Ethiopia Visa for Indian - Definitive Guide

The Ethiopian visa is an endorsement that lets people enter the country and take part in various activities in the country. Thanks to the recent advancements, the Ethiopia visa for Indian citizens is issued in the form of an e-visa. However, note that the online Ethiopia visa for Indians is valid only if you fly to Ethiopia and if your port of entry is Addis Ababa. For other means of transport and port of entry, you will have to apply offline to the Embassy.

In order to apply for the Ethiopia e visa, the procedure is as mentioned below. However, note that in certain cases where you may not be eligible for this type, you can simply visit the nearest embassy and apply offline. 

Now, before you start your application, it is necessary that you check the eligibility criteria to ensure that you are allowed to apply for the particular category visa. After that, you can proceed to make the application as follows - 

1. Visit the e-visa portal of the Ethiopian immigration department. 
2. Fill in the Ethiopia online visa application form with all the details.
3. You will have to provide your basic information, travel information, as well as other relevant information.
4. Proceed to upload your documents. 
5. Once you have completed filling the Ethiopia visa application form, you can review it and then submit.
6. You must then proceed to pay the necessary fees and finally file the application.

There are a number of types of the Ethiopia e visa. Based on the purpose of the visit, the permits can be classified into the following categories - 

• Tourist - These are issued for people travelling to the country to take part in tourism-related activities. Although it is available as an e-visa, these are also issued as an Ethiopia visa on arrival for Indian passport holders. 
• Business (Conference) - This type of permit is granted for people entering the country for meetings, conferences, seminars, workshops, and so on. Similar to the tourist permit, these can also be granted on arrival.
• Investment - This type is issued for potential business investors or others who are already engaged in investment activities in the country. 
• Employment - These are granted for people who are visiting Ethiopia to take part in employment with a company in Ethiopia. Based on whether the company is private, foreign, NGO, or government-owned, these are issued accordingly. 
• Journalist - This type is for media professionals or filmmakers entering the country for their related work. 

As per the Ethiopia visa application requirements, the following are the list of documents you must submit for the application. However, based on the exact type of visa, there will additional documents necessary. 

• A passport valid for at least 6 months from the date of entry in Ethiopia.
• A recent photograph as per the specifications. 
• Supporting documents, if any.
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As per the Ethiopia visa requirements for Indian citizens, the photograph uploaded must meet the following specifications -

• Dimensions:  45mm X 35mm
• Colour: Coloured 
• Head must occupy the central position
• Must be recently captured within the last 6 months
• Background: Solid, plain white or grey
• 80% face coverage
• Neutral expression
• Glasses: Non-thick framed and prescription are permitted
• Headgears are allowed only for religious reasons
• Facial hair - permitted

The processing time for the visa depends on the type of the permit, the volume of applications, as well as on how fast the embassy can verify your documents. Normally, the visa can be processed in just about 3 working days. However, in certain cases, it can even take longer. As a result, you must apply well in advance.

The fees for the Ethiopian permit depends on the exact type of the visa, the stay duration, as well as on the number of entries. Since the fees mentioned for the e-visa is in USD, it can also vary slightly depending on the foreign exchange rates with the INR. As a result, you must check the exact fees before starting the application. 

Checking the status of your application is a very easy process. You can do this by clicking here and entering your passport number and the reference number. In case you have applied through a travel agency, you can contact them to know the status of your application.

As long as you are travelling via air, and that your port of entry is the Addis Ababa airport in Ethiopia, you can apply for an e-visa. For certain categories, you can even obtain a visa on arrival. In case you are in neither of the two above categories,  you will have to apply directly to the Embassy of Ethiopia in New Delhi.