Eritrea visa and entry requirements

Eritrea's embassy in Washington says a visa is required for non-Eritreans and for Eritreans without a national ID; Eritrea's Ministry of Information says Eritrea and Kenya agreed to abolish visa requirements for citizens travelling between the two countries from 9 February 2023. The UK, Canadian, Australian and Serbian governments say their citizens need one to enter. The Eritrean Embassy in Switzerland says that upon receipt of the visa application and fees, issuance takes ten working days, and that there is no assurance that a visa will be issued. The UK government says foreign nationals must apply in advance for a permit to travel outside Asmara's surrounding province, Zoba Maekel.

Every fact on this page verified on or after: Aug 26, 2026· How this site works

Check requirements for your passport

Requirements differ by nationality. Select your passport above, or scan the full table below.

Visas & entry authorisations

Entry requirements

Passport validity

The UK government says that to enter Eritrea your passport must have an expiry date at least 6 months after the date you arrive. The Eritrean Embassy in Switzerland asks for a national passport valid for at least six months before the expiry date, with at least three blank pages for the visa.

At least 3 blank pages required. Compare every country

Verified Oct 3, 2026 · gov.ukCompare every country

Vaccinations

Conditional
  • Yellow fever (International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis (yellow card)) — WHO's Annex 1 lists Eritrea as requiring proof of yellow fever vaccination from travellers aged 9 months or over arriving from countries at risk of yellow fever transmission.
Verified Oct 3, 2026 · cdn.who.int · International Health Regulations (2005), Article 36 · archived copyCompare every country

Travel insurance

Not officially stated

No official source we could read states a travel insurance requirement for entering Eritrea. The UK government says public hospitals in towns other than Asmara are often poorly equipped and medical facilities in rural areas are even more limited, and advises travel insurance for local treatment or unexpected medical evacuation.

Verified Oct 3, 2026 · gov.uk

Onward or return ticket

Not officially stated

No official source we could read states a return or onward ticket requirement. The Eritrean Embassy in Switzerland lists, for a tourist visa, proof of financial support and a hotel or apartment reservation (if applicable); its list does not include a ticket.

Verified Oct 3, 2026 · home.eritreaembassy.ch

Proof of funds

Required

The Eritrean Embassy in Switzerland lists proof of financial support among the documents for a tourist visa. No official source we could read states an amount.

Verified Oct 3, 2026 · home.eritreaembassy.ch

Customs & currency

The UK government says to declare foreign cash or travellers cheques if the value is 10,000 US dollars or more and to keep the certificate you get to show when you leave. When you leave you must be able to show that any foreign currency you spent was exchanged at Himbol, the state foreign currency exchange, or spent at an official hotel, and you are not allowed to take more than 1,000 nakfa out of Eritrea.

  • The UK government says that when you leave Eritrea you must be able to show that any foreign currency you spent was exchanged at Himbol or spent at an official hotel; if you cannot, you may be delayed or face prosecution leading to a severe fine. You are not allowed to take more than 1,000 nakfa out of Eritrea.
  • The UK government says you must declare all laptops, mobile phones, cameras and other electronic items, or they can be confiscated by customs officials when you leave.
Verified Oct 3, 2026 · gov.uk

Yellow fever certificate

WHO's Annex 1 lists Eritrea as requiring proof of yellow fever vaccination from travellers aged 9 months or over arriving from countries at risk of yellow fever transmission.

The 42 countries WHO lists as a yellow fever risk

Requirements normally count any country you have been in shortly before arrival, not only where you boarded.

  • Angola
  • Argentina — Misiones and Corrientes Provinces
  • Benin
  • Bolivia
  • Brazil
  • Burkina Faso
  • Burundi
  • Cameroon
  • Central African Republic
  • Chad
  • Colombia
  • Côte d'Ivoire
  • Democratic Republic of the Congo
  • Ecuador
  • Equatorial Guinea
  • Ethiopia
  • French Guiana
  • Gabon
  • Gambia
  • Ghana
  • Guinea
  • Guinea-Bissau
  • Guyana
  • Kenya
  • Liberia
  • Mali
  • Mauritania
  • Niger
  • Nigeria
  • Panama
  • Paraguay
  • Peru
  • Republic of the Congo
  • Senegal
  • Sierra Leone
  • South Sudan
  • Sudan
  • Suriname
  • Togo
  • Trinidad and Tobago
  • Uganda
  • Venezuela
Compiled Aug 26, 2026 · cdn.who.int · International Health Regulations (2005), Article 36

