Business visa
An Ethiopian business visa allows eligible visitors to travel to Ethiopia for business purposes. There are different types of business visas that are designed to enter the country for different reasons.
You can apply for a business visa to Ethiopia online or in person at an embassy or consulate. These types of visas cannot be obtained at Addis Ababa Bole International Airport on arrival.
There are many types of business visas for Ethiopia that allow visitors to enter the country for a variety of reasons. These visas allow visitors to enter Ethiopia through the Addis Ababa Bole International Airport.
Conference visa
Conference visas are issued to visitors who have received an invitation to attend a conference, seminar or workshop organized by an Ethiopian government ministry or department, regional state governments, educational institutions and universities or organizations, the United Nations, the African Union or a reputable NGO.
Requirements:
- A recent passport-size photo, a copy of the applicant's passport valid for at least 6 months from the date of entry into Ethiopia, and an invitation are required.
Any legal private company registered and based in Ethiopia
- Application letter written by the inviting company to the Ethiopian Immigration and Citizenship Service.
- Business license (extended for the financial year) of the inviting company.
- Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) certificate (updated during the financial year) of the inviting company
- Any government organization, ministry, department, or educational institution of the Government of Ethiopia
- Official application letter written by the inviting company to the Ethiopian Immigration and Citizenship Service
Non-governmental organizations registered in Ethiopia
- Official application letter written by the inviting organization to the Ethiopian Immigration and Citizenship Service
- License for registration of the inviting organization.
- Any international or intergovernmental organizations such as the United Nations and the African Union.
An official application letter written by the inviting organization to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia.
- Verbal letter (letter of support) from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia.
- The invitation letter issued by the inviting company/organization to the participant must contain a brief description of the conference, such as the name of the conference, start date, end date, and venue.
The conference visa is a 30-day single-use visa, valid from the intended date of entry into Ethiopia.
The conference visa cannot be extended.
A fee of US$32 is charged for a single-entry 30-day conference visa.
Visa for employment in a foreign commercial firm
A foreign commercial firm employment visa is a type of short-term visa for Ethiopia. It is intended for foreign workers who work for enterprises with foreign owners. The visa allows workers to enter Ethiopia once for up to one month. When submitting an application, it is necessary to provide a copy of the business license and the TIN certificate of the employer company.
Requirements:
- A copy of the following documents is mandatory.
- A recent passport-size photo of the applicant.
- Visa applicant's passport valid for at least 6 months from the intended date of entry into Ethiopia.
- An official application letter written by the inviting organization and addressed to the Ethiopian Immigration and Citizenship Service.
- Business license of the inviting company.
- TIN certificate (Taxpayer Identification Number) of the inviting company.
- A contractual agreement between the inviting company and the visa applicant.
The validity period of the visa starts counting from the date of intended entry into Ethiopia.
Travelers can apply for an extension before their visa expires in person at the Immigration and Citizenship Headquarters (Addis Ababa, Ethiopia). Travelers who stay in the country after their visa expires without an extension are subject to fines and legal sanctions.
Journalist's visa
Journalists, professional photographers, and cinematographers who wish to visit Ethiopia to prepare a report must obtain a journalist visa. A letter of support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the Ethiopian Government Liaison Service must be provided at the time of application.
Requirements:
- A copy of the following documents is mandatory.
- A recent passport-size photo of the applicant.
- Visa applicant's passport, valid for at least 6 months from the intended date of entry into Ethiopia.
- An official application letter written by the inviting organization and addressed to the Ethiopian Immigration and Citizenship Service.
- A letter of support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the Government Liaison Office of Ethiopia.
A journalist's visa cannot be extended.
For a single-entry 30-day journalist visa, the application fee is $42.
Visa for a private company in Ethiopia
The Ethiopian private firm visa is a work visa for foreign nationals who enter the country for short-term projects, assignments, or work for Ethiopian companies. The applicant firm must be owned by an Ethiopian company. In addition, a contractual agreement must be concluded between the applicant and the inviting company.
Requirements:
- A copy of the following documents is mandatory.
- A recent passport-size photo of the applicant.
- Visa applicant's passport, valid for at least 6 months from the intended date of entry into Ethiopia.
- An official application letter written by the inviting organization and addressed to the Ethiopian Immigration and Citizenship Service.
- Business license of the inviting company
- Certificate of Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) of the inviting company
- A contractual agreement between the inviting company and the visa applicant.
