South Africa to Ethiopia visa requirements

South African ordinary passport holders need an eVisa to visit Ethiopia. Apply online at the official portal evisa.gov.et before you fly. South Africa is not on Ethiopia's visa-on-arrival list and is not visa-exempt, so secure the eVisa in advance and enter via Addis Ababa Bole International Airport. Ethiopia is not in the Schengen area; it operates its own national visa regime. Citizens of all countries are eligible to apply for Ethiopia's electronic tourist visa (eVisa), and South African ordinary passport holders fall into this group. Ethiopia grants visa-free entry only to Kenya and Djibouti, and South Africa does NOT appear on Ethiopia's visa-on-arrival list, so the reliable and required channel for South Africans is the eVisa obtained in advance. The eVisa is applied for entirely online at the official government portal, www.evisa.gov.et. Two single-entry tourist options are currently offered: a 30-day eVisa for around USD 62 and a 90-day eVisa for around USD 152 (Ethiopia reduced the 30-day price from USD 82 to USD 62 in 2024). Processing is typically about 3 business days. A critical rule: all eVisa holders must enter Ethiopia through Addis Ababa Bole International Airport (ADD) only — entering at any land border or other airport on an eVisa is not permitted. The passport must be valid for at least six months from the date of arrival. Because commercial third-party sites charge inflated prices and sometimes misstate VOA eligibility, travelers should apply only through evisa.gov.et and treat the eVisa as mandatory rather than relying on arrival at the airport.