Ethiopia visa requirements for Gambians

Travel and visa requirements

Ethiopian Visa is not required for Gambians

Stay Duration: 90 days

Entry Requirements

  • Gambians travelling to Ethiopia are granted visas on arrival and given the option to apply for an electronic visa for a duration of stay up to 90 days.
  • Visitors are required to possess one copy of a filled visa application form.
  • Passports of citizens must be valid at least for 6 months
  • A passport photograph is required to be a recent photograph with a size of 37mmX37mm.
  • Departure tax would be levied on visitors staying beyond the duration of stay and leaving the country.
  • Standard travel documents like passport / national ID card will generally be sufficient to visit Ethiopia.
  • For Ethiopia, there are two associated plug types, types C and F and the country operates on a 220V supply voltage and 50Hz.
  • Ethiopia time zone is the East Africa Time (GMT+3) therefore, Ethiopia is 3 hours ahead of The Gambia.
  • Gambians from one year and above are required to show proof of Yellow Fever vaccination
  • If you plan to work, study, volunteer, or conduct business in Ethiopia, you must apply for a separate visa called the Specific Purpose Visa.
  • Visitors are only allowed to hold one litre of alcoholic drinks, Two bottles or half a litre of perfume, half a pound of tobacco, 100 cigarettes or 50 cigars for adults only, souvenirs up to a value of ETB 10 on entry.
  • Visitors are allowed to hold goods bought in Ethiopia up to a value of ETP 500 at departure. 
  • Visitors are required to hold animal hides and skins and any type of antiques such as swords and bibles provided that they have a certificate of export for such goods.
  • Cats and dogs must be accompanied by a certificate of good health issued by a veterinarian in the home country.
  • The estimated flight time from Banjul, the Gambia to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia is 8 hours, 1 minute.
  • Visitors are not required to pay any airport tax upon their departure from the airport.
  • Visitors are allowed to hold local currency up to ETP 100 per person, but there are no restrictions on importing foreign currencies provided the imported sums are declared to the customs on arrival. 
  • Foreign currency may be exchanged only through authorized banks and organizations within the country.
  • Ethiopia is the most populous landlocked country in the world and the second-most populous nation on the African continent.
  • The nation is a land of natural contrasts, with its vast fertile west, its forests, and numerous rivers, and the world's hottest settlement of Dallol in its north. 
  • Ethiopia uses the ancient Ge’ez script, which is one of the oldest alphabets still in use in the world.
  • The Ethiopian calendar is known to be approximately seven years and three months behind the Gregorian calendar.
  •  Ethiopia is a multilingual nation with around 80 ethnolinguistic groups, the four largest of which are the Oromo, Amhara, Somali and Tigrayans.
  •  The skull of the hominid (ancestors of the homo Erectus) is said to have been discovered in Ethiopia by Tim D. White. The most well known hominid discovery is Australopithecus afarensis.
  • The predominant climate type is tropical monsoon, with a wide topographic-induced variation. 
  • Ethiopia is a global centre of avian diversity. To date, more than 856 bird species have been recorded in Ethiopia, twenty of which are endemic to the country.
  • Agriculture constitutes around 85% of the labour force. However, the service sector represents the largest portion of the economy.
  • English and Italian is the most widely spoken foreign language, and is the medium of instruction in secondary schools, although, most people in the country speak Afroasiatic languages of the Cushitic or Semitic branches.
  • The Ethiopian empire was one of the first in the world to officially adopt Christianity as the state religion.
  • The best-known Ethiopian cuisine consists of various types of thick meat stews, known as wat in Ethiopian culture, and vegetable side dishes served atop injera, a large sourdough flatbread made of teff flour.
  • Almost universally in Ethiopia, it is common to eat from the same dish in the centre of the table with a group of people. It is also a common custom to feed others in your group with your own hands.
  • Traditional Ethiopian cuisine employs no pork or shellfish of any kind, as they are forbidden in the Ethiopian Orthodox Christian, Islamic and Jewish faiths.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it safe to visit Ethiopia?

Ethiopia is remarkably safe most of the time and serious or violent crime is rare against travellers. Outside the capital, the risk of petty crime drops still further.

What is the best place to visit in Ethiopia?

Simien Mountains, Rock-Hewn Churches of Lalibela, The Holy City of Harar, Gondar and Blue Nile Falls are among the best places to visit in Ethiopia.

What is the legal driving age in Ethiopia?

To drive within Ethiopia, a person needs to be 18 years or older. The speed limit for cars and motorcycles in towns and villages is 30-50 km/h and outside towns 100 km/h.