The following persons are eligible for Law 2024-31 on the recognition of Benin Nationality for people of African descent: 

1. any person aged eighteen (18) or over who, according to their genealogy, has a sub-Saharan African ancestor who was deported from the African continent as part of the slave trade and the triangular trade;
2. any person who can prove a family relationship with a person of African descent as defined by the law;

The following persons are not eligible under the law: 

1. nationals of sub-Saharan African countries;
2. persons who do not meet the conditions of descent set out in Law 2024-31 on the recognition of Benin Nationality for people of African descent. This shall includes:
   1. persons who are not of African descent as defined by the law; 
   2. persons of African descent whose ancestors migrated after 1944 to the States or territories of deportation of the triangular trade;

The documents required to submit an application for acquisition of nationality by recognition are:

◻︎    Any document establishing proof of African descent

The following shall be eligible for this purpose : 

a)  civil status documents of the applicant and their ancestors;

b) birth certificate of the ancestor(s) in the line of descent and kinship ;

c)  official attestations, certificates or documents from a State or territory of deportation constituting proof of official legal status established through specific laws, reparations programmes, or recognition of the rights of populations of African descent;

d) property documents, extracts from trading post or farm registers, manumission registers, censuses, fugitive registers, documents from historical archives, such as slave registers, accounts of slavery, migration maps, registers identifying enslaved persons listed in the international register of the programme ‘UNESCO Memory of the World’;

e)  notarial or authentic deeds, family trees, documented by the deeds indicated in b) or d) :

f) genetic tests carried out by laboratories approved by the Republic of Benin showing the presence of genetic markers typical of sub-Saharan African populations in support of the documents indicated in a), b), c), d) and e)

g) document establishing a direct link of descent from a sub-Saharan African ancestor deported as part of the slave trade ;

h) document establishing birth before 1944 in a State or territory of deportation;

i)  link of descent with a person recognized as of African descent under Law 2024-31 on the recognition of Benin Nationality for people of African descent ;

◻︎    A criminal record extract issued by the competent authority of the country of residence

A document issued less than three (3) months ago by the competent ministry of the country of residence, the court of the place of residence, the embassy or consulate general of the country of origin (for citizens abroad) containing the essential personal information (surname, first name, date and place of birth, etc.) of the applicant and certifying that they do not have or have unfavorable criminal record

◻︎    A copy of a valid identity document or birth certificate

A valid identity document is a document issued by a public authority containing picture of the applicant, their key personal information (first name, surname, date and place of birth, photo and signature), and proof of authenticity (the identification of the authority that issued the
document, the date and place of issuing). The following shall be acceptable in such context : 

- National identity card (CNI)

- Passport

- Voter card, resident card or residence permit (for foreigners legally residing in a country), consular card (issued by the embassy for its nationals living in the country of residence), military card (for members of army)

- Card issued by a public authority containing personal and biometric information.

◻︎    Evidence of profession ;

The following shall be acceptable in such context :

• Certificate of employment: issued by the employer, confirming employment and duties performed.
• Recent payslips (for the last three months).
• Certificate of affiliation to a social security organization confirming that the individual is registered and contributes as an employee.
• Certificate of registration in the Trade and Personal Property Credit Register (RCCM) for entrepreneurs or traders.
• Certificate of registration with a professional body: for liberal professions (doctors, lawyers, architects, etc.).
• Certificate of affiliation to a cooperative or an agricultural/craft group.
• Registration certificate for students or apprentices.

◻︎    Evidence of residence.

The following documents shall be acceptable as evidence of residence if they include the applicant's name and full address : 

• a residence certificate or attestation issued by a competent public authority, such as the Municipality, Head of district or Chief of village
• identity document
• tax receipt
• a standardised utility invoice : water, electricity or telecommunications.
• a property deed, for property owners
• a certificate of accommodation, issued by a person who is accommodating the applicant, accompanied by a copy of evidence of residence from the person providing accommodation
• a certificate from the employer or a payslip.
• a school certificate or card serving as such
• a pension slip, a pensioner's card, a certificate issued by the pension fund or a certificate of social security coverage

1.  The documents provided must be verifiable and valid. (The documents provided must bear the references, date, name of the issuer linking them to the applicant and relevance, and must be verifiable by the authority issuing documents relating to nationality with any competent authority).

2.  Certificates and attestations must be less than three months old.

3.  Documents must be provided with a French translation where applicable. (Documents written in a foreign language must be accompanied by a translation by a translator certified by the judicial or administrative authorities of the Republic of Benin or authorised to work with them (https://www.tradux.gouv.bj) or by the judicial authorities of the issuing foreign country).

4.  All information provided on the application form shall be accurate and complete.

5.  Applicants shall certify that they are aware that :

· The original or a certified copy may be required ;

·  Civil status documents shall be provided in full. Copies of documents issued by Benin authorities shall be less than three months old. Copies of foreign documents shall be accompanied, where applicable, by a copy of the administrative or judicial decision pursuant to which they were drawn up, corrected or amended ;

· decisions of judicial or administrative authorities and documents issued by such authorities shall be produced in the form of a certified copy and accompanied, where applicable, by a certificate of non-appeal ;

· Foreign public documents shall be certified, except in the case of an apostille, reciprocal exemption or provision in a treaty between the foreign country and the Republic of Benin

·  Proof of residence in Benin shall be provided by a certificate of residence issued in the required
form. Proof of residence abroad is provided by written documents.

