Passport/Visa | Passport Required? | Visa Required? | Return Ticket Required? |
| British | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Australian | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Canadian | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| USA | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Other EU | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Passport NoteThe Somali Embassy
in London is closed at present owing to civil war in Somalia. Contact the Foreign Office (website:
www.fco.gov.uk) for information regarding entry into Somalia.
PassportsValid passport required by all nationals of countries referred to in the chart above.
VisasRequired by all nationals of countries referred to in the chart above except transit passengers continuing their journey by the same or first connecting aircraft, provided holding onward or return documentation and not leaving the airport.
Visa NoteTourist,
Business and
Transit.
(a) Visitors to Somaliland should register with their embassy or high commission representing their country in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and to other parts of Somalia with their embassy or high commission in Nairobi, Kenya. (b) Upon arrival, all visitors (except those under 18 years of age) must exchange US$100 or equivalent into local currency. Please note that the exact amount to be exchanged may vary according to region. (c) Nationals of countries not referred to in the chart above are advised to contact the embassy to check visa requirements (see
General Info).
ValidityDependent on nationality.
Applications to:Contact the Somali Embassy in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (tel: (1) 635 921/2; fax: (1) 627 847). The British Embassy in Ethiopia can also help with up-to-date information concerning travel to Somalia, available consular services, visa application requirements and visa costs.
WarningAll travel to Somalia is advised against because of the dangerous level of criminal activity and internal insecurity. Fighting between the Islamic Courts’ militias and those loyal to the warlord in Mogadishu, Balad, Jowhar and Beletweyne earlier in 2006 has now ceased. But tensions remain high. Westerners and those working for western organizations have also been targeted. A western journalist was shot fatally in Mogadishu on 23 June 2006. A western nurse and her escort were shot dead in Mogadishu on 17 September 2006. Car bombs exploded in Baidoa on 18 September 2006, killing a number of people.
Piracy has been a major problem along the Somali coastline. On 5 November 2005, while 70 nautical miles from the Somali Coast, pirates fired rocket propelled grenades against a cruise ship but were successfully repelled by the crew.
There is a high threat from terrorism in Somalia against Western interests. Those foreign nationals deciding to remain in or visit Somalia despite advice to the contrary, should take strong security precautions.
This advice is based on information provided by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in the UK. It is correct at time of publishing. As the situation can change rapidly, visitors are advised to contact the following organizations for the latest travel advice:
British Foreign and Commonwealth Office Tel: (0845) 850 2829.
Website:
www.fco.gov.uk US Department of State Website:
http://travel.state.gov/travel Health | Special Precautions | Certificate Required? |
| Yellow Fever | Yes | 1 |
| Cholera | 2 | No |
| Typhoid and Polio | 3 | N/A |
| Malaria | 4 | N/A |
Health CareMedical facilities are very limited and visitors are advised to take their own medicines with them. Health insurance is essential. Medical treatment at government-run hospitals and dispensaries is free for Somalians and may sometimes be free for visitors.
Note1A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required from travelers arriving from infected areas. Travelers arriving from non-endemic zones should note that vaccination is strongly recommended for travel outside the urban areas, even if an outbreak of the disease has not been reported and they would normally not require a vaccination certificate to enter the country.
2Following WHO guidelines issued in 1973, a cholera vaccination certificate is not a condition of entry to Somalia. However, at the beginning of 2000, an outbreak of cholera was reported, and precautions are recommended for those likely to be at risk. Up-to-date advice should be sought before deciding whether these precautions should include vaccination, as medical opinion is divided over its effectiveness.
3Vaccination against typhoid is advised.
4Malaria risk, predominantly in the malignant
falciparum form, exists all year throughout the country. Resistance to chloroquine and sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine has been reported. The recommended prophylaxis is mefloquine.
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