Ethiopia eVisa Requirements for South African Citizens

International travelers are advised to read through the visa requirements for South Africans to ensure they meet the most important conditions to obtain the Ethiopian eVisa. These requirements are standard for online visa applications and include the following:

• Possess a South African passport valid for at least 6 months on their arrival in Ethiopia
• Store a digital copy of their passport’s biographical page
• Take a recent passport-style photograph
• Provide a frequently used current email address
• Have a bank card to pay the eVisa fee

South African travelers with a passport set to expire in less than 180 days on the date they will reach Ethiopia must send it for renewal at their earliest convenience. Likewise, they must upload a digital copy of a recent photo (passport-style) to the device they will use when applying for the eVisa. The photo must be clear and should be of a maximum of 2 MB.

Visitors from South Africa must note they will have to register their application with an email account. All the communications plus the issuance of the eVisa will be carried out by email, so we recommend supplying an email address they frequently use and have at hand.

Lastly, the payment of the eVisa fee will be carried out by a secure online platform. South African citizens will do well in checking their bank cards have been previously activated for online payments before proceeding to the payment section.

The application for the Ethiopian eVisa is a simple questionnaire available through an online form. South African petitioners can complete their request in less than 30 minutes. They will be required to provide personal and passport information, arrival date, and choose their required duration of stay.

South African travelers need to ensure that they enter valid details into the form that match those shown on their passports. Any mistakes in their petition can lead to a delay in their evaluation process or even a denial.

South African groups planning a family holiday with children in Ethiopia should note that each arrival must reach the country with their individual eVisa approved and issued. They can fill in their dependents’ petitions on their behalf and use the same payment methods and email address for communications without any problems.

Petitioners from South Africa conclude their eVisa request by paying the processing fee. As mentioned above, we recommend they confirm their bank cards have been previously activated for international transactions and carry sufficient funds before actioning payment.

Upon submitting the Ethiopian eVisa application, South African travelers will receive an email confirming its receipt, along with a reference number for their petition. The evaluation process of their application takes between 24 and 72 hours.

If South African applicants meet the requirements and have completed their application form correctly, they should receive a confirmation email with the eVisa attached as a PDF. We recommend printing out a copy of the eVisa to display at border officials once they reach the country.

Tourists from South Africa must consider the eVisa only grants entry into Ethiopia at Bole International Airport in Addis Ababa. Upon landing, South African citizens are recommended to head straight to the fast-track counters compatible with the eVisa to save time at immigration desks.

South African visitors must remember that the eVisa only allows a single entry into the country. If they wish to momentarily exit Ethiopia in the middle of their holiday, they must request a new one to be allowed back in.

South Africans with dual nationality will need to use the same passport for the Ethiopian eVisa application as the one they intend to enter the country. The Ethiopian eVisa is automatically linked to their passport and cannot be shared with a second travel document.