Cameroon’s president signs e-visa decree after 26 years
Cameroon’s long-awaited e-visa decree, originally proposed in 1997, has finally been signed by President Paul Biya, streamlining visitor entry and modernizing the consular process.
It took 26 years to happen! Cameroon was, in fact, one of the first countries to consider introducing an electronic visa to streamline visitor processing and modernize its administration back in 1997.
President Paul Biya had not, until now, issued an implementing decree for the law no. 97/012 of January 10, 1997. Since March 2, 2023, that has now changed. Implementation, originally planned for summer 2022, is now imminent.
The announced validity periods are as follows:
Transit visa: 5 days
Short-stay visa: 6 months
Long-stay visa: 12 months
Visitor visas cannot be converted and do not permit work in-country. Cameroon commits to processing applications within three days, or just one day for an express visa. Visas will be affixed to passports upon arrival, subject to presentation of online pre-registration.
“E-enrolment” is defined as the dematerialized enrolment service accessible via a dedicated website. It allows applicants, regardless of location or intended visa-issuing office, to submit consular applications by entering personal details, uploading all required documentation, and paying the fixed fee.
Within the decree, the president also sets conditions for foreign-worker and resident applications, issuance of residence or refugee permits, repatriation, exit visas, and family reunification.
Until now, applying for a Cameroon visa required an in-person visit to the nearest consulate for document verification—delays and queues hardly the best advertisement for a magnificent African destination.
President Biya’s tweet confirming the decree
According to UNWTO data, Cameroon welcomed around 745,000 international visitors in 2019.
