Ethiopia Names Over 100 Countries Whose Citizens Qualify for Visa on Arrival
- Ethiopia published a list of over 100 countries whose citizens can obtain a tourist visa on arrival, removing the need to apply before departure
- African nations including Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, Nigeria and Rwanda are among the countries covered under the visa-on-arrival programme
- Ethiopian authorities introduced the scheme to simplify entry procedures and boost international tourism to the East African country
Ethiopia has released a comprehensive list of more than 100 countries whose citizens qualify for a tourist visa on arrival, allowing eligible travellers to receive their entry documentation upon landing rather than applying in advance.
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The Ethiopian authorities announced the visa-on-arrival programme as part of efforts to streamline the entry process for international visitors and promote tourism to the East African nation.
Which countries qualify for Ethiopia's visa on arrival
The approved list covers countries across Africa, Europe, Asia, the Americas and the Middle East. African nations included are Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Chad, Comoros, Côte d'Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, the Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Eswatini, Tanzania, The Gambia, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
European countries on the list include Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kosovo, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine and the United Kingdom.
From Asia and the Middle East, eligible countries include Bahrain, China, Georgia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Malaysia, North Korea, Oman, Philippines, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey and the UAE.
Canada, the United States, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Australia and New Zealand are also included on the approved list.
How the visa on arrival scheme works
Under the programme, citizens of the listed countries are able to present themselves at an Ethiopian port of entry and receive their tourist visa on the spot, subject to the country's standard immigration requirements.
The initiative removes the obligation for eligible visitors to secure a visa through an embassy or consulate prior to travel.
The announcement comes as several African countries have moved to revise and simplify their travel entry requirements, with a growing number of nations on the continent introducing visa-on-arrival or visa-free arrangements to encourage regional and international movement.
South Africa lists eligible visa-free travel countries
In a related development, YEN.com.gh reported that South Africa has published its 2026 visa exemption list, allowing citizens of 32 African countries to visit without a visa.
The document covers multiple passport categories, including diplomatic, official, service, ordinary, and special passports.
Permitted stays range from 30 to 90 days, depending on the traveller's nationality and passport type.
Source: YEN.com.gh
