Senate : Senators Receive Bill Concerning Aliens

A bill to lay down conditions of entry, stay and exist of aliens (a foreigner, especially one who is not a naturalized citizen of the country where he or she is living) in Cameroon has been tabled at the Senate. The Senior Vice President, Aboubarkary Abdoulaye chaired the plenary sitting in which the document was tabled on July 4, 2022.
In essence, the legal instrument seeks to amend and supplement the January 10, 1997 concerning aliens, and in particular the entry conditions. The document tabled before Senators for scrutiny contains major innovations in the visa procedures of Cameroon’s diplomatic missions or Consular Posts. Generally, Sections 10, 11 and 15 of the law each have a new provision. “A valid passport or other travel document stamped with an entry visa to Cameroon or including an online visa authorisation obtained from a diplomatic or consular mission of Cameroon abroad,” states the newly added Section 10 (1A). The legal document, going by its explanatory notes, seeks to address certain concerns. At the security level, the use of this new technology will help to centralise and protect data collected by the digital platform set up, control entry and exit flows nationwide by deploying terminals at all points of entry (land, sea, air and port), and ensure maximum security of diplomatic documents. For foreigners wishing to stay in Cameroon, the bill addresses several concerns notably in terms of distances to be covered and queues at embassies. It will also standardize consu...