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State of Eritrea · short term business

Official / Courtesy Entry Visa

By · Last reviewed:

Guidance updated 15 November 2026. Full-review date shown above.

Protocol-supported official entry with a diplomatic note or qualifying invitation, with the published visa fee exemption kept separate from unverified extra charges.

No sponsorship requiredDoes not lead to permanent residencyWashington’s general FAQ describes entry within three months from issue and a typical one-month stay, with Immigration in Asmara handling any actual extension/renewal. The actual category and grant control; do not treat the entry-validity window as the whole permitted stay. The actual official visit and granted endorsement control; the invitation’s dates do not replace the visa decision.In flux
Processing time
Washington’s official section says a minimum of 15 days, without the business-day wording used by several other categories. Arrange any required protocol/Asmara approval and confirm the complete actual timeline with the serving mission. Washington requires the signed online B62.3 application and uploaded photograph, online payment where payable, and mailing the original passport to the embassy; travel only after receiving the issued visa. This is not a passport-free e-visa. Public portal access was checked, but no account, application, payment or mail processing was tested.
Government fees
Washington lists the official visa as gratis; Melbourne likewise states no visa fee. The selected official sections do not establish that every incidental photo, courier or service charge is waived, nor do they justify automatically adding the paid-category USD 13 / USD 10 charges. Obtain the actual official-case assessment.
Typical duration
Washington’s general FAQ describes entry within three months from issue and a typical one-month stay, with Immigration in Asmara handling any actual extension/renewal. The actual category and grant control; do not treat the entry-validity window as the whole permitted stay. The actual official visit and granted endorsement control; the invitation’s dates do not replace the visa decision.
Sponsorship required
No
Leads to permanent residency
No
Reviewed Embassy of the State of Eritrea, Washington DC ↗

In short

Protocol-supported official entry with a diplomatic note or qualifying invitation, with the published visa fee exemption kept separate from unverified extra charges. Guidance updated 15 November 2026. Costs, application stages and eligibility conditions are set out with their sources below.

Cite this: https://visaatlas.org/visas/eritrea/official-entry-visa#answer

What is the Official / Courtesy Entry Visa in State of Eritrea?

Official / Courtesy Entry Visa is an unsponsored Eritrea route. Indicative government fees are Washington lists the official visa as gratis; Melbourne likewise states no visa fee. The selected official sections do not establish that every incidental photo, courier or service charge is waived, nor do they justify automatically adding the paid-category USD 13 / USD 10 charges. Obtain the actual official-case assessment; indicative processing time is Washington’s official section says a minimum of 15 days, without the business-day wording used by several other categories. Arrange any required protocol/Asmara approval and confirm the complete actual timeline with the serving mission. Washington requires the signed online B62.3 application and uploaded photograph, online payment where payable, and mailing the original passport to the embassy; travel only after receiving the issued visa. This is not a passport-free e-visa. Public portal access was checked, but no account, application, payment or mail processing was tested; typical duration is Washington’s general FAQ describes entry within three months from issue and a typical one-month stay, with Immigration in Asmara handling any actual extension/renewal. The actual category and grant control; do not treat the entry-validity window as the whole permitted stay. The actual official visit and granted endorsement control; the invitation’s dates do not replace the visa decision. This route does not lead to permanent residence.

Primary guidance checked with Embassy of the State of Eritrea, Washington DC on 15 November 2026.

Overview

Washington’s official category requires a diplomatic note or note verbale stating the visit’s purpose and duration. It lists G4/local residence evidence for non-US citizens and describes the visa as gratis. Melbourne requires invitation through the relevant Eritrean ministry, organisation or company and prior Immigration approval before its consular passport/form stage. Use the actual protocol and serving-mission assessment; an invitation is not a general employer-sponsored work or residence programme. Use the mission serving your actual residence. Washington’s consular page describes the Americas except Canada, while its portal welcome specifically mentions US residents; confirm actual jurisdiction acceptance for a non-US-resident case. Regional fees, forms and procedures are not interchangeable.

