POSTERN

The Gambia

Nonworking Permit A for students. A US citizen, as a non-ECOWAS national admitted to The Gambia, may apply to the Immigration Director General for Permit A for foreign students not taking gainful employment. The applicant supplies passport, evidence of student status and identity, and embassy attestation, then completes payment, authentication, interview and biometric enrolment.

Free, with the law behind every answer

Nonworking Permit A for students

Nonworking residence Permit A and an Alien Card; the page does not grant student employment rights.

Who qualifies

  • A US citizen, as a non-ECOWAS national admitted to The Gambia, may apply to the Immigration Director General for Permit A for foreign students not taking gainful employment. The applicant supplies passport, evidence of student status and identity, and embassy attestation, then completes payment, authentication, interview and biometric enrolment.
    Gambia Immigration Department, residential permits

You keep your U.S. citizenship.

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It could fit.

Nonworking Permit A for students needs admission to a qualifying course; the course and your passport then decide it.

What would settle itYour admission and the course’s eligibility under the destination’s rules.

Every option that fits your family

Not legal advice.

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What it takes.

Time
Processing runs from submission of the complete file to the issuing authority’s decision.
Cost
Listed non-ECOWAS Permit A fee: GMD 5,700, including GMD 2,500 Alien Card component; subject to change.
The hard part
Showing actual student status and completing the in-country post-admission process.
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Citizens by 2043.

If your first permit is issued in 2027 and you keep living there, this is the road.

  1. 2027
    First residence permit

    1 year, renewable for 1 year at a time.

  2. 2042
    Apply for citizenship
  3. 2043
    Citizenship
Time away
At least fifteen continuous years of ordinary residence, good character, and an intention to keep a permanent home in The Gambia.
Two passports
Yes. You keep your U.S. citizenship.
  • Permit A documents lawful nonworking student residence; continuous renewed years count, though another status is normally needed to complete fifteen years.
  • How long the decision takes isn’t published; we allow a year.
The law behind these dates
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Living there.

Time you must spend there
The program sets no minimum number of days. Renewal still expects it to be your home.
Tax
Where you become tax resident follows the days you spend there and where your home is. We map it for your family before you move.

We never file a tax return. We tell you what applies and brief the professional who does.

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Start today.

  1. Obtain admission or current enrolment evidence, then begin the published study-permit process.Open gid.gov.gm ↗
  2. Gather these documents.
    • The degree or admission letter, and proof of funds
    • Request your FBI Identity History Summary
    • Health cover for the move
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Postern can run this for you.

$900for your first year as a founding member. Then $399 a year, automatically.One membership, the whole family. Bank accounts and help putting your plan into action are included.

Postern runs it for one adult US student already lawfully in Banjul for at least 56 days, with current stay permission and an issued embassy attestation: non-ECOWAS Permit A, the separate Alien Card, personal interview and biometrics, collection of both cards and each same-category renewal; no gainful employment or dependants, and entry visas, embassy attestations and interim stay extensions are separate.

16 steps, from the first paper to the passport. You do 4 of them: send what we ask for, sign, and show up. We run the rest, and keep every permit renewed on time. Opening your bank accounts there is included, whether you move now or keep the plan ready. Government fees, record fees and other costs you approve are extra.

Run it for my family →
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ISSUED TO

YOUR FAMILY

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