International Health Regulations (2005), Article 36 and Annex 7; WHO International Travel and Health, Annex 1, 18 November 2022 (revised 3 January 2023)

Country in a nutshell

Currency
Eritrean nakfa (ERN, Nfk)
Cards & payments
The Government of Canada says Eritrea has a cash-based economy and credit cards are not accepted as a method of payment for everyday transactions. It says it is illegal to use foreign currency to make purchases, except at official hotels, where foreigners are expected to pay in euros or U.S. dollars, and that foreign currency must be exchanged at a branch of Himbol, at main banks or in major hotels in Asmara.
Safety — High risk
The UK government says that though Asmara is a relatively safe city, there is a risk of street crime, especially at night. It advises against all travel to within 25 km of all of Eritrea's land borders, says foreign nationals must apply in advance for a permit to travel outside Asmara's surrounding province, and says British Embassy staff cannot always provide consular assistance in person outside Asmara.Verified Oct 3, 2026 · gov.uk · archived copy
Power plugs
C, L · 230V 50Hz
Emergency numbers
Police: 113 · Ambulance: 114 · Fire: 116
Languages
Tigrinya, Arabic, English
Time zone
UTC+3
International Driving Permit

The UK government says that if you are planning to drive in Eritrea, you will need a 1949 version of the international driving permit (IDP) and your UK driving licence. No Eritrean official source we could read states whether an international driving permit is required.

Verified Oct 10, 2026 · gov.uk Compare every country
Tap water
not for drinking. Use bottled

Best time to visit

The Government of Canada says the rainy season extends from June to September, when most regions are accessible except the western lowlands, where unpaved roads turn muddy and become impassable.

Tips & warnings

The UK government says foreign nationals must apply in advance for a permit to travel outside Asmara's surrounding province, Zoba Maekel, as well as to certain sites within the capital like the 'tank graveyard'. Tourists apply to the Ministry of Tourism; applications may take several days and are not always successful, and officials check permits at checkpoints outside Asmara.

The UK government advises against all travel to within 25 km of all of Eritrea's land borders; the Australian government says landmines are found within 25 km of Eritrea's border with Ethiopia.

The Government of Canada says credit cards are not accepted as a method of payment for everyday transactions and that foreign currency must be exchanged at a branch of Himbol, at main banks or in major hotels in Asmara; the UK government says foreign cash or travellers cheques worth 10,000 US dollars or more must be declared and that when you leave you must be able to show how any foreign currency you spent was exchanged or spent.

The UK government says internet access is highly restricted in Eritrea, mainly limited to hotels and a small number of internet cafes, that there is no 3G, that international SIM cards do not work, and that you need a residence permit to buy a local SIM card.

The UK government says photographing government buildings and military installations is illegal, and to always ask if you want to take a photo in any area where security personnel are present. The Government of Canada says photographing sensitive installations is prohibited, including airports, ports, military sites, government buildings and uniformed service members.

