When you expand to Cameroon or anywhere else in the world, you have a choice — hire local employees or choose foreigners instead. If you decide to bring in foreign talent, you’ll need to know how to get a Cameroon work visa — as well as a work permit and residence permit — for each worker. Unfortunately, many companies like yours don’t have the time to focus on immigration and compliance while handling a large-scale expansion.
Types of Work Visas in Cameroon
Every foreign national traveling to Cameroon for business needs either a temporary or long-stay visa. Temporary visas are valid for three months and long-stay visas are valid for six months. Both allow for single and multiple entries.
It’s important to note that each larger category is broken down into smaller categories with additional requirements. Your employees are required to provide a justification of the purpose of their visit and apply for the appropriate visa. Categories include:
- Tourism: Valid for one to 30 days for tourists.
- Short stay: For visitors — such as business travelers, students, and volunteers — staying from one day to three months.
- Long stay: For the visitors listed above planning stays from three to six months.
- Transit: Valid for one to five days for travelers passing through Cameroon to another destination.
- Courtesy and diplomatic: Diplomats, government officials, and members of international organizations with diplomatic, official passports or laissez-passer can stay for up to six months.
Requirements to Obtain Cameroon Work Visas
All of your employees will need a Cameroon work permit before they can enter the country or start working. You must sponsor the applicant to confirm that they will earn money during their stay. Make sure all employees have an employment contract to show at the Ministry of Labor. Other necessary documents include the following:
- Application
- Detailed job description
- Recent medical certificate
- Resident permit
- Certified copies of academic or professional certificates
- Curriculum vitae (CV)
- Company’s memorandum and articles of association
- Company’s organization chart and profile
- Summary of the company’s activities
- And more
When employees are ready to apply for a working visa in Cameroon, they’ll each have certain requirements and paperwork to submit. These obligations can vary depending on the type of visa they apply for and the activities they’ll undertake in the country. However, some of the most common specifications include:
- An original passport that’s valid for at least six months beyond the visa expiration
- Two visa application forms completed and signed by the applicant
- Two passport-size color photos
- A copy of flight and trip reservations
- A copy of up-to-date vaccination certificates showing a valid yellow fever vaccine
- A recent bank statement or letter of invitation from you, the employer
- Paid application and visa fees
Application Process
All individuals can apply for their Cameroon work visa at the embassy or consulate in their country of residence. The embassy will let the applicant know if they need any additional documentation or information. However, keep in mind that providing all necessary paperwork does not guarantee a work visa for the individual.
We recommend applying for an entry visa no more than 90 days before planning to arrive in Cameroon. Most work permits take three days to two weeks to issue, but it takes two to five months to complete the entire process, including:
- Applying for the work permit
- Completing a visa application upon arrival
- Entering Cameroon
- Applying for a residence permit
- Applying for an exit visa
Other Important Considerations
Cameroon wants to import new knowledge and skills into the country. For example, the country frequently creates job opportunities for investors to boost the local economy. Foreign employees and workers are also taxed in Cameroon, which increases the country’s revenue. To ensure security, Cameroon also requires all foreign applicants to provide police clearance certificates to prove good character.
Partner With G-P
When you decide to work with our team, you’re choosing experts who will work hard on your behalf during and after each expansion. Contact us today to learn more about the capabilities of our solution.