Ethiopia has extended the deadline for the registration of residence permits for foreigners, citing concerns over the use of counterfeit documents by foreign nationals entering the country.
The Ethiopian Immigration and Citizenship Service made this announcement a month ago after discovering instances of individuals using forged documents to gain entry.
Selamawit Dawit, the Director General of Immigration and Citizenship Services, highlighted the prevalence of fake permanent residence permits, temporary residence permits, passports, visas, and other documents among foreign nationals residing in various parts of Ethiopia.
The investigation uncovered over 20,000 counterfeit temporary residence permits, visas, and additional travel documents across the country.
To address the issue, the institution urged individuals possessing illegal documents to approach the authorities within 30 days, extending the deadline until February 30, 2024.
Foreign nationals found with fake documents, including permanent and temporary residence permits, Ethiopian birth IDs, visas, and other fraudulent papers, are required to register with authentic documentation.
Furthermore, the registration period for foreign nationals who have not completed the immigration process and are residing illegally in Ethiopia has been prolonged by an additional month.
The government emphasized its commitment to taking action against those unlawfully residing in the country, especially individuals holding citizenship from other nations.
Ethiopia initiated a visa-on-arrival service in September 2023, offering access visas to visitors from 120 countries to streamline the process and attract more tourists.
Despite this effort, over 300,000 Ethiopian citizens have applied for passports, with approximately 110,000 already issued, and 190,000 individuals have applied for passports through the Immigration and Citizenship Service.
Over the past three months, the institution has printed and distributed more than 531,000 passports, with over 43,000 Ethiopians residing in Addis Ababa receiving their passports.
These measures reflect Ethiopia’s commitment to ensuring legal compliance among foreign nationals while streamlining administrative processes for its citizens.
