Ethiopia border technology

The e-visa

The Ethiopian Embassy in London says an e-visa service first launched in June 2017 for a limited number of countries ⁴. From 1 June 2018 it opened to international visitors from any country ⁴.

The embassy says the Main Department for Immigration and Nationality Affairs ran the service in collaboration with Ethiopian Airlines ⁴. Applicants apply and pay online, receive approval by email and have the passport stamped on arrival in Addis Ababa ⁴. The embassy names Bole International Airport and does not list other ports ⁴.

In a company statement dated 12 October 2017, Ethiopian Airlines said the e-visa was extended to participants of meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) from 20 September 2017 ⁵. It said MICE participants could apply for a visa online and book and pay for flights with the airline ⁵.

The official portal is titled Ethiopian E Visa Official Website ⁷. The portal page read for this update did not show fees, so this page does not state them.

MIDAS at the borders

The Ethiopian News Agency (ENA) reported on 4 December 2025 that ICS and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) launched Phase II of MIDAS ¹. Phase I launched in 2023 and ran for 18 months ¹. Phase II runs from 15 October 2025 to 30 September 2027 ¹.

IOM Chief of Mission Abibatou Wane-Fall told ENA that the system captures biographic and biometric data at land, sea and air border posts and that it is owned by the government ². ENA reported that the system helps detect forged documents and flag people on international watch lists, including through Interpol links ².

ICS Director General Selamawit Dawit said the project underscores Ethiopia's commitment to modernize border management through innovation and partnership, as reported by ENA ¹. Swiss Ambassador Riccarda Chanda said the second phase has great added value for Ethiopia's border management, as reported ¹. The report gives no funding amount ¹.

Bole airport as a MIDAS reference site

On 23 July 2024 Fana reported that a Government of Malawi delegation, with IOM staff, visited Bole International Airport to see how MIDAS operates ³. The report said Ethiopia uses MIDAS for visa processing and issuance ³. ICS and IOM officers discussed the MIDAS visa system, the forensic laboratory and capacity development ³.

Passports and traffic figures

The ICS website carries a Director General's message saying the agency handled more than 5.4 million inbound and outbound travellers through air and land border control points ⁶. The message says 10,530 people trying to enter or exit illegally were intercepted ⁶. The message gives these figures for nine months of the 2018 Ethiopian calendar year ⁶.

The same message says passport services grew from 12 to 22 branch offices, with 10 Mesob one-stop service centres ⁶. The site lists Amharic notices for e-passport applicants dated 4 February 2026 and for urgent e-passport applicants dated 17 March 2026 ⁶.