· Foreign nationality is demonstrated, as appropriate, by the production of a certificate of nationality or a decision issued by the competent authority abroad, or a court decision recognizing the person as a national of the country whose nationality they claim. It may also be demonstrated by producing civil status documents, where such documents establish that all the conditions required by law are met.

The application for Benin nationality by recognition shall be submitted online to the Minister of Justice by the applicant. It is processed by the Authority responsible for issuing documents relating to nationality.

Applications for Benin nationality by recognition for Afro-descendants shall be made exclusively online by submitting a file via the platform https://myafroorigins.bj

Process :

- On the platform, click on the tab ‘Recognition of Benin nationality by recognition of Afro-descendants’

- Click on ‘Submit a request’ or ‘Start now’.

- A window entitled ‘Initialisation of your request’ will appear.

- Fill in the requested information and click on ‘Send’..

- You will instantly receive an email entitled ‘Naturalisation for people of African descent’.

- Open the email and click on the ‘Continue my application’ button.

- Carefully read the instructions in the email and prepare the documents indicated.

- On the page that appears after you click, fill in the form by following the steps indicated.

Once you have filled in the information correctly, submit your application. We are hereby inviting you to bring documents proving your African descent beyond the genetic test alone before filling in your application

The certificate of eligibility for Benin Nationality by recognition is issued within three (03) months of receipt of a complete and compliant application.

Applications made from abroad

When the application for nationality is made from abroad, the applicant will receive, upon favourable review of their application, a certificate of eligibility for Benin Nationality by recognition, valid for three (03) years. The certificate of eligibility for Benin Nationality by recognition is issued within three (03) months of receipt of a complete and compliant application.
The beneficiary of the certificate of eligibility shall travel to Benin, report to the department responsible for matters relating to Benin Nationality at the Ministry of Justice, and complete the formalities for identification in the national register of natural persons.
The certificate of eligibility for Benin Nationality by recognition shall lapse if, during its period of validity, the beneficiary has not resided in Benin, has not reported to the department responsible for matters relating to Benin Nationality at the Ministry of Justice, and has not completed the identification formalities in the national register of natural persons.

Application made from Benin

When the application is made online by an applicant present on Beninese territory, they are invited to make an appointment to complete the identification formalities with the competent authority if they are not residing in Benin. They will receive an acknowledgement of receipt specifying the date on which they must report to the authority responsible for matters relating to Benin Nationality at the Ministry of Justice. Applicants who attend the appointment shall complete the identification formalities in the national register of natural persons. Within the specified period of three (03) months, after their application has been approved and they will receive notification of the decree granting them Benin Nationality by recognition. If the applicant's length of stay does not allow them to report to the department responsible for matters relating to Benin Nationality at the Ministry of Justice, the application shall be treated as an application made from abroad and a certificate of eligibility for Benin Nationality is issued and sent to them after their application has been approved.

Benin Nationality by recognition is granted by decree of the Ministerial Cabinet Meeting upon proposal of the Minister of Justice.

The certificate of eligibility shall grant the beneficiary the freedom to enter, stay in and leave the territory of the Republic of Benin.

Benin Nationality by recognition shall confer on the beneficiary :

  - freedom of entry, stay and exit from the territory of the Republic of Benin.

  - the right to establish a certificate of Benin Nationality by recognition and a Benin passport.

  - the right to pass on Benin Nationality to minor descendants.

Beneficiaries of Benin Nationality by recognition may acquire full citizenship and all the rights attached thereunto at any time.

Uppon recommendation of the Minister of Justice, Benin Nationality by recognition shall be withdrawn by decree of the Ministerial Cabinet Meeting from beneficiaries who have not satisfied the requirements of Article 15 of the Law on the Recognition of Nationality for People of African Descent :

a- if it is established that it was obtained by falsehood or fraud and that, since its issuance, no possession of Beninese status or assimilation into the Beninese community can be established;

b- if the person is convicted of an act classified as a crime or an act undermining the internal or external security of Benin State, the fundamental interests of the nation or an act of terrorism;

c- if the person has engaged in acts incompatible with Benin Nationality for the benefit of a foreign State

Genetic tests carried out by laboratories approved by the Republic of Benin shall be accepted in support of the following documents :

    a)   civil status documents of the applicant and their ascendants 

    b)   birth certificates of ascendants in the line of descent and kinship;

    c)  official certificates, attestations or documents from a State or territory of deportation constituting evidence of official legal status established through specific laws, reparations programmes or recognition of the rights of populations of African descent;

    d)   property documents, extracts from trading post or farm registers, manumission registers, censuses, fugitive registers, documents from historical archives, such as slave registers, accounts of slavery, migration maps, registers identifying enslaved persons listed in the international register of the programme ‘UNESCO Memory of the World’;

  e)  notarial or authentic deeds, family trees, documented by the deeds indicated in b) or d) :