Employment visa for a foreign national hired by a business firm owned or operated by foreigners in Ethiopia.
Eligibility: 1Documents: 1Process & costs: 4Report facts: 9
Official government source: evisa.gov.et · checked 2026-07-27
Eastern Africa · Immigration
Ethiopia
Ethiopia sits in Eastern Africa. Its immigration system runs 21 distinct routes — led by short stays and visits, investment and work, each set out in official law. 19 of them cite an official government source, shown on the route with the date we last read it. Who actually qualifies depends on your full profile.
2 further routes are recorded for Ethiopia but not shown here — their details are still under review.
- Immigration routes
- 21across 12 route categories, each set out in official law
- Source-cited routes
- 19 of 21cite an official government source, with the date we last read it
- Largest category
- Short stays and visits4 of the 21 routes — see them under Short stays and visits below
- Region
- Eastern Africa
- Capital
- Addis Ababa
- Population
- 135,472,051
- Official language
- Amharic
- Currency
- ETB
- Time zone
- UTC+03:00
Source-cited pathways
Immigration routes
All 21 routes, grouped by purpose — 19 of 21 cite an official government source directly. Any route below without one says so on the route.
Work
2 routes
Employment or short-assignment visa for a foreign national invited by an NGO operating in Ethiopia.
Eligibility: 1Documents: 1Process & costs: 4Report facts: 8
Official government source: evisa.gov.et · checked 2026-07-27
Investment
3 routes
For a foreign national investing over USD 10 million, or over USD 5 million in qualifying economic-development activity under special circumstances.
Report facts: 3
Official government source: hopr.gov.et · checked 2026-07-29
Visa for an existing or prospective foreign investor supported by the Ethiopian Investment Commission and an inviting organisation.
Eligibility: 3Documents: 1Process & costs: 2Report facts: 8
Official government source: evisa.gov.et · checked 2026-07-27
For a foreign national who owns or possesses immovable property in Ethiopia in accordance with the relevant laws.
Report facts: 2
Official government source: hopr.gov.et · checked 2026-07-29
Starting a business
1 route
Visa for a foreign national entering Ethiopia for business or market research.
Eligibility: 2Documents: 1Process & costs: 2Report facts: 7
Official government source: evisa.gov.et · checked 2026-07-27
Talent and merit
1 route
Visa for performers, production personnel or support staff working on film, television or live productions.
Eligibility: 3Documents: 1Process & costs: 2Report facts: 5
Official government source: evisa.gov.et · checked 2026-08-03
Study
2 routes
For a foreign national coming to Ethiopia for a temporary internship.
Report facts: 1
Official government source: hopr.gov.et · checked 2026-07-29
Temporary student visa for a full-time course at a recognised Ethiopian educational institution.
Eligibility: 2Documents: 1Process & costs: 3Report facts: 6
Official government source: evisa.gov.et · checked 2026-07-27
Long-term residence
1 route
Fixed-term residence visa for a foreign national entering Ethiopia on a pathway intended to lead to permanent residence over time.
Eligibility: 1Documents: 3Process & costs: 3Report facts: 5
Official government source: evisa.gov.et · checked 2026-07-27
Culture, faith and volunteering
1 route
Visa for a foreign national entering Ethiopia to take part in religious activities at the invitation of a religious entity.
Eligibility: 1Process & costs: 1Report facts: 9
Official government source: evisa.gov.et · checked 2026-07-27
Short stays and visits
4 routes
Single-entry electronic tourist visa available to citizens of all countries for tourism or other non-business purposes.
Documents: 1Process & costs: 3Report facts: 8
Tourist visa issued on arrival to a passport holder from a nationality in Ethiopia's published eligibility list.
Documents: 1Process & costs: 2Report facts: 4
Visa-free entry for a Kenyan or Djiboutian citizen holding a valid passport.
Documents: 1Report facts: 5
— No eligibility summary published for this route yet
Documents: 1Process & costs: 4Report facts: 10
Official government source: evisa.gov.et · checked 2026-07-27
Humanitarian protection
2 routes
Emergency-limited asylum registration process with RRS and UNHCR; general new registration remains suspended, with current exceptions at designated border points.
Documents: 1Process & costs: 3Report facts: 4
Refugee Status DeterminationUnknown
Government-run refugee-status process using prima-facie recognition for designated cohorts and individual assessment for other nationalities.
Documents: 2Process & costs: 2Report facts: 6
Source pending confirmation: help.unhcr.org · checked 2026-07-27
Medical treatment
1 route
Visa for a foreign national entering Ethiopia to receive medical treatment from an inviting health organisation.
Documents: 1Process & costs: 2Report facts: 7
Official government source: evisa.gov.et · checked 2026-07-27
Sport
1 route
Visa for a foreign athlete entering Ethiopia for a sports event or training.
Eligibility: 1Documents: 2Process & costs: 2Report facts: 6
Official government source: evisa.gov.et · checked 2026-07-27
Special cases
2 routes
For a foreign national leaving Ethiopia.
Eligibility: 1Report facts: 1
Official government source: hopr.gov.et · checked 2026-07-29
Institutional visa for a foreign national carrying out a short task for an Ethiopian government office or institution.
Eligibility: 1Documents: 1Process & costs: 4Report facts: 3
Official government source: evisa.gov.et · checked 2026-07-27
Official sources
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