The queue of travellers clutching paper forms at Mogadishu's immigration counters has become a relic of the past.
On September 1, Somalia switched its entire border management to a digital e-visa and electronic travel authorisation (ETA) system, marking the country's most significant immigration overhaul since 1960.
The new system, accessible through the government's official portal, ends decades of paper applications and chaotic visa-on-arrival arrangements.
Somalia's immigration system has mirrored its political journey. The country ran a working, even if flawed, border control system for thirty years after it gained independence in 1960.
That system collapsed between 1990 and 2007 as an escalating civil war destroyed government institutions and led to immigration offices being shuttered. Without any central authority regulating immigration, crossing borders became a matter of luck and circumstance.
The recovery chain began in 2007 when the transitional government reopened immigration offices, initially aiming to restore basic controls.
Between 2014 and 2021, Somalia introduced more rigid documentation rules for foreigners to align its immigration policy with international norms. The process was refined over the next four years, paving the way for the digital shift.
Security framework
An e-visa system fundamentally changes everything about border control in Somalia. Travellers can no longer obtain visas on arrival through what used to be a murky and disjointed process.
All visa applications must now be submitted online before departure. Airlines face strict penalties for boarding passengers without valid digital visas.
The process runs through three stages – verification, approval and issuance – with each taking a maximum of 24 hours.
Travellers get visas within one to three days, replacing the old paper system that moved slowly and created loopholes for possible corruption.
‘‘We are using this system to make sure nobody enters or leaves the country without being checked, and without us having their information,’’ Director-General of the Somali Immigration and Citizenship Agency Mustafa Duhulow says.
‘‘We have also established a global system, with 108 trained staff, which is one of the best global systems,’’ says Duhulow.
The overall benefits of the new system outweigh convenience. With travellers required to state their purpose of visiting Somalia on e-visas 24 hours ahead, authorities have advance data on who's entering and why.
Experts say this is essential for fighting terrorism, trafficking and cross-border crime.
‘‘We are making sure there are no illegal travelers leaving Somalia, and no illegal travelers coming into Somalia. We are working very closely with our international partners, and we are improving a lot,’’ Duhulow said.
‘‘As part of the security agencies, we are working very hard to make sure that no Al-Qaeda, ISIS, or Al-Shabab members are entering or leaving the country,’’ he added.
Financial transparency
Cash payments at border posts used to exacerbate the usual problems of inefficiency, theft and zero accountability.
The e-visa system ensures that all payments are made directly to the finance ministry's account electronically.
"This is a proud and joyful moment for Somalia as we take a historic step towards strengthening our internal security," says Somalia's minister of internal security, Abdullahi Sheikh Ismail Fartaag.
"The new system requires all travellers to declare the purpose of their visit at least 24 hours in advance, giving our government the information it needs to protect the country more effectively."
Identity infrastructure
Somali passport applicants must now hold National Identity Cards, a requirement introduced to fix citizenship records and secure travel documents.
In a country where tracking identities has proved nearly impossible, connecting passports to national IDs marks real progress towards what officials call "functioning statehood".
"An e-visa isn't just about convenience; it's about ensuring national security, safeguarding sensitive data, and giving Somalia greater control over its borders. This system is a strong step towards building a safer and more secure future," says Mustafa Dhuhulow.
Officials frame the e-visa launch as "a moment of pride for Somalia" that Dhuhulow believes will trigger broader changes. "I urge Somalis everywhere not to fear these reforms but to embrace them as a national achievement," he says.
The e-visa delivers more than security improvements. It tells investors and partners that Somalia takes border management seriously, values transparency, and wants to do business properly.
