Russian Federation to Somalia visa requirements

Russian ordinary passport holders need a visa for Somalia. Since 1 September 2025 Somalia requires a mandatory electronic visa (eVisa) obtained in advance via the official portal etas.gov.so before boarding — Russia is not visa-exempt and not eligible for visa on arrival. Somalia operates a mandatory eVisa system for nearly all foreign nationals, including Russian citizens, administered by the Immigration & Citizenship Agency (ICA) through the official portal etas.gov.so / evisa.gov.so. The eVisa became compulsory on 1 September 2025, and most airlines now require a valid eVisa approval before allowing passengers to board flights to Somalia. Russia does not appear on Somalia's visa-exempt list (only Rwanda and Malaysia enjoy 30-day visa-free entry) nor on the visa-on-arrival list (limited to a small group of African/Arab states such as Djibouti, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and others). Therefore a Russian traveller must apply online in advance. The application requires a passport valid for at least six months with blank pages, a passport-style photo, travel/accommodation details, and — importantly — a sponsor code and invitation letter issued by an ICA-approved Somali sponsor (business, NGO or accredited tour operator); without this the application cannot be processed. The standard government eVisa fee is about USD 64, payable online by international card. The eVisa is typically issued for a 30-day stay. Processing can be very fast (sometimes minutes) once a valid sponsor code is attached, but travellers should allow several days to a week. Note that the Somalia eVisa is NOT valid for the self-declared region of Somaliland (Hargeisa), which runs a separate visa regime. Security conditions in Somalia remain serious; this assessment covers immigration formalities only, not safety advisories. Somalia is not part of the Schengen area, so Schengen/ETIAS rules do not apply.