Ethiopia
Regulations on entry, stay, residence, and treatment access for people living with HIV
The categories of restriction are:
- Unclear restrictions - it is not clear to what extent restrictions apply.
Restrictions on entry to Ethiopia
It is unclear whether Ethiopia imposes restrictions on entry of people living with HIV.
According to UNAIDS and the US Department of State, Ethiopia does not have any HIV-related restrictions on entry.
Nothing in the list of documents required to request a visa, available on the website of the Immigration and Citizenship Services of the Ethiopian Government, suggests an HIV-related restriction on entry.
However, the Ethiopian Proclamation No. 354/2003 “Immigration Proclamation” states that tourist or transit visa holders should also poses a health certificate: ‘A foreigner holding a tourist or transit visa shall […] (b) unless otherwise permitted, a valid visa and health certificate which will enable him to enter the country of destination.’ It is unclear if this would require HIV disclosure or testing.
Restrictions on short-term stay in Ethiopia
We found no evidence of any official restrictions on short-term stay in Ethiopia based on HIV status.
According to UNAIDS and the US Department of State, Ethiopia does not have any HIV-related restrictions on short-term stay.
According to the information available on the website of the Immigration and Citizenship Services of the Ethiopian Government, non-nationals who are entering Ethiopia to stay in the country for a maximum of 90 days should apply for a Residence Visa (IMV). None of the supporting documents that should be included with the IMV application makes reference to HIV or the general health of the applicant.
Restrictions on long-term stay in Ethiopia
We found no evidence of any official restrictions on long-term stay in Ethiopia based on HIV status.
According to UNAIDS and the US Department of State, Ethiopia does not have any HIV-related restrictions on long-term stay.
The Immigration and Citizenship Services of the Ethiopian Government provides a list of supporting documents that should be included with a permanent residence application and none of those documents makes reference to HIV or the general health of the applicant.
The Civil Registration and Residency Service Agency provides further details on the process to register and obtain a permanent residence, and none of the requirements makes reference to HIV.
Treatment access in Ethiopia
The following summarises available information on access to healthcare for people living with HIV in Ethiopia. However, it is not clear whether non-nationals are able to access this treatment in the same way as nationals.
IOM reports that access to health care is possible for migrants, although the current legislation does not clarify under which conditions. The country has set a target to achieve universal health coverage, including for refugees and migrants, but the Immigration Proclamation does not address specifically foreign nationals. A new Refugees Proclamation (No. 1110/2019) approved in February 2019 provides for access to available health services in Ethiopia for refugees and asylum seekers, although no further specification is made as to how this will be achieved. The Agency for Refugees and Returnees Affairs (ARRA) is working on operationalization plans. Based on the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between the Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH), ARRA, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), all refugees have the right to basic health services and to be treated as members of the host community.
Sources
The HIV Justice Network's Global HIV Criminalisation Database
Visit the Ethiopia page on the Global HIV Criminalisation Database to see more information about known HIV criminalisation laws in this country, an overview of how the laws are used, and any significant advocacy developments.
UNAIDS Global AIDS monitoring data
This information about access to HIV services comes from UNAIDS https://lawsandpolicies.unaids.org/, a platform to view data on HIV-related laws and policies. This is information provided by national authorities and civil society and may contradict other sources.
Migrant populations
| Laws/policies enable documented migrants to access HIV services under the same conditions as citizens | Yes |
| Laws/policies enable documented migrants to access HIV services under the same conditions as citizens implemented (countries with such laws/policies) | Yes |
| Laws/policies enable undocumented migrants to access HIV services under the same conditions as citizens | Yes |
| Laws/policies enable undocumented migrants to access HIV services under the same conditions as citizens implemented (countries with such laws/policies) | Yes |
| Migrants are able to access HIV services | Yes |
Refugees and asylum seekers
| Laws/policies enable asylum seekers to access HIV services under the same conditions as citizens | Yes |
| Laws/policies enable asylum seekers to access HIV services under the same conditions as citizens implemented (countries with such laws/policies) | Yes |
| Laws/policies enable refugees to access HIV services under the same conditions as citizens | Yes |
| Laws/policies enable refugees to access HIV services under the same conditions as citizens implemented (countries with such laws/policies) | N/A |
Share
If you want to refer to this page when travelling and may not have internet access, you can use your browser to Save or Print this page - how you do it will depend on the device and browser you are using.
This site focuses on information about HIV travel. Please also consult your own Foreign Office/Ministry of Foreign Affairs website, or the local consulate of the country you are visiting, to see what restrictions there are specifically for you as a citizen of your country, regardless of your HIV status.
