Benin’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has launched a nationwide campaign titled “Everything Starts with a Good Start” aimed at guiding citizens through lawful international travel processes and reducing the high rate of visa refusals.
The initiative comes in response to growing challenges faced by Beninese nationals seeking visas to travel abroad, with common issues including incomplete applications, falsified documentation, and visa overstays.
These factors have led to an increase in temporary or permanent visa denials and, in some cases, deportation from host countries.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the ministry warned that such practices not only harm individual applicants but also tarnish the international reputation of Beninese citizens.
The campaign, which will be rolled out in phases, focuses on three key areas: discouraging the use of fraudulent documents, reinforcing awareness about visa conditions and time limits, and promoting registration in the Register of Beninese Abroad (RBE).
The government emphasised that this initiative is particularly timely in light of tighter global migration controls and increasing scrutiny by partner countries, especially the United States.
