECOWAS nationals are exempt from work authorisation. Sectoral local-content rules in extractives and maritime may constrain expatriate headcount.
Work: Work authorised for the assignment with the host entity once the contract is approved.
Government fee
F CFA 15,200
Processing time
15 days
Validity
365 days
Document checklist (6)
Assignment or employment contractSecondment/assignment or local employment contract submitted to the DGTSS for approval.
Proof of group relationshipEvidence that the sending and host entities belong to the same corporate group.
PassportCopy of the valid passport plus the original for the residence-card step.
Criminal record extractPolice clearance less than three months old.
Medical certificateMedical certificate (issued in Senegal for the residence-card step).
Fiscal stamp and repatriation depositXOF 15,200 fiscal stamp plus repatriation deposit of at least XOF 75,000 for the carte d'identite d'etranger.
Not yet researched
Digital Nomad Visa
Freelancer Visa
Startup / Entrepreneur Visa
Seasonal Work Visa
1 route
Invest & Capital
Golden visas, real estate, citizenship by investment, passive income.
Business Investor Visa
Senegal Investor (APIX Investment Code Approval)
Senegal does not operate a passive golden-visa or citizenship-by-investment scheme; investor migration runs through genuine business establishment under the Investment Code, administered by the Agence Nationale chargee de la Promotion de l'Investissement et des Grands Travaux (APIX). An investor submits an approval (agrement) file to the APIX single window; a written decision is issued within ten working days, and the approval is valid for three years, granting customs, tax and social advantages plus facilitation of administrative and land procedures. The investor and any expatriate staff then regularise residence through the carte d'identite d'etranger regime, and foreign staff employment contracts must still be approved by the labour authority. Foreign investors provide a criminal record from their country of origin. Specific minimum-investment thresholds depend on the incentive regime and are not published as a single figure here.
Work: Authorises the investor's own business activity; employed expatriate staff still need approved contracts.
Processing time
10 days
Validity
1,095 days
Document checklist (6)
Investment approval applicationAgrement file lodged at the APIX single window with details of the investor and the programme (nature and amount).
Business plan / investment programmeDescription of the project, the investment amount and the expected jobs and activity.
Company registrationProof of company incorporation in Senegal (RCCM) or incorporation in progress.
PassportValid passport of the foreign investor.
Criminal record from country of originPolice clearance from the investor's home country.
Residence-card documentsOptionalFor the carte d'identite d'etranger: identity photographs, medical certificate, XOF 15,200 fiscal stamp and repatriation deposit (min XOF 75,000).
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.
Family Reunification Visa
Senegal Family Member of a Resident or Senegalese National
Senegal does not operate a separate family-reunification visa; family members of a lawful foreign resident or of a Senegalese national enter under the general visa rules and then regularise their stay beyond three months with a carte d'identite d'etranger. Under Article 4 of Law No. 71-10 the recognised relationships are the spouse (by marriage), ascendants, and unmarried minor descendants living under the same roof. The foreign spouse of a Senegalese citizen may, after the conditions set by nationality law are met, also pursue naturalisation; the residence card itself is the route to lawful settled presence. Applications go through the Ministry of the Interior and the DPETV with proof of the family relationship and the standard documents, a XOF 15,200 fiscal stamp and a repatriation deposit (which may be reduced or waived for spouses of nationals depending on circumstances). A dependent's card does not by itself grant work rights.
Study: Lawful residence permits study.
Residency: Spouses of Senegalese nationals may pursue naturalisation under nationality law; otherwise residence is renewable rather than automatically permanent.
Family: Recognised members are the spouse, ascendants and unmarried minor descendants under the same roof (Article 4, Law 71-10).
Government fee
≈ F CFA 15,200
Indicative — varies by nationality
Validity
365 days
Document checklist (7)
Carte d'identite d'etranger applicationApplication to the Ministry of the Interior via the DPETV for the family member.
Proof of family relationshipMarriage certificate or birth certificate establishing the recognised relationship.
Sponsor's statusEvidence of the sponsor's Senegalese nationality or valid foreign residence card.
PassportValid travel document of the family member.
Criminal record and medical certificatePolice clearance under three months old and a medical certificate issued in Senegal.
