Visa service

Exempted from visa requirement

• Naturalized Ethiopians and who hold a valid Ethiopian Origin Identity card
• Foreigners with a valid permanent resident permit in Ethiopia
• Kenyans
• Djiboutian
• Representatives, Officials and experts holding diplomatic or service passport of Member States or Laissez-passer of the OAU and traveling to Ethiopia to attend OAU meetings, seminars and workshops and other official functions

General Requirements and info for visa

• Fully completed and signed application form CS04
• Original passport valid at list for six months and at list with one blank page
• 1 passport size photo (refer type of photos)
• Appropriate fee by cash, check, postal order or banker’s draft check to be paid in advance (refer Service fees)
• Fees for adults and minors are the same
• For business visas letter from your company or inviting company in Ethiopia stating the purpose and duration of travel
• For traveling document holders letter from an employer or school stating your status in the company or school
• For diplomatic and service passport note verbal from the appropriate authority
• If you require your passport to be returned by post, include a self-addressed envelope stamped for registered mail. The Embassy doesn’t accept any responsibility for any items lost in the post
• Visa fees are for services to issue the visa and are not refundable after the visa is processed or issued
• Visas are valid from the date of issue up to the date of expiry on the visa, not from the date of arrival in Ethiopia.
• Visa holders may stay in the country only up to the date of expiration on the visa
• If visa expires before entering the country, you may request another visa by fulfilling the requirements all over again, including the fee
• It is the applicant’s responsibility to check that all the details on the visa are correct and to seek any corrections that may be required. The Embassy will not accept any responsibility for inconvenience or financial loss caused by inadvertent inaccuracies in the visa

More requirements for journalists/ professional photographers

• A letter from the employer with the following details should be sent to the Embassy
• The name of the company the Journalist/photographer is working for
• The name, passport number and nationality of the Journalist/photographer
• The purpose and type of the planned program
• Duration of the trip
• Exact locations to be visited for the planned program
• Name and Telephone number of the contact person or organization in Ethiopia if any
• A list and serial number of the equipment taken for the program
• Flight details
• The applicant has to obtain a press permit from the Office for Government Communication Affairs, Department of Foreign Media Permit by fulfilling the following requirements
  • Original passport
  • Two passport size (3*4 cm) photograph
  • All the requirements listed in the previous paragraph
  • The applicant or his representative has to obtain a customs exemption letter from Office for Government Communication Affairs for the equipment/instruments to be used in the program , which should be re-exported on departure
  • If customs exemption letter is not obtained before arrival in the country, the equipments should be left at customs until the permit is obtained

Additional requirements for film shooting

• A letter from the company with the following details should be sent to the Embassy to get the visa
  • The name of the company shooting the film
  • The name, passport number, address and nationality of the film crew
  • The purpose and title of the film
  • Duration of the shooting
  • Exact location of the shooting
  • Total production cost of the film and the portion that will be used in Ethiopia
  • A copy of the film script along with synopsis for feature films or synopsis for documentary films
  • A list and serial number of the equipment taken for shooting
  • Flight details
  • Name and Telephone number of the contact person or organization in Ethiopia if any

The applicant has to obtain a shooting permit from the Office for Government Communication Affairs, Department of foreign media permit by fulfilling the following requirements

• Original passport
• Permit fee based on production cost (Birr 1000. for the first Birr100,000.00 and 2% on the balance).
• Two passport size (3*4 cm) photograph
• All the requirements listed in the previous paragraph
• The application has to be submitted at list 10 days before the planed shooting day
• The applicant or his representative has to obtain a customs exemption letter from Office for Government Communication Affairs for the equipment/instruments to be used in the shooting , which should be re-exported on departure
• If customs exemption letter is not obtained before arrival in the country, the equipments should be left at customs until the permit is obtained.
• Where the applicant wishes to use an aircraft for shooting a film, he should obtain a flight permit from the Ethiopian civil Aviation Authority

Additional requirements for Eritrean and naturalized Eritrean

• Please contact the embassy to get the appropriate application form
• The visa processes may take from 2 to 15 working days
• Foreigners who are originally from Eritrea can not get visa on arrival at the airport ,although they are from tourist generating countries
• Flight details should be submitted once the visa is approved

Additional requirements for entry by land

• Visas are not issued at border crossing points
• For crossing the border by motorcycle, bicycle or by driving a car a letter listing the following facts should be submitted to the embassy if applicable
  • The name, passport number and nationality
  • The purpose and duration of the trip
  • Identification number, engine number, registration number of the vehicle or motorcycle
  • List of electronic equipments to be taken in if any
• A copy of the following documents should also be submitted if applicable
  • Certificate of Insurance
  • Registration certificate of the vehicle and
  • Driving license
• The Items to be imported temporarily with out duty should be  exported on departure
• For driving permits in the country refer miscellaneous

Type of visas

Visas issued by the mission is for

• Irish nationals
• Foreign nationals who are permanent residents in Ireland
• Foreign nationals from Internationally recognized tourist generating countries (refer List of internationally recognized tourist generating countries)

Tourist visa

• Single entry tourist visa valid from one to three months as requested,
• Multiple entry tourist visa is valid for three months &
• Multiple entry tourist visa valid for six months only for naturalized Ethiopians
• Multiple entry tourist visa valid for twenty four months only for Americans
• Business visa

Business visa is issued for those travelling for the following Activities for short period

