Ethiopia Tourist visa

Ethiopia, one of the oldest nations in the world and said to be the birthplace of humanity, is situated in the Horn of Africa and divided by the Great Rift Valley. There are archeological sites with a three million-year-old history. Aside from that, Ethiopia is a remarkably picturesque nation with stunning hilly terrain, deserts, national parks, rivers, and waterfalls. Ethiopia's festivals, culture, and cuisine are all fantastic to experience.

An Ethiopian visa must be obtained if you wish to travel there. The Ethiopian government issues electronic tourist visas with a single entry limit to travelers who intend to enter the nation solely for leisure trips. But, the Ethiopian government has made obtaining an Ethiopian visa simpler to make it easier, and more manageable with the introduction of the Ethiopia eVisa and the Visa On Arrival.

Ethiopian visa conditions

When applying for a visa to Ethiopia, you must provide the following documents:

  • A passport with at least two empty pages and effective date of at least six months.
  • To submit your application online, you must provide a scanned copy of the user information part of your passport. Photos are 35x45mm in size and have a white background for visas.
  • If submitted online, the Ethiopia visa photo must have a maximum file size of 2MB and be in one of the following file types: JPEG, JPG, PNG, BMP, or GIF.
  • Your electronic submissions may be in the following file types: JPEG, JPG, PNG, BMP, GIF, or PDF, with a 2MB maximum file size. The PDF format does not support your image or the image of your passport that has been scanned.
  • Ethiopia's Main Department for Immigration and Nationality Affairs website states that you may attach photos of yourself and your passport as long as they are legible and in the formats accepted.

The required documents are not included in this list on their whole. The precise copies you need will be listed when you must attach your documents when submitting an online application. It would be best if you got in touch with them in advance to find out the specific criteria whether you want to apply at an Ethiopian embassy or when you arrive.

Ethiopia's procedure for obtaining a visa

Online, at the airport, and an Ethiopian embassy or consulate are the three places where you can get an Ethiopian visa. Read more about them below.

Online Ethiopian visa application (Ethiopia eVisa)

Through this website, you can submit an online visa application for Ethiopia. You have to.

  • Choose the visa type that you require.
  • the specifics of your journey (arrival, departure, and accommodation)
  • Send your personal information (name, age, nationality, profession, address, etc.)
  • Add any supporting documentation (scanned picture of yourself, scanned copy of your passport, and electronic copies of the documents related to your purpose of travel).
  • Pay the Visa cost for Ethiopia.
  • Hold off until the visa is processed.

Processing time for Ethiopian access is usually three days. The approved Ethiopia eVisa is delivered to your active email address once the application has been processed, which usually takes 24 hours. Once your visa application has been approved, you can print a copy to present at Ethiopian immigration control along with the same passport you used to submit your online application. This will allow you to enter the country more quickly.

Who qualifies for an Ethiopian visa, which may be obtained online?

All nationals from every country are qualified to apply for an Ethiopian visa as long as they only intend to travel there once and plan to stay up to 90 days. Only short-term stays, such as those for business or tourism, are eligible for an Ethiopian visa. No one under 18 can apply for a business visa for Ethiopia.

Lengthy and multiple-entry Ethiopia visa applications cannot be submitted online.

Fees for Ethiopian eVisa

You must pay the visa fee prior to submitting your electronic Visa application. An Ethiopian electronic visa is priced: Ethiopia Visa Fee

You can pay online with a credit card or debit card. If your visa is accepted, you can pay in cash when you arrive at Addis Abeba Bole International Airport. Still, you are an African national and are unable to do it online.

Ethiopian visa fees are not refundable.

Submitting a visa application at an Ethiopian embassy

When traveling, you will enter through a different location than Addis Abeba Bole International Airport if you need to submit a visa application to an Ethiopian embassy (applies to all countries, except Djibouti and Kenya)

You require a multiple-entry Ethiopia visa rather than a single-entry one.

Ethiopian Government Employment Visa (GV)

Another sort of work visa for Ethiopia is an employment visa with the Ethiopian government. It is intended for foreign nationals who work for government agencies and ministries in Ethiopia. A written application letter from the appropriate governmental entity must be included with the application.

Visa expired?

An Ethiopian single-entry tourist visa is valid for up to 90 days beginning on the intended arrival date. Travelers should email the e-Visa Support Team at [email protected] to alter the validity duration of their visa if their expected arrival date changes. The number of days you are allowed to stay in Ethiopia begins the day you arrive, not the day the permit is issued.

Extension of Visa

Your Ethiopian visa may be extended for an additional thirty days by going to the Addis Ababa office of the Main Department for Immigration and Nationality Affairs. If you linger over your visa's allotted time without requesting an extension, you will be fined. An additional US$5 per day fee is charged for exceeding the original US$50 visa fee for Ethiopia. There is an additional daily fee of $10 if your overstay lasts longer than 15 days in addition to the US$50 visa price

FAQ Regarding the application:

An online electronic visa authorization called an Ethiopia visa permits eligible nationals to go to Ethiopia for brief stays.

Eligible nationals must fill out a brief online application with their personal information and passport information to apply for an Ethiopian tourist visa online.

It is necessary for all eligible citizens—including underage children submit an Ethiopia eVisa application. The parent or legal guardian must fill out a separate application for their child.

Before applying, applicants are urged to carefully review all the information supplied on the Ethiopia eVisa form. The application may be denied if the information on the visa does not match that in the applicant's passport.

If an error is found after submitting the application, the applicant must start and submit a new Ethiopia eVisa application form.

The passport that is at least six months from the date you wish to enter Ethiopia is still in good standing, along with a biographical page and a recent photo id

Evisa or sticker visa?

The E visa is quicker to get approved, easier to apply for, and cheaper. So I'll prefer the electronic visa. It was put into place in 2017 by Ethiopia's Main Department of Immigration and Nationality Affairs to make it easier for tourists to enter the nation.

Is Ethiopian spoken in English?

Although Amharic is the national tongue of Ethiopia, many people in the nation speak English, French, and Arabic in addition to other languages. Don't expect that everyone you encounter will be able to communicate in English.

How hospitable is Ethiopia to LGBTQ visitors?

Regarding LGBTQ rights, Ethiopia is less welcoming than some other African countries, and homosexual activity is still prohibited. All tourists should continue to appreciate the cultural sensitivity around this subject since conservative ideas are still prevalent. It is advised that all visitors, regardless of orientation, exercise discretion when visiting historical places and everyday situations.

When is the ideal time of year to visit Ethiopia?

The best time to travel to Ethiopia is from October through June when the country experiences its dry season. The weather will be moderate and pleasant, with rich, green scenery.

Ethiopia does not have mandatory vaccines; nonetheless, we advise you to check with your local travel clinic for the most recent advice, especially concerning malaria prophylactics. You must submit immunization documentation if you depart from or have recently detoured through an airport in a country where yellow fever is a problem.

Anyone traveling over the age of 12 needs one of the following:

  • Certificate of COVID-19 immunization (complete immunization at least 14 days before arrival)
  • Negative RT-PCR results from the last 72 hours
  • Negative fast antigen test results from the previous 24 hours
  • Recovery certificate from the last 90 days

Arrivals might need to spend up to 7 days by themselves.

 
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