Visa requirements by nationality

PassportsVisas & entry authorisationsMax stay
AfghanistanEmbassy visa—
AlbaniaEmbassy visa—
AlgeriaEmbassy visa—
AndorraEmbassy visa—
AngolaEmbassy visa—
Antigua and BarbudaEmbassy visa—
ArgentinaEmbassy visa—
ArmeniaEmbassy visa—
AustraliaEmbassy visa—
AustriaEmbassy visa—
AzerbaijanEmbassy visa—
BahamasEmbassy visa—
BahrainEmbassy visa—
BangladeshEmbassy visa—
BarbadosEmbassy visa—
BelarusEmbassy visa—
BelgiumEmbassy visa—
BelizeEmbassy visa—
BeninEmbassy visa—
BhutanEmbassy visa—
BoliviaEmbassy visa—
Bosnia and HerzegovinaEmbassy visa—
BotswanaEmbassy visa—
BrazilEmbassy visa—
BruneiEmbassy visa—
BulgariaEmbassy visa—
Burkina FasoEmbassy visa—
BurundiEmbassy visa—
Cabo VerdeEmbassy visa—
CambodiaEmbassy visa—
CameroonEmbassy visa—
CanadaEmbassy visa—
Central African RepublicEmbassy visa—
ChadEmbassy visa—
ChileEmbassy visa—
ChinaEmbassy visa—
ColombiaEmbassy visa—
ComorosEmbassy visa—
Costa RicaEmbassy visa—
Côte d'IvoireEmbassy visa—
CroatiaEmbassy visa—
CubaEmbassy visa—
CyprusEmbassy visa—
CzechiaEmbassy visa—
Democratic Republic of the CongoEmbassy visa—
DenmarkEmbassy visa—
DjiboutiEmbassy visa—
DominicaEmbassy visa—
Dominican RepublicEmbassy visa—
EcuadorEmbassy visa—
EgyptEmbassy visa—
El SalvadorEmbassy visa—
Equatorial GuineaEmbassy visa—
EritreaFree movement—
EstoniaEmbassy visa—
EswatiniEmbassy visa—
EthiopiaEmbassy visa—
FijiEmbassy visa—
FinlandEmbassy visa—
FranceEmbassy visa—
GabonEmbassy visa—
GambiaEmbassy visa—
GeorgiaEmbassy visa—
GermanyEmbassy visa—
GhanaEmbassy visa—
GreeceEmbassy visa—
GrenadaEmbassy visa—
GuatemalaEmbassy visa—
GuineaEmbassy visa—
Guinea-BissauEmbassy visa—
GuyanaEmbassy visa—
HaitiEmbassy visa—
HondurasEmbassy visa—
Hong KongEmbassy visa—
HungaryEmbassy visa—
IcelandEmbassy visa—
IndiaEmbassy visa—
IndonesiaEmbassy visa—
IranEmbassy visa—
IraqEmbassy visa—
IrelandEmbassy visa—
IsraelEmbassy visa—
ItalyEmbassy visa—
JamaicaEmbassy visa—
JapanEmbassy visa—
JordanEmbassy visa—
KazakhstanEmbassy visa—
KenyaVisa-free—
KiribatiEmbassy visa—
KosovoEmbassy visa—
KuwaitEmbassy visa—
KyrgyzstanEmbassy visa—
LaosEmbassy visa—
LatviaEmbassy visa—
LebanonEmbassy visa—
LesothoEmbassy visa—
LiberiaEmbassy visa—
LibyaEmbassy visa—
LiechtensteinEmbassy visa—
LithuaniaEmbassy visa—
LuxembourgEmbassy visa—
MacauEmbassy visa—
MadagascarEmbassy visa—
MalawiEmbassy visa—
MalaysiaEmbassy visa—
MaldivesEmbassy visa—
MaliEmbassy visa—
MaltaEmbassy visa—
Marshall IslandsEmbassy visa—
MauritaniaEmbassy visa—
MauritiusEmbassy visa—
MexicoEmbassy visa—
MicronesiaEmbassy visa—
MoldovaEmbassy visa—
MonacoEmbassy visa—
MongoliaEmbassy visa—
MontenegroEmbassy visa—
MoroccoEmbassy visa—
MozambiqueEmbassy visa—
MyanmarEmbassy visa—
NamibiaEmbassy visa—
NauruEmbassy visa—
NepalEmbassy visa—
NetherlandsEmbassy visa—
New ZealandEmbassy visa—
NicaraguaEmbassy visa—
NigerEmbassy visa—
NigeriaEmbassy visa—
North KoreaEmbassy visa—
North MacedoniaEmbassy visa—
NorwayEmbassy visa—
OmanEmbassy visa—
PakistanEmbassy visa—
PalauEmbassy visa—
PalestineEmbassy visa—
PanamaEmbassy visa—
Papua New GuineaEmbassy visa—
ParaguayEmbassy visa—
PeruEmbassy visa—
PhilippinesEmbassy visa—
PolandEmbassy visa—
PortugalEmbassy visa—
QatarEmbassy visa—
Republic of the CongoEmbassy visa—
RomaniaEmbassy visa—
RussiaEmbassy visa—
RwandaEmbassy visa—
Saint Kitts and NevisEmbassy visa—
Saint LuciaEmbassy visa—
Saint Vincent and the GrenadinesEmbassy visa—
SamoaEmbassy visa—
San MarinoEmbassy visa—
São Tomé and PríncipeEmbassy visa—
Saudi ArabiaEmbassy visa—
SenegalEmbassy visa—
SerbiaEmbassy visa—
SeychellesEmbassy visa—
Sierra LeoneEmbassy visa—
SingaporeEmbassy visa—
SlovakiaEmbassy visa—
SloveniaEmbassy visa—
Solomon IslandsEmbassy visa—
SomaliaEmbassy visa—
South AfricaEmbassy visa—
South KoreaEmbassy visa—
South SudanEmbassy visa—
SpainEmbassy visa—
Sri LankaEmbassy visa—
SudanEmbassy visa—
SurinameEmbassy visa—
SwedenEmbassy visa—
SwitzerlandEmbassy visa—
SyriaEmbassy visa—
TaiwanEmbassy visa—
TajikistanEmbassy visa—
TanzaniaEmbassy visa—
ThailandEmbassy visa—
Timor-LesteEmbassy visa—
TogoEmbassy visa—
TongaEmbassy visa—
Trinidad and TobagoEmbassy visa—
TunisiaEmbassy visa—
TurkeyEmbassy visa—
TurkmenistanEmbassy visa—
TuvaluEmbassy visa—
UkraineEmbassy visa—
United Arab EmiratesEmbassy visa—
United KingdomEmbassy visa—
United StatesEmbassy visa—
UruguayEmbassy visa—
UzbekistanEmbassy visa—
VanuatuEmbassy visa—
Vatican CityEmbassy visa—
VenezuelaEmbassy visa—
VietnamEmbassy visa—
YemenEmbassy visa—
ZambiaEmbassy visa—
ZimbabweEmbassy visa—

