Ethiopia Entry and Travel Requirements
Ethiopia's entry requirements state all the rules that travelers planning to visit Ethiopia must follow for smooth entry into the country. These requirements also determine the documents each traveler must prepare before their planned trip, including passports and visas.
The traveler's passport cannot expire at least 6 months from the intended date of arrival in Ethiopia and must have two blank pages. Whether you need a visa depends on several factors, such as your nationality, the purpose of your trip, and your expected length of stay in Ethiopia.
According to Ethiopia's visa policy, citizens of more than 230 different countries can apply for an Ethiopian visa online to travel to Ethiopia by air. Electronic visas are only issued for tourism and entertainment activities.
Currently, there are only two countries whose citizens can travel to Ethiopia without a visa. Specifically Kenya and Djibouti. Travelers from any other country will need to apply for a visa in the traditional way, on arrival or online (if eligible).
If you plan to visit Ethiopia for a long-term stay or for purposes other than leisure or tourism, you will need to apply for a regular visa, even if you are a citizen of a visa-exempt country. real. Because Covid-19 is still a threat in the country, Ethiopian authorities are still maintaining certain restrictions. Fully vaccinated travelers must present a valid vaccination certificate upon arrival at Bole International Airport. Unvaccinated travelers must submit a negative PCR test report issued within 72 hours before departure or a certified negative antigen test result issued within 24 hours before departure.
Please note that immigration requirements related to Covid-19 are subject to constant change. Don't forget to check for the latest updates before your planned trip to Ethiopia. Important:
Due to ongoing civil unrest in Ethiopia and armed conflict in the north of the country, as well as the risk of conflict spreading to other regions, all travelers are advised to reconsider their travel plans to Ethiopia .
Who can enter Ethiopia?
Ethiopia allows all travelers regardless of their Covid-19 vaccination status.
Document checklist for entering Ethiopia
- valid passport
- Ethiopian visa
- Covid-19 vaccination certificate
- PCR/RAT test results were negative
- travel insurance
Testing, Vaccination, and Quarantine Requirements
Request an inspection
Unvaccinated travelers will be required to present a negative RT PCR test report taken within 72 hours before departure or RAT taken up to 24 hours before planned arrival in Ethiopia. Please note that self-administered rapid lateral flow tests are not accepted.
You should arrange your own test instead of using an NHS testing service.
Vaccination required
Passengers 12 years of age and older who have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19 more than 14 days before their intended date of entry into Ethiopia must provide proof of vaccination. Ethiopia accepts the following vaccine manufacturers:
One-dose vaccine:
Johnson and Johnson
2-dose vaccine:
Astra-Zeneca/Sinopharm/Sinovac/Moderna/Pfizer. Quarantine required
Currently, there is no quarantine in Ethiopia, regardless of your Covid-19 vaccination status.
Traveling from Ethiopia
There are no specific rules for leaving Ethiopia. However, you should check with your airline to see if they require passengers to submit a valid negative Covid-19 test result to board their flight. They could also have implemented their own Covid-related rules. Remember to familiarize yourself with these travel tips to avoid unnecessary troubles when traveling.
Traveling to Ethiopia
Ethiopia remains open to international tourists, who are advised to reconsider their travel plans, especially to parts of Ethiopia, due to the unstable situation in the country. If you still decide to travel to Ethiopia, please ensure you comply with all entry requirements, including Covid-19 entry procedures, which may change at short notice.
Entry Rules for Children
Children younger than 12 do not need to provide evidence of a negative Covid-19 test, vaccination, or recent recovery.
Transit through Ethiopia – rules during the Covid-19 pandemic
No Covid-19 test or vaccination certificate is required for transit through Bole International Airport. However, you should check whether your final destination requires providing a valid negative test result. Transit passengers must also apply Covid-19 control measures during transit.
Passengers in transit for 24 hours or less are allowed to stay in the airport departure lounge. If your layover exceeds 24 hours, you will need to book transit accommodation and confirm hotel details upon arrival at the airport. You will not be allowed to leave the hotel during transit.
Your maximum transit time through Ethiopia must not exceed 72 hours.
For details on specific transit rules, contact your airline directly.
Visa requirements
Visa on arrival
There are only two countries where citizens must apply for a visa on arrival to enter Ethiopia: Hong Kong and Taiwan. Travelers of both nationalities must present themselves at the immigration checkpoint upon arrival at Addis Ababa Bole International Airport. VoA is issued for a stay of 30 or 90 days in Ethiopia and covers travel-related purposes only.
Visitors from any country other than Taiwan and Hong Kong should not apply for a visa on arrival. This is a lengthy process, involves a lot of paperwork and always carries the risk of being denied a visa at the border. If you are eligible for an e-Visa, you should instead choose the online alternative or apply for your visa the traditional way before your planned trip. In both cases, you will be issued a visa before departure to avoid being refused entry to Ethiopia.
Electronic visa for Ethiopia
Since 2017, Ethiopia has allowed online visa applications, making the entire visa application process significantly easier and faster. Visitors from eligible countries can apply for a visa for tourist purposes without visiting the Ethiopian embassy.
The Ethiopian e-visa is valid for 30 or 90 days and begins from the date of entry into the country. The electronic visa application must be completed at least 3 working days before the planned trip. Check if you are eligible for the Ethiopia e-Visa and apply completely online.
An embassy or consulate visa is required
Ethiopia's visa policy states that there are eight countries and territories worldwide whose citizens must apply for a visa at an embassy before traveling to Ethiopia, regardless of the purpose of their trip or Expected length of stay in Ethiopia.
Citizens of the following countries must apply for an embassy visa:
- Cambodia
- Cameroon
- Guernsey
- Island of people
- Ivory Coast
- Pakistan
- Saint Martin
- Syrian Arab Republic
To obtain an embassy or consular visa, you must make an appointment with the nearest Ethiopian diplomatic mission. You should start the application process in advance as visa approval can take several weeks. Depending on the type of visa you are applying for, you may be required to submit certain supporting documents.
An embassy visa is also required to enter Ethiopia via land borders (even if you are a citizen of a visa-exempt or e-visa-eligible country).
Visa-exempt countries
Some foreign nationals may enter Ethiopia without a visa, regardless of the length of stay and the purpose of their trip. Currently, visa exemption only applies to two neighboring African countries: Djibouti and Kenya.
Kenyan citizens can travel to Ethiopia without a visa and stay for up to 365 days. They must present a valid residence passport to enter the country. In return, Djibouti citizens can stay in Ethiopia for up to 3 months without needing a visa. Additionally, transit passengers of all nationalities who will be transiting through Ethiopia by air will not need to apply for a transit visa if they remain within the transit area of the airport and their transit time will not be past 12 o'clock.
In addition, holders of diplomatic or official passports (except Somalia and Pakistan) are allowed to enter Ethiopia visa-free for up to 3 months.
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance to Ethiopia is not required. However, as medical facilities can be very limited, all travelers should purchase insurance that covers medical evacuation.
Please check the terms of your insurance policy carefully before traveling to Ethiopia. It may not be valid for certain areas of the country where visitors are not encouraged to travel.
