South Africa Ethiopia

Ethiopia Visa Requirements for South Africa Citizens

Q: How much does a Ethiopia visa cost for South Africa citizens?

Tourist eVisa — 30 days: 62 USD. Other options are listed in the visa types section on this page.

eVisa

South Africa passport holders need an eVisa for Ethiopia, applied for online before travel.

Ethiopia's eVisa portal lists two single-entry tourist visas: 30 days for USD 62 and 90 days for USD 152.

“Single Entry 30 Days 62 Single Entry 90 Days 152”

Source: Ethiopian eVisa (Immigration and Citizenship Service) — Tourist Visa: fees and durations · checked 7 Oct 2026

Apply online for eVisa to Ethiopia

Check another trip

Your passport

Destination

How to get your eVisa for Ethiopia in three steps

Complete the application online with your South Africa passport details.
Pay the fee — 62 USD by card.
Check your inbox — the approval is linked to your passport.

Apply online

Ethiopia visa options for South Africa citizens

Tourist eVisa — 30 days

eVisa

Fee: 62 USD
Max stay: 30 days
Entries: Single
Extension: Possible

Single entry. The Tourist Visa page also lists a single-entry 90-day eVisa for USD 152, and says that under normal circumstances the processing time for a Tourist Visa is 3 days.

Documents (2)

Recent passport-size photo
Copy of the passport

Official application site →

Tourist Visa on Arrival (Addis Ababa Bole airport)

On arrival

Fee and processing time not published — confirm with the embassy or consulate before you apply.

What the Ethiopia visa rules mean for South Africa travellers

South Africa passport holders need an eVisa to enter Ethiopia. You apply online, upload a passport scan and a photo, pay the fee and receive the visa by email. Apply at least one to two weeks before your trip and print the approval — some airlines and border officers ask to see it on paper.

The main option is the Tourist eVisa — 30 days, which costs 62 USD. Ethiopia also offers Tourist Visa on Arrival (Addis Ababa Bole airport) — see the visa options above.

Documents to prepare

Whatever your visa status, Ethiopia applies the same entry conditions to every traveller:

Passport validity: Ethiopia's eVisa site asks for a passport valid for at least 6 months from the intended date of entry to Ethiopia, and the UK government says your passport must be valid for at least 6 months after the date you arrive a…
Vaccinations: Yellow fever: WHO lists Ethiopia as requiring proof of yellow fever vaccination from travellers aged 9 months or over arriving from countries at risk of yellow fever transmission.
Travel insurance: No official source we could read states a travel-insurance requirement for Ethiopia. The UK Foreign Office advises checking before you travel that you have appropriate travel insurance for local treatment or unexpected …
Return or onward ticket: No official source we could read states whether Ethiopia requires a return or onward ticket.

Ethiopia entry rules compared

Ethiopia lets 2 passports in without a visa, issues eVisas to 196. South Africa citizens are treated the same way as Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana and Burkina Faso. Overall the South Africa passport ranks #96 in the world with 61 visa-free destinations.

More travel options

Planning a longer trip in Africa? With a South Africa passport you can also visit 17 countries in the region without a visa, including Angola, Benin, Botswana, Cape Verde, Gabon, Kenya, Lesotho and Mauritius.

In the other direction, Ethiopia citizens need a visa to visit South Africa.

Entry requirements for Ethiopia

Passport validity

6 months

Ethiopia's eVisa site asks for a passport valid for at least 6 months from the intended date of entry to Ethiopia, and the UK government says your passport must be valid for at least 6 months after the date you arrive and be machine-readable.

Apply for Ethiopian eVISA Online | Ethiopian E Visa Official Website✓ Checked 3 Oct 2026

Vaccinations: Yellow fever

9 months

WHO lists Ethiopia as requiring proof of yellow fever vaccination from travellers aged 9 months or over arriving from countries at risk of yellow fever transmission.

WHO, International Travel and Health, Annex 1 — countries requiring proof of vaccination against yellow fever✓ Checked 3 Oct 2026

Travel insurance

No official source we could read states a travel-insurance requirement for Ethiopia. The UK Foreign Office advises checking before you travel that you have appropriate travel insurance for local treatment or unexpected medical evacuation.

UK FCDO — Ethiopia travel advice: health✓ Checked 4 Oct 2026

Return or onward ticket

No official source we could read states whether Ethiopia requires a return or onward ticket.

Ethiopian eVisa — Tourist Visa: requirements (passport-size photo and a passport valid six months; no ticket or funds listed)✓ Checked 5 Oct 2026

Proof of funds

No official source we could read states a proof-of-funds requirement or amount for Ethiopia.

Ethiopian eVisa — Tourist Visa: requirements (passport-size photo and a passport valid six months; no ticket or funds listed)✓ Checked 5 Oct 2026

Registration after arrival

24 hours

A non-resident foreigner who lodges at a hotel or lodging house must present a valid travel document and be registered on a form prescribed by the Authority. The hotel or lodging house must report the foreigner to the Authority, the organ it has delegated or the nearest police station within 24 hours.

Immigration and Citizenship Service (ics.gov.et) — Council of Ministers Regulation No. 114/2004 (Immigration Regulations), Federal Negarit Gazeta✓ Checked 12 Oct 2026

Overstay penalties

Ethiopia's e-Visa service says travellers who stay beyond the validity period without extending are subject to fines and legal penalties, without stating an amount. The UK government says the penalty for overstaying is 30 US dollars a day, and that you will not be allowed to leave until you pay in full.

UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office — Ethiopia travel advice: entry requirements✓ Checked 12 Oct 2026

Customs allowances

The UK government says you must declare any cash over 10,000 US dollars (or the equivalent) when you enter or leave Ethiopia, or over 500 US dollars when entering through a land border, and that to leave with cash above these amounts you must show the customs declaration form you got on entry. It says you can carry up to 3,000 birr in or out (up to 10,000 birr when travelling to Djibouti), and that cash above the legal limits can be seized.

UK FCDO — Ethiopia travel advice, entry requirements✓ Checked 3 Oct 2026

Frequently asked questions

Do South African citizens need a visa for Ethiopia?

South Africa passport holders need an eVisa for Ethiopia, applied for online before travel. Ethiopia's eVisa portal lists two single-entry tourist visas: 30 days for USD 62 and 90 days for USD 152.

How much does a Ethiopia visa cost for South Africa citizens?

Tourist eVisa — 30 days: 62 USD. Other options are listed in the visa types section on this page.

How do South Africa citizens apply for a Ethiopia eVisa?

Apply online before you travel on the official portal (www.evisa.gov.et). Approval is linked to your passport, so travel with the same passport you applied with.

How long must my passport be valid to enter Ethiopia?

Ethiopia's eVisa site asks for a passport valid for at least 6 months from the intended date of entry to Ethiopia, and the UK government says your passport must be valid for at least 6 months after the date you arrive and be machine-readable.

Data: TravelRequirements.info — Entry Requirements Dataset, AXG Sp. z o.o. (CC BY 4.0). Entry rules can change — confirm with official sources before travel.

Ethiopia

More trips for South Africa passport holders

All visa-free countries →