Modernising consular administration means bringing public service closer to the people it serves. Under the leadership of Honorary Consul Dr Benoît AKANDO, Honorary Consulate of Benin in Liège is taking a new step: its redesigned platform now allows most consular procedures to be handled online, from the first application to the appointment at the counter.
This project continues a long-standing commitment. Since taking office in 2016, Dr AKANDO has championed an accessible, responsive and transparent consulate for all Beninese nationals in Wallonia. Once again, he is making digital technology the driving force of that ambition, in line with Benin's digital transformation of public services.
One ambition: a consulate that never closes
For many nationals, a consular procedure used to mean travelling, repeated phone calls and files sent back for a missing document. The platform addresses this with a simple principle: every user has their own space, available day and night, on a computer or a phone.
Modernisation does not replace the human relationship with our fellow citizens: it gives it time back. Every minute saved on paperwork is a minute devoted to listening and support.
What the platform makes possible today
Submit your file online
From their personal space, users choose the service they need from all consular services (consular card, passport, civil status, legalisations, certificates…), check the required documents and upload them directly. Each application receives a unique reference and a confirmation e-mail.
Track progress in real time
No more calling to find out how a file is progressing: every status change appears in the user space and triggers an e-mail notification. If a document is missing or needs replacing, the officer says exactly which one, and the user completes it online without starting over.
Talk directly to the officer in charge
Each file has its own message thread. Questions reach the officer handling the application, with the full context at hand, and replies are notified by e-mail.
Appointments and payment
When a service requires a visit to the counter, the appointment appears at the top of the file and on the dashboard, with the list of originals to bring. The fees for each service are published transparently and can be paid by bank transfer or securely online.
Simple, secure sign-in
No more forgotten passwords: users sign in with a one-time code sent by e-mail, or with their Google account. Submitted documents are kept in a protected environment, accessible only to authorised staff.
The consulate in your pocket
The iPhone app mirrors the user space: same account, same applications. A file started on a computer can be continued on a phone, and vice versa.
Step-by-step guidance
An illustrated help centre guides users at every stage: creating an account, submitting an application, adding a document, paying fees or tracking a file. The whole site is available in French, Dutch and English.
Tangible benefits for everyone
| Before | With the redesigned platform |
|---|---|
| Travelling to submit a file | Online submission, at any time |
| Calling to check progress | Real-time tracking and e-mail alerts |
| Incomplete file sent back | Missing document flagged and completed online |
| Scattered letters and exchanges | A single message thread per file |
| Information hard to find | Fees, processing times and documents published for each service |
For consulate staff, the platform centralises case handling, standard replies, appointments and the history of every action. Processing is faster, more rigorous and fully traceable: a guarantee of quality and accountability towards users.
A forward-looking vision
This modernisation is not an end point but a milestone. The platform will keep evolving based on user feedback, with the same goal: to give the Beninese diaspora in Wallonia an administration that lives up to its expectations, efficient, transparent and close to everyone.
By putting digital technology at the service of citizens, Dr Benoît AKANDO and his team place the Consulate of Benin in Liège among the most modern consular posts, showing that a high-quality public service can be both demanding and accessible.
How to benefit today
- Create your account with your e-mail address.
- Complete your profile, then choose the service you need.
- Upload your documents and track your file through to completion.
Any questions? Visit the help centre or write to the consulate. For the first step of this project, read our article on the launch of online applications.
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