Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
»Before leaving home, visitors can get in touch with their national support organisation.
Ask for the 'travel officer', who may have a list of travel agents that specialise in tours for
people with disabilities.
Visas & Documents
Be aware that visa regulations can change. The Ethiopian embassy in your home country
is the best source of up-to-date information.
»Currently, all visitors except Kenyan and Djiboutian nationals need visas to visit
Ethiopia.
»Nationals of most Western countries can obtain tourist visas on arrival at Bole Interna-
tional Airport. Aside from some queuing, the process upon arrival is painless and a tourist
visa costs only US$20 or €17. Normally immigration staff automatically grant a one-
month visa, but if you request it, three months doesn't seem to be an issue. Immigration
officials in Addis Ababa told us that they don't require onward air tickets, though some
people have been asked for them.
»Three- and six-month multiple entry visas are also possible.
»Note that visas are NOT available at any land border.
»Ethiopian embassies abroad may (or equally may not; it varies from embassy to em-
bassy) require some or all of the following to accompany visa applications: an onward air
ticket (or airline itinerary), a visa for the next country you're planning to visit, a yellow-
fever vaccination certificate and proof of sufficient funds (officially a minimum of US$50
per day).
»If your citizenship isn't one that can acquire a visa at Bole and there's also no Ethiopian
diplomatic representation in your country, you may be able to ask Ethiopian Airlines or a
tour operator to order you a visa before your arrival; otherwise contact the Department of
Immigration in Addis in advance. Visas cannot be obtained on arrival without prior ar-
rangement at immigration.
»Travellers of all nationalities can obtain transit visas on arrival or at the embassies
abroad; these are valid for up to seven days.
»The
Department of Immigration
(off Zambia St, Addis Ababa; 8.30am-12.30pm &
1.30-5.30pm Mon-Fri)
is very unlikely to grant visa extensions to those travelling on tour-
ist visas. One of the authors of this topic was unable to extend his visa in Addis and ended
up flying to Nairobi and then straight back again where he was issued with another one-
