Ethiopian e-Visa requirements, eligibility and documents
Review Tourist Visa-VT eligibility, required documents, passport rules, validity, permitted stay, processing and entry information.
What is Tourist Visa-VT?
Tourist Visa-VT is an electronic single-entry visa for travellers visiting Ethiopia for tourism or another non-business purpose. Its validity begins on the intended date of entry stated in the application, not on the date the visa is issued.
Who can apply?
Citizens of all countries may apply when they meet the requirements. Citizens of Kenya and Djibouti holding valid passports are visa-exempt and should not purchase this product. Travellers with more than one nationality must use the nationality matching the passport they will use for travel.
Permitted travel purposes
Tourist Visa-VT covers tourism and other non-business travel. It must not be used for business, joint ventures, market research or other activities that require a different visa category.
Available visa options
Tourist Visa-VT is available for a single entry with a maximum stay of either 30 days or 90 days. A multiple-entry tourist option is not listed.
Validity and number of entries
The visa permits one entry. Its validity begins on the intended entry date supplied in the application, making that date particularly important.
Maximum stay
The maximum permitted stay is 30 or 90 days, depending on the option selected in the application.
Eligibility requirements
Applicants must hold a passport meeting the validity rule, travel for a non-business purpose, provide accurate information, and submit a recent passport photograph and a colour copy of the passport biographical page.
Passport requirements
The passport must remain valid for at least six months from the intended date of entry. Travellers with multiple nationalities should apply with the passport and nationality they intend to use for the trip.
Required documents
The standard tourist application requires two uploads: a recent passport-sized photograph and a colour copy of the applicant’s passport biographical page. Hotel booking, bank statements, tickets, insurance and invitation letters are not standard uploads for this flow.
Photo requirements
The ideal photograph is a recent 2 × 2 inch colour passport photo taken within the last six months, on a white background, without overexposure or underexposure. It should not be a selfie and should not use filters or retouching.
Upload guidance
Published upload guidance specifies JPEG, JPG or PNG and files below 2 MB for the photo and passport copy. The form accepts the available file without blocking progress so it can be reviewed and prepared later if needed.
Visa and travel information
The application collects the visa validity option, intended arrival date, departure country and city for the flight segment to Ethiopia, plus optional airline and flight-number details.
Accommodation information
Applicants provide accommodation type, name, city, street address and telephone number. The standard tourist flow requests the accommodation details rather than a hotel-booking upload.
Personal information
The form collects given name, surname, citizenship, gender, country and place of birth, date of birth, one email address, phone number and occupation.
Home address and passport information
Applicants provide their residential street address, city and country, together with passport type, number, issue and expiry dates, issuing country and issuing authority.
Processing time
The processing range is 1–3 days.
When to apply
Apply at least three days before the estimated arrival date. An application should not be submitted more than three months before intended arrival.
Entry requirements
Travellers who require a visa must obtain approval before entry and should use the same passport and nationality selected in the application.
Important restrictions
Tourist Visa-VT is exclusively for tourism and other non-business purposes. Incorrect information may lead to rejection or invalidation, and travellers must not use the tourist category for business activity.
Extension of stay
Tourist Visa-VT may be extended before it expires. Published procedures distinguish between visas expired by 1 to 15 days and those expired for more than 15 days; overstaying without an extension may lead to fines or legal penalties.
Requirements for minors
The general tourist information does not list separate additional documents specifically for minors. Children travelling in circumstances requiring a tourist visa must meet the applicable tourist requirements.
Application refusal
Applicants are responsible for accurate information. Incorrect or inaccurate details may cause rejection or invalidate the application, and a rejected application cannot be used for entry.
Payment method restrictions
Separate payment-network restrictions may apply to transactions originating from Afghanistan, Cuba, Iraq, North Korea, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syrian Arab Republic, Yemen and the Crimea region of Ukraine. This is not presented as a nationality-based tourist-visa eligibility restriction.