Marrying and Sponsoring a Senegalese Citizen
Listen to this articleMarriage to a Senegalese citizen and spousal sponsorship to Canada under the marriage immigration initiative is a complex process.
This page is designed to guide you through your marriage to a Senegalese citizen and the spousal sponsorship process.
Marriage to a Senegalese Citizen
Every country has its own laws that apply to its citizens marrying a person from a different country. Getting married to a Senegalese citizen with the goal of eventually bringing them to Canada to live is a process with many steps.
If you want to bring your Senegalese spouse or partner to live in Canada, you must then file a sponsorship application for them to become a permanent resident. If they would like to visit you in Canada while their application is in process, they must also apply for a visitor visa. For more information, please see our family sponsorship page and our visitor visa page.
Senegalese Marriage Basic Requirements
Documents Required
- One copy of both the bride and groom’s birth certificate issued within three months bearing the words “issued in anticipation of marriage.”
- One form of identification and copy for both the bride and groom. Valid identification includes a passport, a driver’s license, or an identity card.
- One witness for each the bride and groom, and a copy of their identification documents.
- Publication of the banns for fifteen days (the local authorities post it on a bulletin board located at the City Hall).
Procedure
Applications for marriage and the publication of the banns are normally done at “La Mairie,” or Town Hall. The actual marriage ceremony can be held anywhere, with most civil ceremonies performed at the l’Hotel de Ville. Prospective couples should apply and post their banns a minimum of fifteen days before the intended ceremony.
Family Members
If your Senegalese spouse has dependent children, this does not affect the Senegalese Marriage document application.
If you have dependent children, they have no effect on the application to marry a Senegalese citizen.
List of Senegalese Consulates in Canada
Calling Senegal from Canada
011 – 221 – Prefix – Area Code – local number, where
- 011 is the exit code from the North American Numbering Plan (NANP)
- 221 is the country code for Senegal
- There are only two area codes in Senegal:
Prefixes (by provider)
| Provider | Landline | Cell |
| Expresso | 30 | 70 |
| Sentel | No landlines | 76 |
| Sonatel | 33 | 77 |
Area Codes:
- Dakar: 8
- Everywhere else: 9
Calling Canada from Senegal
00 – 1 – Area Code – local number
- 00- Exit code for Slovenia, and is needed for making any international call from Senegal
- 1 – ISD Code or Country Code of Canada
Canadian Area Codes by Region
| Province | Code | Province | Code |
| Alberta | 403 / 587 (southern Alberta)
587 / 780 (central and northern Alberta) |
Nunavut | 867 |
| BC | 236 / 250 / 778 (majority of BC)
236 / 604 / 778 (Metro Vancouver) |
Ontario | 226 / 519 (southwestern Ontario)
249 / 705 (northeastern Ontario) 289 / 365 / 905 (Greater Toronto Area) 343 / 613 (eastern Ontario) 416 / 647 (Toronto) 807 (northwestern Ontario) |
| Manitoba | 204 / 431 | PEI | 782 / 902 |
| New Brunswick | 506 | Quebec | 418 / 581 (eastern Quebec)
438 / 514 (Montreal) 450 / 579 (Greater Montreal) 819 / 873 (remainder of Quebec) |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | 709 | Saskatchewan | 306 / 639 |
| Northwest Territories | 867 | Yukon | 867 |
| Nova Scotia | 782 / 902 |
Time Difference
Senegal is on Western European Time (GMT+1). Senegal does not observe Daylight Saving Time due to its proximity to the equator.
| Canadian Time Zone | # of Hours Senegal is Ahead | # of Hours during DST |
| Pacific (BC, Yukon) | 8 hours | 7 hours |
| Mountain (Alberta, western Nunavut, Lloydminster, Saskatchewan) | 7 hours | 6 hours |
| Saskatchewan | 6 hours | 6 hours |
| Central (Manitoba, Northwest Territories, central Nunavut, northwestern Ontario) | 6 hours | 5 hours |
| Eastern (most of Ontario, most of Quebec) | 5 hours | 4 hours |
| Atlantic (Labrador, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, PEI, eastern Quebec) | 4 hours | 3 hours |
| Newfoundland | 3.5 hours | 2.5 hours |
Emergency Information for Canadians in Senegal
Embassy of Canada in Dakarcorner of Galliéni and Amadou Cissé Dia Streets Postal Address: Telephone: 221 33 889 4700 |
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Travel Alerts from the Government of Canada for Senegal
Sponsoring Your Senegalese Spouse to Canada
The sponsorship application process is long and can be difficult. To learn more about it, click the button below:
