It was first reported on the 6th of May 2024 the immigration authorities at Somalia Mogadishu Aden Adde International Airport introduced a new policy to the visa on arrival for all incoming tourists. This policy will most likely not affect a majority of tourists but all those must be aware to avoid being denied entry into Somalia and sent on the next flight out.
Somalia Visa on Arrival
In recent years the tourism ministry of Somalia introduced a new visa on arrival scheme to allow tourists to enter and explore both the country and the capital city – Mogadishu. It’s a straight forward process that requires the traveller to have a Letter of Invitation (LOI) and $60 USD cash to be paid to the immigration officer directly.
A photo is taken of you from the immigration booth, and your visa is placed into your passport which takes up an entire passport page. This entire process takes 10 minutes. Due to the simplicity, it has encouraged those within the region or with a curious mind to visit Somalia and to see one of the most infamous fish markets in Africa.
Growing tensions between Somalia and Somaliland
On the 1st of January 2024 it was announced that Ethiopia and Somaliland signed a groundbreaking deal to allow landlocked Ethiopia to access Somaliland’s Red Sea port of Berbera. Currently Ethiopia has mostly relied on Djibouti for shipping imports.
However, this new agreement sparked anger in Mogadishu as they consider Somaliland as part of its own northern territory, and does not recognise the self-governing breakaway status. Mogadishu has stated for years they will never allow the Ethiopians access through its land for Ethiopia’s own benefits.
Not much has changed on the matter between the nations until now.
New policy for Visa on Arriva in Somalia
Mogadishu now considers the Somaliland Missions in Djibouti, Ethiopia, United Kingdom and elsewhere outside of Somaliland / Somalia to be illegal operations that go against the sovereignty of Somalia. What does this mean for tourists? For those who have previously visited Somaliland and applied for your tourist visa outside of Somaliland and is evident in your current passport – you will be denied entry.
This policy does not affect those who have previously travelled to Somaliland with YPT. We arrange your visa on arrival in Hargeisa International Airport – this is considered a legal visa to those down in Mogadishu. With your visa on arrival in Somaliland this will allow for you to obtain your visa on arrival in Mogadishu and to enter Somalia.
YPT can arrange your private tour to both Somaliland and Somalia or you can join us on our Horn of Africa combo group tour. For more questions feel free to contact us.
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