Eritrea family visit visa: requirements and steps

The family visit visa is listed by the Embassy in Washington and the Consulate General in Frankfurt for visits to relatives in Eritrea. Everyone who does not hold an original Eritrean national ID card needs a visa, including people of Eritrean origin who have lost their ID; a copy of the ID is not accepted at the border.

Complete and sign form B62.3 online, upload a passport photo, and provide proof of residence (a green card for non-US citizens in Washington; a German residence permit or registration certificate in Frankfurt), a passport valid at least six months beyond the trip and proof of sufficient funds. Name a reference who is resident in Eritrea and able to go to Immigration in Asmara to follow up your request. A parent or legal guardian signs for minors and children under 17, and every applicant born to an Eritrean parent or parents and under 24 must add copies of the birth certificate and the parents’ Eritrean ID cards.

Washington charges USD 70 for the family visit visa plus a USD 13 photo printing fee and a USD 10 service fee, paid online at checkout. Frankfurt charges EUR 65, also paid online. All fees are non-refundable.

Select the family visit visa in the mission’s online Consular Affairs Processing System, read the requirements, submit form B62.3 with the fee, and mail your original passport to the mission. Processing takes at least 15 business days and requirements can change at any time. Your reference in Eritrea follows the request at Immigration in Asmara.

All Eritrean visas are valid for three months from the date of issue, so you must arrive within three months. Once you are in Eritrea the visa is typically valid for one month and can be extended or renewed by visiting the Immigration office in Asmara; the New Delhi embassy adds that whether an extension is possible depends on the type of visa.

Apply to the Eritrean mission responsible for the country where you live: Washington asks non-US citizens for proof of residence or a permanent resident card, Frankfurt asks for a German residence permit or registration certificate, and New Delhi handles residents of India and several neighbouring Asian countries only. Where there is no Eritrean mission in your country, contact the one accredited to it.