Our readers already know that we always try to cover as many countries as possible in our articles and today it will not be an exception as we are travelling to one of the most unknown travel destinations in African continents and if you still could not guess its name… Well, book your flight tickets because we are going to Djibouti! Before traveling to Djibouti, you will need to apply for Djibouti visa.
But where even is Djibouti? In short, it is a tiny country having borders the Red Sea and the Bab-el-Mandeb strait on Africa's northeastern coast. Djibouti shares maritime borders with Yemen and is surrounded by Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Somalia. The region was once part of the Land of Punt, which included Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Somaliland. Djibouti is a multi-ethnic country with a population of about 921,804 people, making it Africa's smallest country. The official languages of the nation are French and Arabic. Surprisingly, Djibouti has very important access over significant waterways, such as the Red Sea, as well as the Suez Canal, one of the world's busiest maritime routes. In 1892, the administrative capital was relocated from Obock to Djibouti. Djibouti was renamed French Somaliland in 1896. The country drew trade caravans across East Africa as well as Somali settlers from the south, thanks to its natural harbour and easy access to the Ethiopian highlands.
Djibouti City is the capital of Djibouti. It is notable for its 19th-century architecture as well as the port near the Red Sea's entrance. There are nice restaurants, pubs, and hotels in this area, so you may expect some very hospitable recreational amenities. However, if you go out of the capital those who enjoy outdoor activities will still be able to find plenty of different activities to keep them occupied here. Snorkelling with sharks, diving, kitesurfing, and trekking are all popular activities among international travellers.
Even though we could easily write a book about all the breathtaking places in Djibouti, it is worth mentioning the fact that our focus in this blog will be a little bit different. As you could have read from the title today, we are talking about the visa policy of Djibouti specifically about the different Djibouti visa types. We will also try to answer commonly asked questions such as “Do I need a visa for Djibouti?” and “How to get Djibouti visa?”.
First of all, do I need a visa for Djibouti? In order to answer this question in the simplest way possible, we can easily separate all countries around the world into two groups: Djibouti visa free countries and countries that need a Djibouti online visa. Surprisingly enough, the Djibouti visa free countries list only has one country’s name in it, which is Singapore. Meanwhile, all other nationals are eligible for a Djibouti online visa. Furthermore, Chinese citizens with passports stamped "for public affairs" are exempt from visa requirements.
Every traveller needs to obtain a visa prior to their visit to the country, except Singaporeans. For transit reasons, tourism, business, cultural, and other short-term purposes foreign people can apply for short-term visas which are also known as e-visa in Djibouti. If you wish to stay in Djibouti for a long time for various reasons, you can apply for long-term visas through embassies or a residency permit with the special purposes of work, education. The Djibouti E-visa is an online application for a visa to visit Djibouti. If your reason to travel to Djibouti is tourism, business, family visit, or transit you are all good to apply for an online visa. Also, bear in your mind that all nationalities and citizens of all nations are eligible for a Djibouti E-visa.
The E-visa for Djibouti can be valid for up to 90 days. According to the period of validity, there are two types of Djibouti E-visas: Djibouti transit visas that are valid for up to 14 days and e-visas that are valid for up to 90 days known as short-term Djibouti online visas. Is a transit visa required while passing via Djibouti? You will not require a Transit visa if you will not exit the Djibouti airport's transit area. Additionally, visitors can apply for a Djibouti transit visa that is valid for 3 days or a single entry visit visa valid for 31 days.
But how to get Djibouti visa and how much is the Djibouti e visa cost? A passport that must be valid for at least 6 months after your arrival date in Djibouti and must be signed by the holder is one of the Djibouti visa requirements. You will also need to attach a flight reservation that includes a round-trip ticket. However, when you arrive in Djibouti, you might be additionally asked to present the following documents: a printed Djibouti e-visa, a travel itinerary, a flight reservation, a valid hotel reservation with the complete location including the name and street of your hotel/hostel, and, if applicable, an invitation letter. The typical processing period for an E-visa to Djibouti is between 1 and 3 business days. The Djibouti e visa cost is 12 USD for a 15-day visa and 23 USD for a 90-day visa. You will submit an online application for a Djibouti E-visa. Also, it is worth mentioning the fact that e-visa holders are permitted to enter Djibouti through Ambouli International Airport only. What are the benefits of an e-Visa? Traditional on-paper Djibouti visa applications will require you to visit an embassy or consulate. You may apply for an e-Visa online from anywhere in the world, and it will also make your arrival procedure easier. It is possible to receive a denial from the Djibouti e-Visa application, despite the fact that this happens extremely rarely.
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If you wish to apply for a Djibouti visa with a longer validity term or if your trip objective is not tourist, business, family visit, or transit, you may do so through Djibouti's embassies all around the world. In most situations, visas are either designed for a single entry and valid for up to 90 days or are multiple-entry and valid for up to 6 months. Almost all the same Djibouti visa requirements for the Djibouti online visa are also demanded for obtaining the embassy visa. However, you might be required to showcase some supporting documents related to your travel purpose. Confirmation of the accommodation for Djibouti tourist visa for example. You will need an official invitation letter from the firm or group if you are planning to do business. Original invitation letter from the educational establishment in Djibouti, acceptance letter from the educational establishment in Djibouti, and confirmation of the accommodation are required for the study. And last but not least, for employment, an original invitation letter from a Djibouti-based firm.
The processing time for a Djibouti Short-term visa also referred to as a Djibouti tourist visa is typically between 1 and 3 business days. It is also important to mention that the Djibouti visa fee is 85 USD for up to 90 days and 113 USD for up to 90 days. However, bear in your mind that the charge may differ based on your nationality and the country from which you submit your application. You must apply for a Djibouti Short-term visa at one of Djibouti's embassies or consulates in your country of residency, whichever accepts visa applications. However, if unfortunately, none exist in your homeland, then you must apply to the embassy or consulate that is closest to your country of residence which in most cases is located in one of the neighbouring countries.
Interestingly enough, the immigration authorities in Djibouti had the ability to grant visas on arrival. Passengers having a passport valid for at least six months beyond their arrival date are eligible for a visa on arrival. According to changes in the visa policy of Djibouti, nationals of any country with an ordinary passport will no longer be able to get a visa on arrival as of 1st of May 2018 and must instead apply for an e-visa online.
In most circumstances, if you want to stay in Djibouti for an extended amount of time, you will have to renew your visa or apply for a resident permit in Djibouti. However, we would advise you for the most up-to-date information on Djibouti long-term visas, it is best to contact the nearest Djibouti embassies or consulates whichever is responsible for the visa issue. They may be able to give you a long-term visa or a short-term visa, allowing you to enter Djibouti with that visa and apply for an extension or resident permit in Djibouti.
All visitors who have visited South Africa, India, or Brazil are for now prohibited from visiting Djibouti. In addition, you must have a negative COVID-19 PCR test result within 72 hours of departure and 120 hours of arrival in Djibouti to enter the country. The Djibouti Tourist e-visa does not entitle the holder to automatic admission into the country. What we mean is if an immigration officer at the port of entry believes a person is unable to meet the immigration criteria, they may reject your entrance.
