Somaliland Visa & Entry in 2026: What Travellers Need to Know

For most of the past year, the hardest part of a trip to Somaliland has not been the journey. It has been the visa. Two governments claim authority over who may enter, each runs its own system, and travellers have been caught in between. The short answer for anyone flying into Hargeisa: you need a Somaliland visa on arrival, because the federal e-visa is not valid for entry there. But the UK Foreign Office notes that some airlines may still ask to see the federal e-visa before you board, so get your airline’s requirement in writing before you fly.

The Somaliland visa: two systems, one airport

Somalia’s federal government launched an electronic visa in September 2025. Somaliland, which has governed itself since 1991, never applied it. It continues to issue its own visa on arrival at Hargeisa and Berbera airports, and its authorities say federal visas are not valid for entry. According to Somaliland’s aviation minister, travellers who arrive in Hargeisa holding only the federal e-visa have it cancelled at the airport and must buy a Somaliland visa instead.

The UK Foreign Office says that travellers flying to Hargeisa “may still be asked to present this eVisa in order to board your flight but it will not be considered valid for entry when you arrive in Hargeisa.” In other words, the Somaliland visa is what gets you in, but your airline may have its own rules for letting you on the plane.

How the Somaliland visa dispute unfolded

When the federal system launched, some airlines told passengers bound for Hargeisa that they needed it, and some were denied boarding without it. By November 2025 the main carriers had changed course. IATA updated its travel guidance to show visa on arrival as available at Somaliland’s airports, and both flydubai and Ethiopian Airlines confirmed that travellers to Hargeisa and Berbera could obtain visas on arrival there.

On 21 October 2026, Somalia’s civil aviation authority said the dispute had been settled by mutual understanding. Somaliland’s government denied that any agreement exists, and neither side has published terms. For travellers, nothing has changed on the ground: Somaliland still requires its own visa.

“Buy the Somaliland visa on arrival, and ask your airline in writing what it needs to see before you board.”

Somaliland visa on arrival: what you need at the airport

Somaliland’s immigration service lists what it expects from visitors buying a visa on arrival: a passport valid for at least six months from the date of entry, a return or onward ticket, proof that you can support yourself during your stay, and a contact person, address or confirmed hotel booking in Somaliland. The fee is paid in full on arrival; the immigration service does not publish the amount online, so ask before you travel.

The UK Foreign Office adds three details. The visa on arrival is single-entry and valid for one month. You may be asked for a letter of invitation, usually from your employer or host, outlining the reason for your visit, and entry can be refused without one. And cash worth US$10,000 or more must be declared.

Somaliland’s immigration service says visas on arrival are issued only at Hargeisa and Berbera airports. If you plan to arrive overland or by sea, you must apply in advance through a Somaliland mission abroad or online.

A word on the federal e-visa

Even if you are also visiting Mogadishu, be aware that the federal e-visa system was breached in late 2025. The US Embassy said the personal data of at least 35,000 applicants may have been exposed, and the UK Foreign Office says the breach is ongoing. The UK Foreign Office also notes that some travellers may still be asked to show the federal e-visa to board a flight to Hargeisa, so ask your airline exactly what it requires before you apply for anything.

Do I need both visas?

For entry into Somaliland, no: only the Somaliland visa counts at Hargeisa. The main thing to check is your airline’s rule at the departure gate. Ask your airline before you book, and keep its answer in writing. If you are also travelling to Mogadishu, you will need the federal e-visa for that part of the trip.

Once you are through the airport, the city is waiting. Start with our Hargeisa Travel Guide, and plan a day for the rock art of Laas Geel. Before you book, read Is Somaliland Safe?

Sources

1. Somalia: Entry requirements, UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, updated 19 October 2026.
2. Visa Section, Somaliland Immigration and Border Control.
3. Somali Civil Aviation Authority Declares the Visa Row Over and Hargeisa Still Cancels Its Visas, The Somali Digest, 22 October 2026.
4. Somalia Says Somaliland Visa Row Is Over, The Rio Times, 21 October 2026.
5. IATA, FlyDubai and Ethiopian Recognise Somaliland Visa-On-Arrival, AllAfrica / Horn Diplomat, 14 November 2025.
6. Somalia e-visa causes travel confusion in breakaway Somaliland, Somali Guardian, 20 October 2025.

Last checked 24 October 2026. Found an error or something out of date? Tell us.