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Electronic visaEthiopia, the cradle of humanity and crossroads of ancient civilisations, attracts thousands of travellers each year in search of authentic adventure. Since June 2018, visa procedures have been significantly simplified: the vast majority of nationalities can now obtain an Ethiopian e-Visa entirely online, without visiting an embassy. This official electronic visa — issued by Ethiopia's General Directorate of Immigration — authorises a tourist stay of 30 days, for a single entry into the country. Average processing time is 72 h.
01 · The essentials
Since June 2018, all foreign travellers can obtain their Ethiopian visa entirely online, without visiting an embassy.
Regardless of the type of visa requested, your passport must be valid for at least 6 months after your intended entry date into Ethiopia.
The visa process for Ethiopia is of medium complexity: the procedure is fully digital but requires planning and care when assembling your application.
The e-Visa for Ethiopia is an official electronic visa — a genuine single-entry visa, not merely a travel authorisation. It is issued by the General Directorate of Immigration of Ethiopia to international travellers wishing to enter Ethiopian territory for tourism purposes, for stays not exceeding 30 days.
Launched in June 2018, this electronic system put an end to lengthy in-person consular procedures. The application is submitted entirely online: you complete a form, upload your scanned documents, and receive your e-Visa by email once approved. On arrival in Ethiopia, immigration officers stamp your passport.
One key point to know: the Ethiopian e-Visa is only valid at one entry point — Bole International Airport in Addis Ababa. Travellers entering via other land or air borders must obtain a visa on arrival or apply through the Ethiopian embassy.
02 · Eligibility
The Ethiopian e-Visa is available to nationals of more than 200 countries and territories worldwide. French, Belgian, Swiss and Canadian nationals are fully eligible for this online process. Two cumulative conditions apply: holding an eligible nationality and possessing a passport valid for at least 6 months from the intended entry date into Ethiopia.
Only nationals of Kenya and Djibouti benefit from a full visa exemption for tourist stays in Ethiopia — they therefore do not need an e-Visa. Nationals of African Union member states may benefit from a specific visa process via an authorised platform, provided they have submitted their request in advance.
For travellers in transit at Bole International Airport, no visa is required if they remain in the international zone. Those wishing to leave the airport during their stopover may, however, request a transit visa from the Immigration Department office.
Your passport must remain valid for at least 6 months after your intended entry date into Ethiopia. A passport expiring too soon will be rejected at the application stage and at check-in.
Only nationals of Kenya and Djibouti are exempt from a visa for a tourist stay. African Union citizens benefit from a specific procedure.
Travellers in transit at Bole International Airport do not need a visa if they remain in the international waiting area. A transit visa is available if they wish to exit the airport.
The e-Visa only allows a single entry into Ethiopian territory. For a multiple-entry visa, the application must be submitted directly at the Ethiopian Embassy.
03 · The procedure
The e-Visa application process for Ethiopia is entirely digital. It takes place in a few simple steps from home, with no embassy visit or postal document submission required. The usual processing time is 72 h. It is recommended to submit your application well in advance of your departure date to allow comfortable margins in case of additional questions.
Before starting, verify that your nationality is eligible for the Ethiopian e-Visa and that your passport is valid for at least 6 months after your intended entry date. This preliminary step avoids any unnecessary effort.
Fill in the e-Visa application form: personal details (surname, first name, date of birth, nationality), contact information (email address, phone number, postal address), and travel details (purpose: tourism, intended entry date, entry point).
Attach the required supporting documents: a scanned copy of your passport (identity page) and a recent identity photo meeting standard requirements. These two elements are the core of the application.
Consular fees are paid online when submitting the application. The amount corresponds to the official Ethiopian visa fee. In the event of a rejected application, consular fees are fully refunded, provided no other application has been submitted in parallel.
Your application is forwarded to the General Directorate of Immigration of Ethiopia for review and decision. A registration confirmation email is sent upon receipt. Processing time is approximately 72 h.
Once your application is approved, you receive a confirmation by email. On arrival at Bole International Airport in Addis Ababa, immigration officers stamp the visa in your passport. Present your confirmation email and your passport.
04 · Required documents
The Ethiopian e-Visa application file is deliberately streamlined to facilitate travellers' procedures. Two main documents are sufficient to compile your application. The absence or non-compliance of any of these elements may result in a processing delay or rejection.
05 · Renewal & extension
The question of renewing and extending the Ethiopian visa frequently arises among travellers wishing to extend their stay beyond the initial 30 days. Here is what the regulations provide, based on information available from official sources.
It is possible to extend an e-Visa in Ethiopia. The process takes place at the immigration service, either at the airport or online. If you are planning a longer stay, initiate this process before your current visa expires.
For a new e-Visa application, you must wait for the previous visa to fully expire before submitting a new application. It is not possible to submit two applications in parallel for the same period.
If you already hold a traditional visa currently valid for Ethiopia, you will need to wait for it to expire before making a new e-Visa application. The two types of visa cannot coexist.
As the e-Visa is limited to a single entry, travellers wishing to enter and exit Ethiopia several times within a limited period must apply directly to the Ethiopian Embassy for a multiple-entry visa.
06 · Before you leave
Obtaining the e-Visa is just one step among many in preparing a trip to Ethiopia. The destination imposes certain mandatory health requirements and several recommended precautions. Here are the main points to plan ahead for a serene stay.
On the health front, Ethiopia requires yellow fever vaccination for all travellers entering the country. This vaccine is mandatory and must be supported by an up-to-date international vaccination certificate. Other vaccinations may be recommended depending on the areas visited and the conditions of your stay — consult your doctor or an international vaccination centre well in advance.
Logistically, note that the Ethiopian e-Visa is only valid at Bole International Airport in Addis Ababa. If you arrive in Ethiopia via another entry point (land border, other regional airport), you will need to obtain a visa on arrival or contact the embassy. At Bole Airport, the e-Visa is strongly recommended over the visa on arrival to avoid queues, which are sometimes very long.
Regarding your visa and length of stay, keep in mind that the e-Visa authorises a stay of 30 days from the entry date, but its validity begins on the date entered at the time of application. These two parameters are not always the same — so plan your start date carefully when filling in the form.
The Ethiopian e-Visa is an official single-entry electronic visa, valid for tourist stays of up to 30 days. It is issued by the General Directorate of Immigration of Ethiopia with an average processing time of 72 h after submission. The process is entirely online: two documents suffice — a passport valid for at least 6 months and a recent identity photo. Please note: the e-Visa is only accepted at Bole International Airport in Addis Ababa. Yellow fever vaccination is mandatory to enter Ethiopia. The visa validity starts on the date entered at the time of application — plan your start date carefully.
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