Somalia

Somalia visa guide: eTAS, residence and asylum

  • 3 visa types
  • checked 24 October 2026

How visas for Somalia work

Entry to Somalia is managed by the Immigration and Citizenship Agency (ICA) of the Federal Government of Somalia, headquartered at Aden Abdulle International Airport in Mogadishu. Since 1 September 2025 all foreign nationals who need a visa must obtain an Electronic Travel Authorisation, called E-Visa or eTAS, online before departure; it replaced the earlier paper-based procedures.

A short list of nationalities is exempt from the eTAS. Holders of Rwandan and Malaysian passports enter visa-free, and citizens of Djibouti, Ethiopia, Burundi, Mauritania, Tanzania, Uganda, Algeria, Libya, Tunisia, Egypt and Comoros receive a free visa on arrival. Travellers holding a Somali multiple-entry visa, a residence permit or a United Nations laissez-passer are also exempt. Diplomats on official duty need a diplomatic visa instead of a visitor eTAS.

For longer stays the ICA issues temporary and permanent residence permits and work permits for foreign nationals. People seeking international protection register with the government authority for their region, which works with UNHCR.

Which visa do I need?

Tourism, family visit, business, transit, short study, medical treatment or marriage: eTAS e-Visa online before travel.

Rwandan or Malaysian passport: visa-free entry. Citizen of one of the eleven listed countries: free visa on arrival.

Living or working in Somalia: residence permit and, for employment, a work permit from the ICA.

Official government mission: diplomatic visa arranged with the ICA, not a visitor eTAS.

Fleeing persecution: register an asylum claim with the competent authority and UNHCR inside Somalia.

Visa types for Somalia

Residence

  • Residence permit Residence permit and work permit (ICA)

    Foreign nationals who want to live, work or invest in Somalia apply to the Immigration and Citizenship Agency for a residence permit.

    Validity: Temporary and permanent permits; renewals available

Online travel permits

  • e-Visa Electronic Travel Authorisation System (E-Visa / eTAS)

    The eTAS is Somalia's mandatory online entry authorisation for foreign visitors, in force since 1 September 2025 and issued by the Immigration and Citizenship Agency.

    Maximum stay: As approved on the eTAS; dates are shown on the authorisation

Asylum and international protection

  • Asylum and international protection Asylum registration and refugee status determination

    People who fear persecution in their country can apply for asylum inside Somalia.

    Maximum stay: You may stay in Somalia while your claim is decided

Frequently asked questions

Is a visa on arrival still available in Somalia?

Only for citizens of the eleven countries the ICA lists, such as Djibouti, Ethiopia, Egypt and Comoros, who receive it free of charge. Everyone else who is not exempt must hold an approved eTAS before starting the journey.

Which website is the official Somalia e-Visa portal?

The ICA names etas.gov.so as the official platform for E-Visa and eTAS applications and warns travellers to be careful with unofficial websites and agents.

Do children need an eTAS for Somalia?

Yes. The ICA requires all visitors, including infants and children, to have an approved eTAS. Parents or accompanying adults are responsible for the information submitted for minors.

How do I contact the Immigration and Citizenship Agency?

The ICA is at Aden Abdulle International Airport in Mogadishu, by email at info@immigration.gov.so or on +252 61 0555001, Saturday to Thursday from 8:00 to 16:00.

Embassies and consulates

Last checked 24 October 2026. Each visa page lists the official sources it is based on.