As an Ethiopian citizen, it is mandatory to obtain a visa before traveling to many countries, including the United States and many European countries.
The process of obtaining this visa is long and complex. Without a visa, the strength of your passport is crucial when entering a country.
According to the World Bank, one of the key factors in determining the strength of a passport is the amount of money or personal income its citizens earn.
Countries with strong economies, unlike poorer ones, do not require their citizens to obtain a visa for many countries.
The annual ranking of the strength of passports by Henley and Partners shows that Ethiopia's passport ranks 93rd in their 2024 report.
According to the report, Ethiopia dropped from last year's 89th place to 93rd, which is attributed to the ongoing conflicts within the country.
This year, six countries—France, Japan, Spain, Italy, Singapore, and Germany—have the strongest passports, allowing their citizens to travel to 194 countries without a visa, securing the top position.
In Africa, Mauritius has the strongest passport, ranking first, with its citizens able to travel to 150 countries without a visa.
Which countries do Ethiopians not require a visa for?
According to the Henley and Partners report, an Ethiopian passport holder can travel to 47 countries without a visa.
These countries include neighboring and other African nations:
Djibouti, Kenya, Somalia, Eritrea, South Sudan, Ghana, Rwanda, Senegal, Zimbabwe, Madagascar, Nigeria, Mauritania, Mauritius, Seychelles, Cape Verde, Comoros, and others.
Other countries in the world where Ethiopians can travel without a visa include:
Thailand, Bangladesh, Barbados, Haiti, Maldives, Singapore, Philippines, Dominican Republic, Iran, and others.
Which countries can Ethiopia enter without a visa?
The information on the website of the Ethiopian visa department indicates that travelers wishing to come to Ethiopia must obtain a visa, except for those traveling from neighboring countries.
Thus, travelers coming to Ethiopia can apply for a visa online without having to visit an embassy or consulate.
Countries that Ethiopians can enter without a visa are only Kenya and Djibouti.
Kenyan passport holders can stay in Ethiopia for up to one year without a visa, while Djiboutian passport holders can stay for up to three months.
Visa Requirements and Restrictions
Ethiopian passport holders who wish to travel to European Union countries for short-term visits, such as tourism, visiting family, or attending an event, are required to apply for a Schengen visa.
The European Union has 27 member states, and 23 of them are part of the Schengen Area, according to information on the EU website.
This means, for example, if a person obtains a visa for Germany, they can travel to 26 other countries within the Schengen Area without needing additional visas.
According to Immigrant Invest, an organization focused on citizenship by investment, in 2022, France had the highest number of visa rejections, denying 408,876 visa applications. Spain, Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands are also among the countries that frequently deny visa applications.
Algeria was ranked first in having the highest number of Schengen visa denials in a year.
45% of the Algerian citizens who applied for a Schengen visa in 2022 were rejected.
Other countries like Guinea-Bissau, Nigeria, Sri Lanka, Ghana, Haiti, Senegal, Guinea, and Pakistan also had a high number of Schengen visa rejections.
People without a European Union passport often face challenges in obtaining a Schengen visa due to various reasons.
These include having an expired or invalid passport, false travel documents, unclear travel purpose, lack of sufficient travel funds, health insurance coverage, inadequate accommodation arrangements, and fraudulent or inconsistent personal details, as outlined by Immigrant Invest.
According to Schengen Visa News, in 2022, Ethiopia was ranked second among East African countries for Schengen visa applications.
However, 28.9% of the 21,099 visa applications from Ethiopia were rejected, leaving 5,977 applications unanswered or unsuccessful.
This means that out of 100,000 Ethiopian citizens who applied for a visa in 2022, only 11 received approval to travel to Schengen Area countries. In Africa, 8,714 applicants were granted Schengen visas.
On the other hand, U.S. visas, such as those for education, also showed a low approval rate. In 2022, 54% of African applicants, including those from Ethiopia, were unsuccessful in obtaining a U.S. visa, according to a 2023 report by Shorelight, a research organization, and the non-profit Presidents' Alliance.
The report indicated that in 2015, 44% of African applicants were denied U.S. visas, but this figure has increased significantly over the past eight years.
