Getahun Tsegaye
Staff Reporter
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia – The U.S. Embassy in Ethiopia announced that it has shortened the visa validity period for Ethiopians to three months. This decision stems from a policy change by the U.S. Department of State, which implemented a “reciprocity nonimmigrant realignment visa policy” for non-immigrant visa applicants.
According to the new U.S. Department of State policy, “starting from July 8, 2025, visas issued to Ethiopians will be for a single entry and valid for a three-month stay.” The Embassy also stated that visas issued before July 8, 2025, will remain as they are.
It was further stated that Ethiopians traveling to the U.S. for business and tourism receive visas categorized as “B1” and “B2.” Under the previous system, travelers in this category received visas valid for two years. Additionally, these visas allowed for multiple entries into the country until their expiration.
The newly announced policy, in addition to shortening the visa validity period to three months, has restricted multiple entries with a single visa. Under the new policy, even if the visa’s validity period has not expired, travelers who leave the U.S. will not be able to re-enter with the same visa.
The U.S. Department of State announced further that it had shortened the visa validity period for various African countries to three months. Among the countries where this decision was implemented are Nigeria and Ghana.
Borkena previously reported that the U.S. government was preparing to impose travel restrictions on 36 additional countries, including Ethiopia, Egypt, Djibouti, and 33 other nations to a growing list of countries facing U.S. travel bans. Twenty-five of these proposed additions are African nations. It was said that such decision was part of an expanded effort to tighten immigration and national security controls under Trump administration.
At the beginning of June, the U.S. government implemented a separate ban affecting citizens of 12 countries, including Eritrea. These restrictions were announced through a presidential proclamation signed by President Donald Trump on June 9, 2025.
“This travel ban is necessary to keep Americans safe from individuals whose identities cannot be properly verified,” Trump stated in a video on Truth Social.
He referenced a recent attack in Colorado, allegedly carried out by an Egyptian national, as a motivating factor, although Egypt was not among the countries included in the June 9 ban.
The nations subjected to the full ban include: Eritrea, Somalia, Sudan, Afghanistan, Iran, Chad, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Haiti, Libya, Equatorial Guinea, Myanmar, and Yemen. The Trump administration has classified these countries as “posing a national security threat.”
In addition to the full ban, seven other countries—Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela—were subjected to partial travel restrictions, according to the White House.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, during its biweekly press conference held today, stated that Ethiopian-Americans and other foreign citizens entering Ethiopia with a visa will face penalties if they overstay their visa’s validity period.
Similarly, it was announced that Ethiopian citizens traveling to the United States will also face accountability if they overstay their authorized visa duration.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized that Ethiopian-Americans and other foreign citizens holding American passports who enter Ethiopia with a visa should be careful not to overstay their visa’s expiration date, as this will result in penalties.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesperson, Nebiyat Getachew, explained that the U.S. government has recently been implementing new procedures related to visa and immigration matters, and citizens should exercise caution.
The spokesperson further reiterated in today’s weekly briefing that “Ethiopian citizens traveling to the U.S. for education or work must be careful not to overstay their authorized visa duration, as this will lead to significant accountability and various problems.”
Additionally, he advised that “any Ethiopian traveling to the U.S. and entering the embassy must be careful with documents from both government and private institutions, and during interviews,” adding that “providing accurate documents is essential.”
He clarified that it is appropriate to follow the guidelines issued by the U.S. government regarding visa and immigration matters.
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