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Ethiopia has approved a sweeping revision of immigration and citizenship service fees, introducing a new 10-year Golden Visa priced at $10,000 and sharply increasing charges for several premium passport and residency services.
The new regulation, endorsed by the Council of Ministers, will take effect once it is published in the Negarit Gazette. Officials say the revised fee structure is intended to address gaps in the existing system and support implementation of laws that allow foreign nationals to acquire immovable property in Ethiopia.
Among the most notable changes is the introduction of premium passport services. Applicants who need a regular passport within six hours will now be required to pay 40,000 birr, while a special door-to-door service that delivers passports within two days will cost 50,000 birr.
Standard passport fees remain in place, with charges ranging from 5,000 birr to 25,000 birr depending on processing time. The regulation also includes provisions for people who are unable to physically visit immigration offices due to health conditions, allowing services to be delivered at their location.
Fees for passport services provided abroad have also been revised. Ethiopian citizens applying overseas will pay $200 for regular passport services and $250 for online renewals. Urgent applications will cost $300, while urgent online renewals will be charged at $350.
The regulation also raises the cost of several services for foreign nationals, including visas, residence permits, and asylum-related procedures. A five-year permanent residence permit will now cost $3,000, triple the previous fee, while expedited processing will range between $4,000 and $4,500.
Investor visa fees have also been updated, with charges starting at $60 for a one-month visa and rising to $4,000 for a five-year visa. Foreign nationals who purchase property in Ethiopia will also be eligible for visas valid for up to five years.
The most striking provision in the new regulation is the introduction of Ethiopia’s 10-year Golden Visa, set at $10,000. Holders seeking renewal will pay the same amount under regular processing, while expedited renewal will cost $12,500.
The Ethiopian Immigration and Citizenship Service says visa and related services remain one of its largest sources of revenue. In the first three months of the current fiscal year alone, the institution reported collecting 10.5 billion birr, with visa services accounting for the largest share.
