VisaEritrea entry on a national identity card can create a separate exit-permit requirement
Current official guidance distinguishes entry documents, permission to leave and authorisation for travel beyond Asmara; an overseas passport does not remove every local requirement.
Official source date: 2026-10-30
Edited and checked by the VisaWand editorial team
Plan the return journey before choosing the entry document
British-Eritrean dual nationals considering travel on an Eritrean identity card should establish the departure procedure before entering. The UK’s current entry guidance says a dual national who enters Eritrea using that card needs an exit permit from the Immigration Office in Asmara to leave. This is a current travel-planning guide, not a newly announced nationality or visa restriction.
The same guidance requires a British traveller’s passport to remain valid for at least six months after arrival and to contain two consecutive blank pages. A British passport is also needed for the return to the UK, unless the traveller holds the relevant certificate of entitlement. The document used to demonstrate a right to enter Eritrea and the evidence needed for departure are therefore separate questions. Ask the Eritrean mission about the complete journey rather than assume an unused foreign passport resolves every exit formality.
The Eritrean mission distinguishes an original identity card from a visa
Eritrea’s Washington embassy says Eritreans holding an original national identity card do not need an entry visa; a copy is not accepted. Non-Eritreans and Eritreans without that card require a visa under its instructions. The embassy’s online application requires the appropriate category, photograph and supporting evidence, followed by mailing the original passport. Non-US applicants also need the listed residence evidence.
The published business category requires a letter explaining the purpose and duration and evidence of sufficient funds. It lists US$100 for single entry, US$150 for three months, US$200 for six months and US$300 for one year, plus the stated US$13 photograph-printing and US$10 service charges. Those are Washington’s posted category charges, not a universal exit-permit tariff. The mission requires at least fifteen business days for processing and says fees are non-refundable. Confirm the actual category and complete file before sending documents; an online form alone does not issue the visa.
Exit permission can take time and is not guaranteed
Australia’s current Eritrea advice warns that an exit permit is required, may take a long time to obtain and can be refused. It also warns Australian-Eritrean dual nationals that Eritrea treats them as Eritrean and that male dual nationals may face military-service requirements. These issues should be checked with the Eritrean embassy before travel, not discovered after the return flight has been booked.
The Australian government says it cannot influence the Eritrean Immigration Department to issue an exit permit. Its guidance should therefore be used to identify the practical risk, while the Eritrean authority must give the individual requirements and decision. The reviewed resources do not establish a fixed exit-permit fee or guaranteed decision deadline. Begin the enquiry well before the intended departure and keep the relevant entry record, identity evidence and mission instructions available.
Travel outside Asmara requires another authorisation
Canada’s current advice says foreign nationals need a permit for travel more than twenty-five kilometres outside Asmara, including diplomats and international-organisation personnel. It identifies the Ministry of Tourism for tourists, Trade and Industry for business travellers, and Foreign Affairs for diplomats and NGO employees. Foreigners based outside Asmara also need the relevant regional administration, or zoba, permission for travel beyond their area.
The Canadian resource warns that even permit holders have sometimes been prevented from travelling outside the surrounding province. It also identifies the Ethiopia and Djibouti land borders as closed. An entry visa therefore should not be interpreted as unrestricted permission to make an overland itinerary or visit every region. Use the relevant ministry channel for the actual route, allow time for checks and verify current border arrangements before planning onward travel.
Retain customs and currency evidence for departure
The UK entry resource requires declaration of electronic items, including phones, laptops and cameras, warning that undeclared equipment can be confiscated when leaving. The US State Department separately requires declaration of foreign currency exceeding US$10,000 or its equivalent and explains the evidence of currency use needed on departure.
The US guidance says travellers must account for missing foreign currency through official Himbol exchange or purchase receipts. Keep the applicable declarations and exchange or hotel records with the travel documents. This is a different check from the exit-permit decision. A workable plan addresses entry eligibility, internal travel permissions, the departure authorisation and the evidence required by the next destination, without treating any one document as replacing the others.
