Somalia is set to begin the issuance of the East African Community (EAC) passport to its citizens, joining other member states using the regional travel document.

Somalia’s Ambassador to Tanzania and Permanent Representative to the East African Community, Ilyas Ali Hassan, handed over the official approved EAC passport design features to Somalia’s Interior Minister General Abdullahi Sheikh Ismail “Fartaag” and the Director General of the Immigration and Citizenship Agency, Mustafa Sheikh Ahmed Dhuhulow, in Tanzania on Tuesday.

The development represents a key diplomatic milestone for Somalia and is expected to strengthen regional integration and facilitate the free movement of Somali citizens within in the East African region.

Somalia received official authorisation to print the East African Community passport in December 2025, prior to this week’s issuance of the approved design features.

The EAC passport was first introduced at the 17th Ordinary Summit of the EAC Heads of State on March 2, 2016, where leaders launched the East African e-Passport in three categories - Diplomatic, Service and Ordinary.

The e-Passport, recognised as an international travel document, replaced the former national passports of EAC member states.

Other EAC members

The phased introduction of the East African e-Passport across member states underscored a collective commitment to harmonising travel documentation in the region.

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Somalia formally joined the East African Community (EAC) as its eighth Partner State after depositing its instrument of ratification of the Treaty of Accession with the bloc’s Secretary-General at a ceremony held at EAC headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania, March 2024.

The move followed the endorsement of Somalia’s membership by regional leaders at the 23rd Ordinary Summit of EAC Heads of State in Arusha, approving the Horn of Africa nation’s decade-long bid to join the bloc.

Other members of the bloc are Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda in the regional economic community.

Somalia has already elected nine members of parliament to the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA), who will represent the country at the regional parliament headquartered in Arusha, Tanzania.