Visa and Passport Requirements for Traveling to Ethiopia
Passports
To enter Ethiopia, all nationals must have a passport valid for six months from the date you intend to enter the country.
Visas
Visas for Ethiopia are required by all nationals except nationals of Kenya and Djibouti.
As of November 2018, nationals and permanent residents of all African Union countries can get visas on arrival, making it easy for Africans to visit Ethiopia which is also home to the African Union headquarters. Not all countries in Africa are part of the African Union; Morocco is not a member and the membership of the Central African Republic is also temporarily suspended.
In addition, nationals and permanent residents of 36 other countries are also allowed to receive their tourist visas on arrival at Addis Ababa Bole International Airport. These countries include Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China (including passports issued in Hong Kong and Macao), Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greek, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Kuwait, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, North Korea, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russian Federation, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, United Kingdom and United States.
To get a visa on arrival, you need two passport photographs and US$52 for a single-entry visa with validity up to 30 days, or US$72 for a single-entry visa with validity up to 90 days. Permanent residents of the above-mentioned countries must also provide a valid residence permit.
Citizens from countries not listed above should apply for an Ethiopian e-VISA at www.evisa.gov.et before travelling. Alternatively, you can also apply at a consulate near you.
Apart from tourist visa, Ethiopia also offers business visa for the following purposes: conference, foreign business employment, government, journalist, private firm, international organisation work and government institutions short task visa. To find out more, visit www.evisa.gov.et or at a consulate near you.
Visa Note
Multiple-entry visas are not available at www.evisa.gov.et at present, but you can apply for a multiple-entry visa by visiting a consulate near you.
Visa Types and Cost
The cost for an e-VISA (applied at www.evisa.gov.et before travelling) and the cost for a tourist visa on arrival is the same: US$52 for a single-entry visa with validity up to 30 days, or US$72 for a single-entry visa with validity up to 90 days.
It may be cheaper to apply in person at a consulate near you. For example, applying in person at the Ethiopian Embassy in London will cost you £32 for a single-entry visa, instead of US$52 online.
Validity
Single-entry: 30 days or 90 days.
Multiple-entry: three months or six months.
You are not allowed to stay in Ethiopia beyond the validity period of your visa. If you want to request for an extension before the visa expires, please visit the head office of the main department for Immigration and Nationality Affairs in Addis Ababa in person.
Transit
A transit visa is required for transit passengers who plan to leave the airport for any length of time between flights. Transit visas are available for 12, 24, 48 or 72 hours. To apply for a transit visa, please visit a consulate near you before travelling to Addis Ababa.
For those who do not plan to leave the airport, no visa is required.
Application to
For single-entry visas, you can apply online at www.evisa.gov.et before travelling, or apply in person by visiting a consulate near you. You may also apply for a visa on arrival (please see above).
For multiple-entry and transit visas, please apply at a consulate near you.
Working days
Visas for Ethiopia take around one to three working days to process.
Sufficient Funds
In some cases, visa applicants may be asked to supply proof of sufficient funds; a bank statement usually suffices.
Our visa and passport information is updated regularly and is correct at the time of publishing,
We strongly recommend that you verify critical information unique to your trip with the relevant embassy before travel.
Embassies and tourist offices
Embassy of Ethiopia in the USA
Telephone: +1 202 364 1200
Website: http://www.ethiopianembassy.org
Address: NW, 3506 International Drive, Washington, 20008,
Opening times:
Mon-Fri 0900-1700
Embassy of Ethiopia in the UK
Telephone: +44 20 7589 7212
Website: http://www.ethioembassy.org.uk
Address: , 17 Princes Gate, London, SW7 1PZ,
Opening times:
Mon-Fri 0900-1700 (Embassy) / Mon-Fri 0900-1500 (Consular)
British Embassy in Ethiopia
Telephone: +251 11 617 0100
Website: http://www.ukinethiopia.fco.gov.uk
Address: , Comoros Street, 858, Addis Ababa, ,
Opening times:
Mon-Thu 0800-1645
Source: World Travel Guide