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Country-Specific Information:

Latest Updates: Effective October 5, 2020

Traveler with a test result of RT PCR coming through international airports in Ethiopia

    • Any international traveler above the age of ten , except transit passenger, coming through international airports of the country, shall bring a certificate of negative RT PCR test from the country he is coming from done up to 120 hours or five days before arriving in Ethiopia; after the traveler’s temperature and any COVID-19 symptoms have been checked at airport’s health control desk, his address shall be registered, and he has a duty to self-quarantine at home for seven days;
    • Without prejudice to sub-article (1) of this article, a diplomat with no certificate of negative RT PCR test has a duty to self-quarantine at home for 14 days;
    • If any traveler arriving at the Bole International Airport shows any symptom of COVID-19, he shall be taken to one of the temporary isolation centers prepared by the government where he will obtain follow up in accordance with the COVID-19 medical manual;
    • Any person who is corona virus positive is prohibited from entering the country.

Transit passenger passing through international airports of the country

    • Any transit passenger entering international airports of the country is not allowed to leave the airport and enter the city
    • Ethiopian Airlines and other concerned bodies have a duty to ensure the transit passenger does not leave the airport and enter the city;
    • Without prejudice to sub article 1 of this article, transit passengers with stop over for more than 24 are required to self-quarantine at the hotel designated by the air line. During such time, the airline and the hotel have the duty to ensure that the transit passenger do not mix with the general public
Ethiopian Ministry of Health Directive to prevent the spread of C-19.  Violation is punishable under criminal law. https://www.ephi.gov.et/images/Registerd-COVID-19-Directive-2013_Final_051020.pdf

 

http://www.ephi.gov.et/

 

Entry and Exit Requirements:

  • Are U.S. citizens permitted to enter? Yes
  • Is a negative COVID-19 test (PCR and/or serology) required for entry? Yes
    • On September 23, the Ethiopian Public Health Institute issued a letter requiring all incoming travelers to Bole International Airport (BIA) to present a negative PCR test conducted within 120 hours/5 days of departure. The test results certificate must be dated
  • Are health screening procedures in place at airports and other ports of entry? Yes

Movement Restrictions:

  • Is a curfew in place? No
  • Are there restrictions on intercity or interstate travel? Yes, in Tigray
    • At this time, Tigray requires any person entering the State to quarantine for seven days unless the traveler presents a negative COVID-19 test (PCR and/or serology) taken less than 24 hours prior to the time of arrival.

Quarantine Information:

  • Are U.S. citizens required to quarantine? Yes.
    • Effective July 18, 2020 all arriving passengers entering Ethiopia must quarantine for 14 days. The quarantine location is determined as set forth above in the Entry and Exit Requirements section.

COVID-19 Testing:

  • The Embassy understands that private hospitals have limited testing kits for symptomatic patients. We recommend that you call to confirm availability before you go. For a non-exclusive list of private hospitals see: https://et.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/doctors/.
  • If you are traveling and need a COVID-19 test to enter a country, International Clinical Laboratories (ICL) performs tests. We cannot confirm or guarantee the availability of or turnaround time for such tests or whether the test performed by ICL complies with the requirements of third countries. Please contact ICL at +251-114-67-1818 / 930-33-2480 / 967-94-1207 or travelers@icladdis.com for more information.

Transportation Options:

  • Are commercial flights operating? Yes
  • Is public transportation operating? Yes
    • Masks are required in all forms of public transportation. There are passenger limits on buses, taxis, etc. exist but vary by region. In general, the number of people permitted in public transportation is 50% of normal capacity.

Fines for Non-Compliance:

  • The State of Emergency (SOE) does not specify the punishment for not wearing a mask or exceeding limits on gatherings. However, punishments for violations of the SOE range from 1000 to 200,000 birr and three years in jail.

Consular Operations:

ACS Services (Last Updated: November 18, 2020)

“The Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy in Addis Ababa resumed limited routine processing of American citizen services.   Initially, we will only take appointments for passport renewals (adults and children).  Please monitor our U.S. Citizen Services page – https://et.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/passports/.  On Friday November 4, we opened a limited number of appointments for Monday and Wednesday mornings so you can schedule your own appointment We will continue to open appointments as we evaluate the efficacy of our COVID-19 mitigation efforts.

PLEASE NOTE, that services will only be provided to those who comply with our COVID-19 restrictions set forth below. The failure to comply will              result in a denial of service:

  1. Please complete the renewal application (DS 11 if renewing minor (5 years) passport or replace lost/stolen passport or DS-82 to renew 10 year passport) before you arrive;
  2. Bring a passport photo that complies with State Department requirements (seehttps://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/requirements/forms.html);
  3. Bring a REGISTERED EMS mailing envelope to receive your passport by mail (you can purchase this at the Passport Delivery Section (Room 01- the room it known as  “Ethiopian passport delivery room) at Main Post Office by Black Lion Hospital);
  4. Bring the appropriate passport renewal fee in cash (Ethiopian birr or U.S. dollars) or credit card (see https://et.usembassy.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/188/US-Passport-Fee.pdf)
  5. Do not arrive more than 15 minutes before your appointment, in order to limit contact between visitors to the Consular Section;
  6. Wear a face covering.  We require every person over age 2 to wear a face covering over the mouth and nose.   We reserve the right to refuse entry to anyone not wearing a proper face covering.  Please be considerate and help protect others.
  7. Again, failure to comply with any of the above will lead to a refusal of service and you will have to re-schedule.

We hope to expand our services to include applications for Consular Reports of Birth Abroad and notarials in the near future.  Please watch our website for future announcements.”

  • Visas

    • In response to significant worldwide challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department of State has temporarily suspended routine visa services at all U.S. Embassies and Consulates. Embassies and consulates have canceled all routine immigrant and nonimmigrant visa appointments as of March 20, 2020, but will continue to provide emergency and mission-critical visa services as resources and local conditions allow. We will resume routine visa services as soon as possible but are unable to provide a specific date at this time.
    • Please see these notices which contain detailed information about the current status of visa services worldwide and visa restrictions related to the COVID-19 global pandemic: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/ea/covid-19-visa-services-and-restrictions.html

Local Resources:

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By | 13 March, 2020 | Topics: Alert, Health Issues, Messages for U.S. Citizens, News, Reports, U.S. Citizen Services

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