Getting visa to travel to Somalia?

You may need an entry visa to stay in Somalia for a period of maximum 90 days. Persons wishing to enter Somalia for a temporary visit, require entry Visa, for instance:

• on business or to take part in a conference
• to visit relatives and friends
• as a tourist

Different rules apply if you wish to stay longer than 90 days in Somalia and in this case you may require an authorization for temporary stay Application should be submitted to the Embassy of Somalia or to the Consulate-General of Somalia.

In countries where there is no Somalia diplomatic mission, please contact the nearest Somali mission in the same region.

Decisions whether to grant entry visa or not generally may take up to a month. In some cases applications are forwarded to the Somali Immigration and Naturalization Department for a decision.

Entry Visa requirements

• Completed Visa application Form – Incomplete forms may cause delays in issuance of applicant’s visa
• A passport that is valid within 6 months
• Two (2) recent passport size photos
• Copy of Flight Reservation
• Non-Refundable Fee: made payable to the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Somalia

Further Information

People intending to travel to Somalia may inquire with the Directorate of Immigration & Naturalization whether they need to obtain a visa prior to arrival. The processing time of Somali visas is can take several working days so be sure to file an application in good time.

The type of visa that you require for entry into Somalia depends on several different factors such as your nationality, the purpose of your planned visit and duration. It is requirement travellers to have at least six months validity remaining on their passports. Immigration authorities may refuse entry if you arrive with less than this.