Ethiopia Travel Guide
Visa summary
247 passport nationalities researched for entry into Ethiopia.
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Guide
Ethiopia's entry rules have a trap. The e-Visa, launched in June 2017 and open to citizens of all countries, is the route most guides recommend, at about 52 US dollars for a 30 day single entry and 72 dollars for a 90 day option, according to guides, and a traveler entering on an e-Visa must arrive through Bole International Airport in Addis Ababa. Only citizens of Kenya, who get one year, and Djibouti, who get three months, are visa exempt.
Sources disagree about visa on arrival. Wikipedia's summary says three month tourist visas are available at Bole for African Union members, with some exceptions, EU citizens, and nationals of more than 40 other countries including Australia, Canada, Japan, and the United States, while several 2026 guides say it is not available for nearly all nationalities, so treat the e-Visa as the safe choice.
Health rules apply to everyone. A yellow fever vaccination certificate is described as mandatory for all travelers regardless of nationality, with the vaccine given at least 10 days before travel.
Border crossings
- Bole, the one airport that takes the e-Visa
First entry on an e-Visa must be through Bole, which shapes any itinerary that starts elsewhere, such as an overland arrival from Kenya.
- Land borders need a physical visa
Wikipedia notes that physical visas are required for all visitors entering by land, obtained beforehand from Ethiopian diplomatic missions. Moyale is the crossing with Kenya, mentioned in this site's Kenya guide.
Transit routes
- Airside transit, up to twelve hours
Transit passengers of any nationality can stay in designated airport areas for up to twelve hours without a visa.
- Plan the first entry through Addis
If your e-Visa was issued for a trip that starts in another city, you will not be allowed to enter there, so book your first arrival into Bole.
Entry point notes
- Kenyans and Djiboutians are the only exempt nationalities
Everyone else needs an e-Visa, a visa on arrival where available, or a physical visa from a mission.
- Some nationalities cannot pay the e-Visa fee online
Afghanistan, Cuba, Iraq, North Korea, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen are listed as facing payment restrictions.