Arrival in Senegal

Senegal has no single national arrival office that handles every first-settlement task. Entry and residence matters are handled mainly by the Ministère de l'Intégration Africaine et des Affaires Étrangères, the Police nationale and its Direction de la Police des Étrangers et des Titres de Voyage (DPETV), while communes and neighbourhood authorities provide local address documents. Before travelling, check the current Senegal entry list published by the foreign ministry. Nationals of visa-free countries can generally stay for less than three months with a passport or laisser-passer valid for at least six months. Nationals not included on that list and refugees travelling with a refugee travel document generally need a visa d'entrée. Visa fees are not stated on the available foreign-ministry information, so confirm the procedure and cost with the responsible Senegalese mission before departure. CEDEAO citizens may rely on regional rights of entry, residence and establishment when they hold a valid travel document. The practical implementation of changes to the 90-day limit and residence permits was not yet complete according to the available 2024 ECOWAS information. Confirm the current position with the Ministère de l'Intégration Africaine et des Affaires Étrangères or the DPETV before relying on a longer stay. Health preparation depends on the departure and transit countries. For travellers from countries not affected by an epidemic or endemic disease, the foreign ministry recommended vaccinations against yellow fever, diphtheria, tetanus, polio, measles and hepatitis A and B on 9 March 2026, but did not require a vaccination booklet for that situation. Travellers from higher-risk origins or transit countries should check the current consular and World Health Organization requirements. At the border, declare goods according to customs rules. A non-resident must make a written declaration for all foreign currency and other payment instruments above the equivalent of FCFA 1,000,000 and should retain the supporting receipts. A short-term booking can provide an initial place to stay, but it does not replace residence formalities or provide a complete housing solution. A foreign national planning to stay longer than three months should start the residence process early. The main document is the Carte d'identité d'étranger (CIE), the foreigner's identity and residence card. The file normally includes a handwritten application addressed to the Minister of the Interior, copies of the first five passport pages, a criminal record from the country of origin issued less than three months earlier, a birth extract issued less than six months earlier, a medical certificate issued less than three months earlier, an employment contract or study evidence with proof of financing, three photographs, a FCFA 15,000 fiscal stamp and proof of the repatriation deposit. The repatriation deposit, called caution de rapatriement or consignation de rapatriement, is required for foreigners staying more than three months. The amount depends on the country of nationality. Payment is made to the Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations after obtaining the police état de cautionnement and presenting a passport copy. At departure, repayment requires the mainlevée from the Treasury or Police, the passport and the original receipt. The DPETV receives CIE applications; no official processing period is published in the available information. A certificat de résidence issued by the commune's civil-status officer and a certificat de domicile issued by the Délégué de quartier can prove a local address. They serve an address-document function and do not replace the CIE. Senegal's Sénégal Services portal provides procedures and directories for entry, stay and work of foreigners, civil status, security and emergencies, but it is not a single physical arrival centre. The carte de circulation is a different document. It is intended for established foreign workers who travel frequently, not as a general first-arrival or residence document. The application uses CIE documents, proof of activity and a photograph. The fees are FCFA 15,000 for the original or duplicate and FCFA 10,000 for the annual visa, plus two FCFA 1,000 fiscal stamps. It is valid for five years; applications are handled by the DPETV in Dakar and by BMS offices in the regions, with no published processing period. A legally settled refugee follows a special process: an HCR favourable opinion, refugee card and three photographs support the refugee passport application through HCR and DPETV. The passport carries a FCFA 2,000 fiscal stamp, is valid for one year and can be issued from receipt of a complete file. It does not replace the general residence process for other foreign nationals. Health services are available through structures under the Ministère de la Santé, but regional availability and travel time vary. SAMU 1515 is free for medical, surgical and obstetric emergencies; the health hotline is 800 00 50 50, the Police are reached at 17 and the Sapeurs-Pompiers at 18. Keep passports, visas, receipts and submitted documents accessible, and use official offices and written receipts for residence, deposit and customs procedures.