Ethiopia is introducing a 10-year investor visa as part of a broader effort to attract long-term foreign capital and streamline immigration procedures.

The new visa, branded the ‘golden investor visa’, will cost about $10,000 and allow foreigners to remain in the country for up to a decade without renewing their legal status. Previously, the longest investor visa was five years.

The measure was endorsed by the Council of Ministers on Monday and will take effect after publication in the official government gazette later this month.

Authorities say the changes are meant to support long-term investors with uninterrupted immigration status while tightening enforcement against visa overstays.

The Ethiopian Immigration and Citizenship Service (ICS), which regulates visa issuance, also revised several immigration fees. A five-year permanent residence permit will now cost $3,000, three times the previous fee.

Applicants will also be able to fast-track processing by paying between $4,000 and $4,500 for permits processed within hours. A five-year investor visa will cost $4,000, while a one-month visa will cost $60.

Overstay rulesEthiopia has also temporarily relaxed some immigration penalties for travellers caught up in the Middle East crisis whose flights were cancelled.

Authorities waived overstay fines for individuals unable to leave the country due to the disruptions.

However, officials in Addis Ababa said other foreigners who overstay their visas will face penalties. Under local regulations, overstaying attracts an instant fine of up to $3,000, plus $30 for each additional day. Foreigners are usually not allowed to leave the country until the fines are paid, according to the ICS.

Priority sectorsThe Ethiopian Investment Commission says the country is prioritising investors in key sectors through incentives such as tax relief, residency benefits, profit repatriation guarantees and legal reforms.

Ethiopia attracted about $4 billion in foreign direct investment (FDI) in the first half of last year, a five percent increase compared with the same period in 2024, according to the commission.

Priority sectors include textiles and apparel, pharmaceuticals, minerals and engineering, leather processing and tourism.

Passport servicesThe government is also introducing faster passport services for Ethiopians travelling abroad for business.

Authorities plan to offer passport processing within six hours of application, alongside a door-to-door delivery service. The expedited services will come at a higher cost.

Same-day processing will cost 40,000 birr ($255), while door-to-door delivery, with passports arriving within two days, will cost 50,000 birr ($320).

Standard passport applications will still cost between 5,000 birr ($32) and 25,000 birr ($159), depending on the type. The ICS said these fees will remain, while the new services will cater to applicants applying remotely or in emergency situations.

Other charges include $200 for passport applications by Ethiopians in the diaspora and $250 for digital renewals. Emergency applications will cost about $300, while expedited renewals will attract an additional $50.

The immigration service expects to raise about 30 billion birr ($191.6 million) in fees this year.

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