Travelers may request an extension before the visa expires by contacting the Immigration and Nationality Directorate General (Addis Ababa, Ethiopia) in person. Travelers who stay in the country after their visa expires without an extension are subject to fines and legal sanctions.
For a single-entry 30-day visa, the application fee is $32.
Investment visa
Citizens investing in the Ethiopian economy can apply for an investment visa to enter Ethiopia. These include potential investors invited by a company. Applicants must provide a number of required documents, including a letter of support from the Investment Commission of Ethiopia.
Requirements:
- A recent passport-size photo and a copy of the traveler's passport, valid for at least 6 months from the date of entry, are required.
In addition, if the traveler is traveling to Ethiopia for the first time for the purpose of investing or exploring investment opportunities, it is necessary to provide:
- Letter of support (confirmation that you are traveling for investment purposes) from the nearest Ethiopian embassy.
If a traveler is invited by a company that has participated in investment activities in Ethiopia, the following documents must be provided:
- An official application letter written by the inviting organization and addressed to the Ethiopian Immigration and Citizenship Service.
- Business license of the inviting company.
- Letter of support from the Investment Commission of Ethiopia.
The visa is valid from the date of intended entry into Ethiopia. Travelers may apply for a visa extension before the visa expires by contacting the Immigration and Citizenship Headquarters (Addis Ababa, Ethiopia) in person.
- Single entry - 30 days - 32 USD
- Multiple entry - 90 days - 42 USD
- Multiple entry - 6 months - 62 USD
- Multiple entry - 12 months - 122 USD
Ethiopian government employment visa
Ethiopian government work visa is another type of work visa to Ethiopia. It is intended for foreign nationals working in government institutions and ministries of Ethiopia. A written request from the relevant government agency must be provided when submitting the application.
Requirements:
- A copy of the following documents is mandatory.
- A recent passport-size photo of the applicant.
- Visa applicant's passport, valid for at least 6 months from the intended date of entry into Ethiopia.
- An official application letter written by the inviting organization and addressed to the Ethiopian Immigration and Citizenship Service.
For a single-entry 30-day visa, the application fee is $32.
Work visa of international organizations/embassies
Foreign citizens invited by international organizations or embassies to work may receive work visas of international organizations/embassies. Applicants must provide a copy of the written application letter from the relevant organization or embassy.
Requirements:
- A copy of the following documents is mandatory.
- A recent passport-size photo of the applicant.
- Visa applicant's passport, valid for at least 6 months from the intended date of entry into Ethiopia.
- Official application letter of the organization/embassy to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia.
- A verbal letter or letter of support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia.
Under normal circumstances, the processing time for a work visa for international organizations/embassies is 3 days. Therefore, travelers must apply no later than 3 days before the date of arrival.
The validity period of the work visa for international organizations/embassies starts from the date of intended entry into Ethiopia.
A fee of USD 52 is charged for a one-month single-entry visa.
Short-term visa for government institutions
Short-term government agency visas are intended for foreign nationals who wish to enter Ethiopia for a short period of time to work in government agencies. To submit an application, it is necessary to provide a written application letter from the relevant state institution.
Requirements:
- A copy of the following documents is mandatory.
- A recent passport-size photograph of the applicant.
- Visa applicant's passport, valid for at least 6 months from the intended date of entry into Ethiopia.
- An official application letter written by the inviting organization and addressed to the Ethiopian Immigration and Citizenship Service.
Under normal circumstances, the visa processing period is 3 days. Therefore, travelers should apply no later than 3 days before the expected date of arrival.
- Single-entry - 30 days - 22 USD
- Multiple-entry - 90 days - 82 USD
- Multiple-entry - 6 months - 122 USD
NGO work visa
Foreign nationals invited to work by non-governmental organizations operating in Ethiopia can obtain an NGO work visa. They are intended for short-term tasks and projects. When submitting an application, a written invitation letter from the NGO must be provided.
Requirements:
- A copy of the following documents is mandatory.
- A recent passport-size photo of the applicant.
- Visa applicant's passport, valid for at least 6 months from the intended date of entry into Ethiopia.
- An official application letter written by the inviting organization and addressed to the Ethiopian Immigration and Citizenship Service.
- Registration license of the inviting organization.
The NGO visa cannot be extended.
There is a US$62 fee for a single-entry 30-day NGO visa.
Ethiopia