Additional sources

Eligibility

Typical criteria

Common blockers

Typical evidence

  • ·For Washington, a passport valid at least six months beyond the trip dates, the signed online B62.3 form and a 35 × 45 mm uploaded passport photograph. The serving mission’s passport and photo requirements control; other missions phrase their validity rules differently.Embassy of the State of Eritrea, Washington DC ↗
  • ·Washington requests local residence/permanent-resident evidence for non-US citizens. Prepare the actual category’s purpose, financial and supporting documents and arrange original-passport mailing/return as instructed.Embassy of the State of Eritrea, Washington DC ↗
  • ·Check any required entry-health certificate for the actual itinerary. Washington publishes a yellow-fever certificate requirement for travellers from its listed countries; confirm the applicable documentation with the serving authority rather than treating a regional list as every traveller’s medical requirement.Embassy of the State of Eritrea, Washington DC ↗
  • ·Diplomatic note/note verbale or actual qualifying official invitation and required Asmara approval.Embassy of the State of Eritrea, Washington DC ↗
  • ·Washington’s actual local residence/G4 evidence for non-US-citizen cases and official-category passport/photo/form documents. Melbourne’s approved-case list names B62, photo, original passport, return envelope and itinerary.Embassy of the State of Eritrea, Washington DC ↗

Application pathway

  1. Check the route fit

    Arrange the official note/invitation and the actual required protocol/Immigration approval through the inviting authority.

  2. Build the evidence pack

    Obtain the actual serving mission’s complete category checklist and any required prior approval, and prepare its documents.

  3. Submit through the official channel

    Follow the actual online/payment/original-passport submission sequence and wait for the issued visa before travel.

  4. After approval

    Check the grant’s validity, stay, activity and any extension or further-authorisation requirements.

After approval: prepare for your next step

For Official / Courtesy Entry Visa, use the actual decision and the issuing authority’s instructions to establish what has been granted. A successful application, permission to enter, permission to work and a residence document are not interchangeable.

  1. 1. Check the decision. Confirm the name, passport, status granted, start date and any next action. Resolve an error with the authority before relying on the document for travel or employment.
  2. 2. Establish the travel step. Read any entry window, activation, collection or in-country registration instruction. For an extension or change of status, do not assume leaving the country is required or safe while a further step remains pending.
  3. 3. Confirm what you may do. Check whether employment, self-employment, remote work or study is permitted under the status granted. Do not infer unrestricted work rights from the absence of an employer sponsor.
  4. 4. Organise the household. Check each accompanying person’s permission separately, then arrange healthcare, accommodation, access to money and the relevant local registrations. A tax number or bank account does not by itself prove a right to work.
  5. 5. Keep the ongoing conditions visible. Record the actual expiry, renewal process, permitted absences and any duty to report changes. An initial grant does not automatically establish permanent residence or citizenship.
Official Official / Courtesy Entry Visa instructionsBuild my moving plan for this routeMoving to Eritrea

Official application links

Where to actually go next

Government links only

These are the official pages to use for this route. Open them before preparing documents: the forms, fees, appointment systems, and sponsor steps can change without warning.

  1. Official guidanceApplicant
    Read the current Official / Courtesy Entry Visa checklist ↗

    Choose the actual named category and read its own fees, clock and evidence.

    Embassy of the State of Eritrea, Washington DC · verified

  2. ApplyApplicant
    Open the official-linked Washington portal ↗

    Public access was checked; no private application or payment was tested.

    Eritrean consular affairs / Washington embassy · verified

  3. Official guidanceApplicant
    Check Consulate of the State of Eritrea, Melbourne instructions ↗

    Confirm the actual regional approval, submission sequence and category assessment.

    Consulate of the State of Eritrea, Melbourne · verified

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Frequently asked questions

Does no visa fee mean every charge is waived?+

The published official visa fee is zero. The selected official lists do not establish every incidental service or mailing charge; confirm the actual assessment rather than importing a paid-category tariff.

Is the Washington procedure entirely online?+

No. Its published process combines online application/payment with mailing the original passport. Other missions may require approval and contact before accepting payment or the original.

Need tailored advice?

We do not provide legal advice. For an application that depends on your exact circumstances, consult a regulator-listed immigration advisor.

Find a regulated advisor in Eritrea

How we verified this

We check every figure on this page against the primary government source, record the date it was last checked, and re-check it on a regular schedule. Rules change, so always confirm time-sensitive details with the official source before you rely on them. Visa Atlas is an information-only publication and does not give legal advice.

Primary source: Embassy of the State of Eritrea, Washington DC

Last checked: 15 November 2026

See the full evidence trail and methodology

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