Everything you need to know about a Djibouti Visa

British travelers to Djibouti require a visa in advance before traveling to the country. Since the application may take quite a while to process, although the prescribed time frame is 72 hours, you should plan your visit well in advance.

Visa on arrival may be applicable at the discretion of the Djibouti immigration authorities. But it is unsure and in order to avoid complications at the airport, you should apply for an e-visa through the online e-visa application portal. Let’s give you a brief of the whole process.

Djibouti e-visa

A Djibouti e-visa is issued for the following purposes:

• Family visit
• Tourism
• Business
• Transit

An e-visa is an electronic document that is issued after lodging an online application and after making the payment online. 

Once approved, the e-visa is sent to the applicant’s registered email id.

You need to take a print of this document and present it to the authorities, alongside your passport, after arriving at the Republic of Djibouti.

The documents required to apply for an e-visa are minimum. All you need is an original British passport that is valid for at least six months from the date of arriving in Djibouti.

Additionally, you will need to enter your accommodation address, an invitation letter, and own a credit card - visa, Mastercard or American Express.

A transit e-visa is issued for stays ranging from 1 to 14 days and costs $12. A short-stay tourist, visit, or business visa grants stays from 15 to 90 days and will cost $23.

In any case, you cannot overstay your visa. If you wish to extend your stay, you need to lodge an application through the local police services for an extension permit.

E-visas are available only in single-entry and e-visa holders can only enter Djibouti through Ambouli International Airport.

Other visa types

If your travel plans include purposes other than tourism, business, or transit, you need to apply for a work visa or a student visa through Djiboutian embassies and consulates. But since the UK does not have a Djiboutian mission, you need to directly contact the French Embassy in London (which administers the UK’s immigration relationship with Djibouti) for further inquiries.

Additional pointers

During your stay in Djibouti, you should refrain from traveling to the border with Eritrea according to the recommendation of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO).

Since Djibouti is one of the major routes for Yemeni refugees, you need to ensure that you have made adequate arrangements to leave the nation when required. 

But the British government can offer limited assistance in this matter and you have to take responsibility for your visa costs, accommodation, insurance, and onward travel.

There is no British Embassy in Djibouti and consular support is extremely limited. The British Honorary Consul in Djibouti cannot give much support. During emergencies, please contact the British Embassy in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

You can use UK Emergency Travel Documents (ETDs) to enter, exit, or transit via Djibouti.

You are also advised to take out comprehensive travel and medical insurance before you arrive in Djibouti to cover the cost of any medical treatment abroad and repatriation.