• For government business,
• For researches and other studies,
• For workshops, seminars and other similar activities
• For diplomatic mission, international, regional, and sub-regional organizational activities
• For employees of different airliners
• Types of business visa
  • A single entry business visa valid from one to  three months as requested,
  • A multiple entry business visa valid for three months,
  • Multiple entry business visa valid for twenty four months only for Americans
  • Transit visa
    • Transit passengers continuing to a third country within 12 hours, provided not leaving the airport and holding valid travel documents and visa for onward destination do not require transit visa
    • Others require a single entry transit visa if they cross the country just once or double entry transit visa if they return back through the country
    • Transit visa is issued up on presentation of visa and ticket for onward destination
    • Diplomatic and service visa
      • Diplomatic or service visa is issued for holders of      diplomatic or service passport/ Laissez-passer up on presentation of note verbal from the appropriate authority
      • Single entry visa or multiple entry visa valid for three months are issued

Visa issued at arrival at Bole international Airport, Addis Ababa

Requirements

• Fully completed and signed application form (found on arrival)
• Original passport valid at list for six months and at list with one blank page
• 2 passport size photo (refer type of photos)
• Appropriate fee only in cash and only in USD (refer Service fees)
• Fees for adults and minors are the same
• For business visas letter from inviting company in Ethiopia stating the purpose and duration of travel, and an approval should be obtained before arrival

Tourist visa

• Under the following circumstances single entry visa valid from one to three months  or three months multiple tourist visas valid for three months can be issued on arrival at Bole International Airport:-
  • For foreign nationals who are coming from countries where there is no Ethiopian Mission, up on receiving prior approval from Immigration & Nationality Affairs Main Department (refer visa for citizens of countries where there is no Ethiopian mission)
  • For foreign nationals, even though there is an Ethiopian Mission, who are coming from internationally recognized  tourist generating countries (refer List of internationally recognized tourist generating countries)
  • For foreign nationals, who are permanent residents in internationally recognized  tourist generating countries,

Business visa

• Under the following circumstances single entry visa valid from one to three months  or three months multiple business visas valid for three months can be issued on arrival at Bole International Airport:-
• Business visa is issued for those traveling for the following

Activities for short period

• For government business,
• For researches and other studies,
• For workshops, seminars and other similar activities
• For diplomatic mission, international, regional, and sub-regional organizational activities
• For employees of different airliners who conduct airline businesses
• For foreign nationals who are coming from countries where Ethiopian Mission is not represented, as per the request by the pertinent  organ to the Immigration & Nationality Affairs Main Department and when the latter approves it
• Representatives, officials and experts holding ordinary passports of the OAU Member States as well as holders of diplomatic, service or ordinary passports of other states or a UN Laissez-passer and traveling to Ethiopia to attend the meetings and activities of the OAU upon presenting an official letter explaining the purpose of their travel.
• Representatives and officials of different international and regional organizations traveling to Ethiopia for official business or to attend meetings, seminars and workshops upon presentation of an officials letter explaining the purpose of their travel
• visit the following link for details      http://www.mfa.gov.et/Consular_Affair_Diplomatic/Visa_Issuance.php?Page=Visa_Issuance_6.htm

Transit Visa

• Under the following circumstances single or double transit visas valid for three months can be issued on arrival at Bole International Airport:-
• For foreign nationals who are coming from countries where there is no Ethiopian Mission,
• For foreign nationals, even though there is an Ethiopian Mission, who are coming from internationally recognized  tourist generating countries (refer List of internationally recognized tourist generating countries)
• For foreign nationals, who are permanent residents in internationally recognized tourist generating countries
• Transit passengers continuing to a third country within 12 hours, provided not leaving the airport and holding valid travel documents and visa for onward destination do not require transit visa
• Others require a single entry transit visa if they cross the country just once or double entry transit visa if they return back through the country

Visa when there is no Ethiopian mission in the country

Tourist visa

• Foreign nationals who are coming from countries where Ethiopian Mission is not represented, and are from countries which are not among internationally recognized  tourist generating countries (refer List of internationally recognized tourist generating countries) can get visa
  • From the nearest Ethiopian Embassy or
  • Request should be submitted to the following address and up on receiving the approval from the department the visa can be issued on arrival at Bole international airport

Main Department for Immigration and Nationality Affairs

Email-  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Fax no- (00) 251 11 155-3209

(00) 251 11 156-4981

Tel no.  (00) 251 11 151-3899

P.O.Box 5741

Addis Ababa

Ethiopia

• A single entry tourist visa valid from one to three months &
• A multiple entry tourist visa valid for three months
• Business visa
  • Foreign nationals who are coming from countries where Ethiopian Mission is not represented, as per the request by the pertinent  organ to the Immigration & Nationality Affairs Main Department and when the latter approves it the following visas are issued on arrival at Bole International Airport or
  • From the nearest Ethiopian Embassy
    • A single entry business visa valid from one to three months &
    • A multiple entry business visa valid for three months

List of internationally recognized tourist generating countries

• The following are considered to be internationally recognized tourist generating countries and are entitled to get tourist visa on arrival

1. Argentina
2. Australia
3. Austria
4. Belgium
5. Brazil
6. Canada
7. China
8. Check Republic
9. Denmark 
10. Finland
11. France
12. Germany
13. Greece
14. India
15. Ireland
16. Israel
17. Italy
18. Japan
19. Korea Republic
20. Kuwait
21. Luxembourg
22. Mexico
23. Netherlands
24. New Zealand
25. Norway
26. North Korea
27. Poland
28. Portugal
29. Russian Federation
30. Slovakia
31. South Africa
32. Spain
33. Sweden
34. Switzerland
35. United Kingdom
36. United States