BEAC circular letter n°004/GR/2022
BEAC (Bank of Central African States) has published circular letter n°004/GR/2022 for the attention of credit institutions in CEMAC (Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa), specifying the conditions and modalities for the use of electronic payment instruments outside the country.
In essence, this instruction requires VISA cardholders to provide their bank with proof of expenditure above a certain regulatory threshold when travelling abroad or making online purchases. Here is a summary:
TOPICS | Payments amount | Supporting documents to provide | Deadline to justify |
Online payment | ≤ CFAF 1 million per person and per month | No supporting documents | / |
> CFAF 1 million FCFA per person and per month | * Proforma invoices or proof of calls for funds for payment, contracts, if any, or any other document in lieu thereof; | 30 days from payment | |
Payments and withdraswals outside CEMAC with electronic payment instruments | ≤ CFAF 5 million per person and per trip | * Proof of travel outside CEMAC (copy of passport showing stamped pages at airports of entry or exit, copy of visa (if applicable) and travel ticket) | 30 days from payment |
> CFAF 5 million per person and per trip | * Proof of travel outside CEMAC (copy of passport showing stamped pages at airports of entry or exit, copy of visa (if applicable) and transport ticket); * Detailed statement of expenses incurred during the trip (see BEAC model); * Invoices and other supporting documents for expenses incurred abroad; | 30 days from payment |
NB :
- The bank provides customers holding electronic payment instruments with the following telephone number 233 43 27 67 and the email address requete.monetique@socgen.com , enabling them to contact the assistance service 24 hours a day;
- The use of electronic payment instruments outside CEMAC is reserved exclusively for their holder. To this end, these instruments may not be transferred or lent to a third party for any reason whatsoever, under penalty of their withdrawal or deactivation;
- Residents holding electronic payment instruments who are called upon to stay abroad for a relatively long period of time may carry out payment and withdrawal operations, as well as remote payments, up to a limit of CFAF 5 million per person and per month, without supporting documents, subject to the production of proof of travel outside CEMAC. However, this threshold is reduced to XAF 2 million for students living in a CEMAC household.