Ethiopia: visa and entry rules
What you need to get in, how long you may stay, and what an overstay costs
Ethiopia's borders: every crossing point
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Ethiopia's land border crossings, neighbour by neighbour:
With Djibouti: Galafi and Dewele. This is the country's main corridor: Ethiopia is landlocked, and almost all of its external freight goes through the port of Djibouti.
With Kenya: Moyale in the south.
With Sudan: Metema in the west.
With South Sudan the crossings work irregularly.
With Somalia and Somaliland: Wajaale is the main crossing to the east.
The border with Eritrea is closed.
Visas are not issued at land crossings — you have to arrange one online in advance, otherwise you will be turned back at the border.
Driving to Ethiopia
A visa has to be arranged strictly in advance — it is not issued at land crossings, and that is the key point for anyone arriving under their own steam.
The main routes come in from Djibouti and Kenya.
Ask customs directly about the carnet and the temporary import period for Ethiopia. The rules are revised, and what holds true for the neighbours may not work here.
An International Driving Permit is required.
Roads deteriorate badly in the rainy season, and some routes become impassable.
Travelling to Ethiopia with a pet
An international veterinary certificate is required, endorsed by the state veterinary service of the country you are leaving.
A rabies vaccination must be valid on the date of entry.
An import permit is arranged in advance with the veterinary service.
Agree the vaccinations and quarantine for bringing an animal into Ethiopia with the local veterinary service in advance — before you buy the tickets.
Overstaying your visa in Ethiopia
A fine is charged for exceeding the term of your visa and is paid on departure.
The fine is calculated as you leave, and you will learn the figure at passport control. There is no finding it out in advance in Ethiopia: the rates are revised and the reference sources disagree. Allow for cash and for time.
The term is the one on your visa, and it can be 30 days rather than the 90 you expect.
A serious overstay means deportation and an entry ban.
What else to check before you go
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Entry rules change faster than anything else on this site, and they change without notice. We cross-check every page against several sources and state the date it was verified, but that does not replace the main step: before you travel, check an official source — the country’s consulate, its immigration service or its e-visa portal. Especially if more than a couple of months have passed since our check.