The State Minister at Somaliland’s Ministry of Internal Security, Munasar Abdirahman Ahmed, has responded to growing public concern after numerous Somaliland citizens became stranded in Addis Ababa and Dubai when airlines refused to allow them to board without presenting a Somalia E-visa.
According to stranded passengers, the situation has worsened in recent days, as the Somalia E-visa is not issued immediately and can take several days to process. This delay has left families—including children, women, and elderly passengers—stuck in transit airports, unable to continue their journeys.
Members of the Somaliland diaspora currently stranded in Addis Ababa confirmed to Arlaathi TV that Ethiopian Airlines denied them boarding after they failed to present the Somalia E-visa, which has suddenly become mandatory. A similar situation is unfolding in Dubai, where many passengers have also been instructed to obtain the Somalia E-visa before traveling.
The Somaliland government—particularly officials within the State Minister of Internal Security—had previously informed the public that the E-visa complications had been resolved. However, the continuing disruption indicates that the government did not establish a comprehensive and lasting solution, instead focusing only on the temporary shutdown of Somalia’s E-visa website after it was hacked.
As the crisis persists, the stranded travelers—among them vulnerable groups such as children and elderly women—say they are unable to withstand the ongoing hardship and uncertainty. Many have appealed for quicker action from Somaliland authorities to resolve the issue and ensure their safe and timely return.
