Immigration
ECOWAS free movement with a carte de séjour regime and significant diaspora law
ECOWAS nationals enter visa-free for 90 days; others require a visa. Senegal is notable for extending voting rights and parliamentary representation to its diaspora, which has dedicated National Assembly seats.
Key rules
- Jurisdiction — The Direction de la Police des Étrangers et des Titres de Voyage issues permits.
- Deadline — Carte d'identité d'étranger: within three months of arrival
- Deadline — ECOWAS nationals: 90 days visa-free
Governing law
- Loi n° 71-10 relative aux conditions d'admission, de séjour et d'établissement des étrangers
- ECOWAS Protocol on Free Movement of Persons 1979
- Loi n° 2017-12 portant Code électoraldiaspora representation
In practice
Senegal's emigration law is more developed than its immigration law. Diaspora remittances exceed official development assistance, and the electoral code reserves National Assembly seats for Senegalese abroad, giving emigrants direct legislative representation — a model few African states have adopted.