Ethiopian Visa IN SA prices - huge fee increase

**mdegale** · 2015/01/21, 11:37 AM

Hi all

Nasty shock when applying for our Ethiopian Visa from South Africa. We need a 6 month tourist visa as they are valid from issue and we only expect to get there in March/April.

Anyway the Embassy site in Pretoria lists the fees here:

http://ethiopianembassy.org.za/visafees.htm.

THEY ARE WRONG.

The new fees for tourist visas are as follows:

30 days, single entry, R480 per person
3 months, multi entry: R840
6 months, multi entry: R960 ( up from R280)

There were a few courier companies there coming back after depoisting further funds, so seems like its a very recent change.

On the positive side, they are ready in two days.

**Green** · 2015/01/21, 11:43 AM

Why don't you get your visas at the embassy in Nairobi?
If memory serves me correctly, we got them the same day.

Enjoy Ethiopia, it is fantastic!

**mdegale** · 2015/01/21, 11:48 AM

Why don't you get your visas at the embassy in Nairobi?
If memory serves me correctly, we got them the same day.

All the advice we got - on this forum and beyond - is that its no longer possible to do that; that visa's must be applied for in one's country of origin; and that the only way for a South Africa (for example) to get a visa in Nairobi is to courier the passports back to the Pretoria embassy.

Enjoy Ethiopia, it is fantastic!

Thanks! Very excited!

**Stan Weakley** · 2015/01/21, 01:02 PM

Thanks Mathew, any idea what the longest time period is that one can get for a multi-entry Ethiopian visa. Can one for instance get one for a year?

I am still fiddling about with this Ethiopian visa issue. It would be good to get it sorted from SA but it looks like couriering back whilst in Kenya is going to be the way to go. How did you cope in Kenya whilst your passport was in the hands of the couriers? Can you forsee any problems not having a passport for a few weeks?

My problem is that we will be going through Ethiopia on our way back home as well. I want to allow plenty of time for Sudan and probably Egypt. We would also like to have plenty of time going through Ethiopia on our return trip, hence the long visa storey.

**mdegale** · 2015/01/22, 06:16 PM

Originally Posted by Stan Weakley

Thanks Mathew, any idea what the longest time period is that one can get for a multi-entry Ethiopian visa. Can one for instance get one for a year?

They don't advertise for a year (ie there is no fee structure. Try calling them (Tel : (012) 346 4067) . They are quite good at answering *direct* & specific questions well. They are bad at saying "oh by the way, our fees have tripled and no one has updated the website ;-)"

I am still fiddling about with this Ethiopian visa issue. It would be good to get it sorted from SA but it looks like couriering back whilst in Kenya is going to be the way to go. How did you cope in Kenya whilst your passport was in the hands of the couriers? Can you forsee any problems not having a passport for a few weeks?

Sorry if I wasn't clear. We're still in Jozi, about to leave (this visa and a Home affairs snafu on my second passport causing stressful delays). It was Green above who mentioned getting a visa from Nairobi; my understanding is that its waaay better to to get it here before departure. Six months works for us though so may not be useful to you.
One thing: i was worried about their requirements to have confirmed accom bookings - which i don't have since we aren't exactly on a strict timetable ;-). I wrote a proposed itinerary and some accom places where we were likely to stay. I also had a friend in Addis who agreed to let me put his details down, but they were pretty chilled about this requirement for self-drivers so don't stress about that too much.

My problem is that we will be going through Ethiopia on our way back home as well. I want to allow plenty of time for Sudan and probably Egypt. We would also like to have plenty of time going through Ethiopia on our return trip, hence the long visa storey.

Personally I'd still get one end on this side; if you have the fees right and the docs in order its actually not such a bad process (2 days wait, no queues at the actual embassy - assuming you're within shouting distance of Pta). I know the other threads indicate that visa extensions are tricky, but that may still be an option in country.
And call them: there may be a sane resolution ;-)

**Stan Weakley** · 2015/01/22, 07:34 PM

Thank you Mathew sound advice to phone and on my to do list. I just find that when dealing with beaurocracy, forewarned is forearmed.

Perhaps our paths will cross, we are leaving mid-April.