Ethiopia Travel Visa

What Is the Ethiopian Visa?

The Ethiopia Visa is an electronic travel authorization for tourists. It is available to citizens of all countries.

Who Needs a Visa for Ethiopia?

The majority of travelers need a visa for Ethiopia. Citizens of Kenya can enter without a visa for periods of up to a year and citizens of Djibouti can enter for a period of up to 3 months visa-free. These are the only 2 visa-exempt nationalities.

The Ethiopia eVisa haseliminated the need to wait in line at the border for a visa on arrival as the online application is completed in advance. The eVisa is available to eligible passport-holders from every country.

Check the complete list of eligible countries ►

More About the Online Visa for Ethiopia

The Ethiopian Visa was launched by the Main Department for Immigration and Nationality Affairs in Ethiopia in 2017. The e-Visa is available to tourists who meet Ethiopia’s online visa requirements.

The application form requires you to answer a series of basic questions. You need to enter a range of information including your name, date of birth, address, email address, travel plans, and health information.

There are also some security-related questions. Applicants are screened by the Ethiopian authorities using security databases when the application is submitted. To complete the application you need to pay a fee using a credit or debit card.

Why Apply for an Ethiopia eVisa?

There are many reasons why the eVisa is the best option for tourists heading to Ethiopia. Firstly, the eVisa process is fully online. You can complete and submit your visa application from home, 24 hours a day.

In addition, online applications are reviewed before being submitted for processing. Missing information or mistakes can be identified and corrected, significantly increasing the chances of approval.

When applying in person, you must provide photos that meet the Ethiopia visa photo requirements. On the other hand, eVisa applicants can simply upload their photo digitally and the size and format will be adjusted accordingly.

Email support is available in several languages to offer assistance and answer queries.

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How long does it take to get an eVisa for Ethiopia?

The eVisa form is quick to complete, requiring just a few personal details, passport data, and travel information, as explained above.

Fast visa processing is another advantage. Applications are processed within 6 days, many are approved in 24 hours. You can request your eVisa just a few days before departure, although it’s always advisable to apply well in advance.

Traveling to Ethiopia with an eVisa

You are sent the approved eVisa by email, the visa can then be printed at home ready to present at the border along with the visitor’s passport.

On arrival at Addis Ababa Bole International Airport, passengers with an eVisa can head straight to the immigration counters dedicated to e-Visa holders. They avoid needing to join long queues for a visa on arrival.

You can check the validity period of the permit, which is printed on the visa. Both 30 and 90-day packs are available.

Renewing your Ethiopian eVisa

In order to renew an Ethiopian eVisa, you need to submit a new online application.

You can simply follow the same procedure used to obtain your original document.

You can choose whether you want a 30-day or a 90-day visa.

To be able to get a new eVisa, you need to leave the country to apply. However, you can simply go to a neighbouring country, obtain an Ethiopia eVisa, and then reenter.

Can I extend an Ethiopian eVisa?

If you're already in Ethiopia and need to extend your eVisa to stay longer, you can do so by following these steps:

Applicants should arrive at the office as early as possible, as the process of getting an Ethiopia visa extension can take several hours.

Unlike the online renewal, travelers can only extend the visas by up to 30 days in Ethiopia. The extended visa's validity starts the day after the initial visa expires.

Consequences of Overstaying a Visa in Ethiopia

There are consequences for overstaying in Ethiopia longer than the visa allows.

For overstaying a visa for up to 15 days, each traveler has to pay a fine of roughly USD 50 and an additional fine of USD 5 per day. For example, if you overstayed by 2 days you would have to pay USD 60.

Visitors who have overstayed can’t leave the country until they have paid the fine.

If you wish to stay longer than your tourist visa validity allows, you can avoid these consequences. You simply need to reapply for or extend the visa using the procedure outlined above.