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Ordinary Resident Card - Independent Means or Third-Party Support

BeninLiving from your own income

Explore the five recorded questions, answers and sources for this pathway.

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Is this aimed at retirees, pensioners, financially independent people, passive-income holders or another profile?

The decree does not name retirees, pensioners or passive-income holders specifically. Article 17 grants ordinary-resident status to a foreigner who shows means of subsistence or a guarantee of support from a third party, alongside a residual 'other legitimate interest' ground for other cases, plus good moral character.

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • The captured decree is not a complete route dossier; additional procedural, family, fee, exemption, employer, institution, or effective-date details may require other official sources.
  • Decree No. 2026-049, Article 17
    Peut bénéficier du statut de résident ordinaire, I’étranger qui remplit les conditions suivantes : - justifier de moyens de subsistance ou d’une garantie de prise en charge par un tiers, des moyens de subsistance ou avoir tout autre intérét légitime a résider au Bénin ; - jouir d’une bonne moralité.

Which types of income/assets are accepted according to the official source?

Article 17 accepts means of subsistence or a guarantee of support from a third party; the decree does not itemise which types of income or assets count as means of subsistence, nor what a third-party support guarantee must consist of.

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • The captured decree is not a complete route dossier; additional procedural, family, fee, exemption, employer, institution, or effective-date details may require other official sources.
  • Decree No. 2026-049, Article 17
    Peut bénéficier du statut de résident ordinaire, I’étranger qui remplit les conditions suivantes : - justifier de moyens de subsistance ou d’une garantie de prise en charge par un tiers, des moyens de subsistance ou avoir tout autre intérét légitime a résider au Bénin ; - jouir d’une bonne moralité.

What income, savings or financial-resources threshold applies and how does family affect it where officially specified?

Article 17 requires means of subsistence, or a guarantee of third-party support, and good moral character; the decree does not set a specific income, savings or financial-resources threshold, nor does it state how family affects it.

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • The captured decree is not a complete route dossier; additional procedural, family, fee, exemption, employer, institution, or effective-date details may require other official sources.
  • Decree No. 2026-049, Article 17
    Peut bénéficier du statut de résident ordinaire, I’étranger qui remplit les conditions suivantes : - justifier de moyens de subsistance ou d’une garantie de prise en charge par un tiers, des moyens de subsistance ou avoir tout autre intérét légitime a résider au Bénin ; - jouir d’une bonne moralité.

Can the holder work locally, run a business or perform other economic activity? What is the family position?

Article 16 gives resident foreigners in Benin the same rights and freedoms as Beninese citizens. The official source does not establish whether an independent-means resident may work locally or run a business, nor a route-specific family-inclusion rule.

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • The captured decree is not a complete route dossier; additional procedural, family, fee, exemption, employer, institution, or effective-date details may require other official sources.

How long is the status granted, what is required for renewal, what physical-presence obligations matter, and what longer-term residence direction exists?

The ordinary resident card is valid for three years and is renewable; after two renewals, privileged status may be possible if Article 18 conditions are met. The official source does not state a physical-presence obligation.

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • The captured decree is not a complete route dossier; additional procedural, family, fee, exemption, employer, institution, or effective-date details may require other official sources.

These are the answers currently recorded in the catalogue. A missing or partial answer is not an eligibility decision.

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