Stay lengths are for ordinary tourist visits. Click a nationality for its full guide.

No official page we read states the rule for 1 nationalities, so the table leaves them out: Uganda.

Sudan1 of 199 passports visa-freeEthiopia3 of 199 passports visa-free · 196 eVisa/ETADjibouti1 of 199 passports visa-free · 25 eVisa/ETAEgypt1 of 199 passports visa-free · 78 eVisa/ETA

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a visa for Eritrea?

Eritrea's embassy in Washington says a visa is required for non-Eritreans and for Eritreans without a national ID. Eritrea's Ministry of Information says Eritrea and Kenya agreed to abolish visa requirements for citizens travelling between the two countries from 9 February 2023. The UK, Canadian, Australian and Serbian governments say their citizens need one to enter. The Eritrean Embassy in Switzerland says that upon receipt of the visa application and fees, issuance takes ten working days, and that there is no assurance that a visa will be issued.

How long does an Eritrean visa take?

The Eritrean Embassy in Switzerland says that upon receipt of the visa application and fees, issuance takes ten working days, and that a visa is valid for three months from the date of issue unless stated otherwise. It says there is no assurance that a visa will be issued.

Can I travel outside Asmara in Eritrea?

Only with a travel permit. The UK government says foreign nationals must apply in advance for a permit to travel outside Asmara's surrounding province, Zoba Maekel, and to certain sites within the capital. Tourists apply to the Ministry of Tourism; applications may take several days and are not always successful, and officials check permits at checkpoints outside Asmara.

Can I use cards or ATMs in Eritrea?

Not for everyday transactions: the Government of Canada says Eritrea has a cash-based economy, credit cards are not accepted as a method of payment for everyday transactions, and foreign currency must be exchanged at a branch of Himbol, at main banks or in major hotels in Asmara. The UK government says to declare foreign cash or travellers cheques worth 10,000 US dollars or more and keep the certificate you get to show when you leave, and that you must be able to show that any foreign currency you have spent was exchanged at Himbol or spent at an official hotel.

Is Eritrea safe to visit?

The UK government says that though Asmara is a relatively safe city, there is a risk of street crime, especially at night. It advises against all travel to within 25 km of all of Eritrea's land borders, says foreign nationals must apply in advance for a permit to travel outside Asmara's surrounding province and that international SIM cards do not work, and says British Embassy staff cannot always provide consular assistance in person outside Asmara.

Sources & verification

Every fact on this page is compiled from and periodically re-checked against these official sources:

Something wrong or out of date? Tell us, with the official source