New Visa-on-Arrival Program Launched

The situation

The Ethiopian immigration authorities have launched a new program which allows all African tourists and business travelers to obtain a visa-on-arrival when entering Ethiopia.

A closer look

African nationals seeking to travel to Ethiopia for tourist or business purposes will no longer be required to apply for a visa prior to travelling into the country. African nationals applying for a visa-on-arrival may be required to provide proof for the reason they are entering the country, such as a tour itinerary for tourists or an invitation letter for business travelers.

Impact

African nationals traveling to Ethiopia no longer need to wait three days to obtain a visa following an e-Visa application. This allows business travelers and tourists to enter Ethiopia sooner than before.

Background

The visa-on-arrival program is the result of the government’s intentions to encourage trade, investment and tourism in Ethiopia. The African Union’s headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia is cited as a main reason for this initiative.

Looking ahead

Ethiopia’s opening of the visa-on-arrival program to all African nationals is an encouraging step for progression of free movement within the African Union member states and the continent at large, and Fragomen projects that other African countries will offer similar programs in the future. Fragomen will report on developments as they occur.

This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen or send an email to [email protected].