Fiscal stamp and repatriation depositXOF 15,200 fiscal stamp plus repatriation deposit where applicable.
Not yet researched
Spouse / Partner Visa
Dependent Relative Visa
Ancestry / Repatriation
3 routes
Special Categories
Talent, religious, humanitarian, media, official and permanent residence.
Religious Worker Visa
Senegal Religious Worker / Missionary Residence
Foreign clergy, missionaries and members of religious organisations who stay in Senegal beyond three months regularise their residence under the general foreign-identity-card regime; there is no dedicated religious-worker visa in Senegalese law. Lawful presence rests on the carte d'identite d'etranger supported by a letter from the sponsoring religious organisation confirming the role and means of support. Applications are made to the Ministry of the Interior through the Direction de la Police des Etrangers et des Titres de Voyage, with identity photographs, a birth certificate and criminal record under three months old, a medical certificate, a fiscal stamp of XOF 15,200 and a repatriation deposit of at least XOF 75,000. The card is generally valid one year and renewable.
Work: Authorises the declared religious/missionary activity for the sponsoring organisation.
Government fee
F CFA 15,200
Validity
365 days
Document checklist (6)
Carte d'identite d'etranger applicationApplication to the Ministry of the Interior via the DPETV.
Letter from religious organisationLetter from the sponsoring church, mosque or religious body confirming the role and support.
PassportValid travel document with the entry visa/stamp.
Under Law No. 71-10 of 25 January 1971 on the admission, stay and establishment of foreigners, any foreigner intending to remain in Senegal for more than three months must hold a carte d'identite d'etranger (foreign identity card). The temporary form, the autorisation de sejour, is the general residence authorisation for non-immigrants, usually valid one year and renewable annually. Applications are made to the Ministry of the Interior through the Direction de la Police des Etrangers et des Titres de Voyage (DPETV) in Dakar or a local police commissariat, with identity photographs, a birth certificate and criminal record under three months old, a medical certificate issued in Senegal, a fiscal stamp of XOF 15,200, and a repatriation deposit of at least XOF 75,000 (the amount varies by nationality). Children under fifteen are not required to hold the card. The receipt is valid six months pending issue of the card.
Study: Lawful residence permits enrolment; students typically hold the student-category card.
Residency: Long lawful residence may support an autorisation d'etablissement (settlement) but there is no fixed statutory waiting period or automatic permanent status.
Family: Each adult holds their own card; children under fifteen are exempt from holding one.
Government fee
≈ F CFA 15,200
Indicative — varies by nationality
Validity
365 days
Document checklist (8)
Application to the Ministry of the InteriorCarte d'identite d'etranger application lodged via the DPETV or local police commissariat.
PassportValid travel document with the entry visa/stamp.
For foreigners settling in Senegal long-term, Law No. 71-10 provides the autorisation d'etablissement, the immigrant form of the carte d'identite d'etranger, typically issued with five-year validity and renewable. Senegal does not have an unconditional permanent-residence status: the establishment authorisation grants extended residence rights but remains conditional on lawful activity, means of subsistence and the repatriation guarantee. It is obtained through the Ministry of the Interior and the Direction de la Police des Etrangers et des Titres de Voyage after a period of lawful residence, with the standard documents (photographs, recent birth certificate and criminal record, medical certificate), a fiscal stamp of XOF 15,200 and a repatriation deposit of at least XOF 75,000. The card serves as the foreigner's official identity document in Senegal.
Work: Extended residence rights; employment for an employer still follows the contract-approval rules.
Study: Lawful long-term residence permits study.
Residency: Closest status to long-term residence; conditional and renewable rather than unconditional permanent residence.
Family: Each adult holds their own card; children under fifteen are exempt.
Government fee
F CFA 15,200
Validity
1,825 days
Document checklist (7)
Establishment authorisation applicationCarte d'identite d'etranger (etablissement) application to the Ministry of the Interior via the DPETV.
Proof of prior lawful residenceEvidence of a period of lawful stay in Senegal and ongoing activity or means of subsistence.
Some links are affiliate links — booking through them supports VisaPassage at no extra cost to you. Check fare and refund terms with the provider before you book.
Africa
