GoDjibouti Visa Requirements

Visa Entry

According to the agreement reached between the Chinese government and the Djibouti government, holders of Chinese diplomatic, official, and service ordinary passports can stay in Djibouti visa free for 30 days. Before traveling to Djibouti, ordinary passport holders must go to the Djibouti Embassy in China or log in to the Djibouti electronic visa application website to obtain a visa (electronic visa application website) https://www.evisa.gouv.dj/#/ ）. To apply for an electronic visa, you need to provide a photo, passport front page, flight ticket (or flight booking), and hotel reservation (or invitation letter). Transit visa (stay for 1-14 days) costs $12, and short-term stay visa (stay for 15-90 days) costs $23. Djibouti airport applies for a port visa ($30, valid for one month), and if overstayed, a fine of 40000 or 80000 Jirang will be imposed. For specific visa matters, please consult the Embassy of Djibouti in China at 010-65327857. For entry and exit matters, please refer to the explanations provided by the Djibouti Immigration Bureau.

Photos are required for airport entry, and immigration authorities often request full boarding passes and ticket stubs. Please keep them properly.

Customs epidemic prevention and control

Djibouti Customs has no written regulations on the entry and exit of goods. Generally, 400 cigarettes and 1500ml of alcohol can be brought into the country. If there are unopened newly purchased items in the luggage, it is recommended to prepare a shopping receipt for inspection. There is no specific amount limit for carrying foreign exchange when entering or leaving the country. It is recommended not to carry too much foreign exchange cash to avoid unnecessary trouble. There are no special requirements for epidemic prevention. Those who have the conditions can receive yellow fever and cholera vaccines. Please consult domestic inspection and quarantine institutions for details.

Residency and Naturalization

Djibouti has established a specialized committee to handle naturalization applications, which is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Justice and chaired by a judge appointed by the President. Foreigners must settle in Djibouti for at least 10 years before submitting the application for naturalization. If they have made contributions to the independence of Djibouti or have made or can make important contributions to Djibouti through their talents, the number of years of residence can be reduced to 5 years.

Foreigners or stateless persons who intermarry with citizens of Djibouti can only apply for naturalization after living together for two years after marriage. After obtaining nationality, underage children born in marriage have Djibouti nationality.

Individuals under the age of 18 are not eligible to apply for citizenship. People who have not integrated into Djiboutian society, especially those who have not mastered one of the languages used in Djibouti, cannot obtain Djiboutian nationality.

The phone number of the Ministry of Justice is 00253-21351174.

Long term residence in Djibouti (more than 3 months) requires applying for visa extension or obtaining a residence permit at the Djibouti Immigration Office. Djibouti residence permits are divided into two types, with a maximum validity period of one year for temporary residence permits. If you need to continue staying, please update them in a timely manner; The Djibouti Permanent Residence Permit is issued to foreign employees who have signed labor contracts in free trade zone enterprises.

Foreign journalists who wish to enter Djibouti must obtain permission from relevant departments (such as the Ministry of Communications) before entering.

Djibouti risk level is blue (low risk)

public security

The overall public security situation is good, with a low crime rate. When traveling, please pay attention to properly storing personal belongings. Violent attacks occasionally occur north of the Asar Salt Lake in Tajura District. Be cautious when traveling to the border areas between northern Djibouti and Eritrea, as well as the border areas between southeastern Djibouti and Somalia.

Please Chinese citizens in Djibouti consciously abide by local laws and regulations, and respect local religious customs and habits; Do not carry large amounts of cash with you and avoid traveling to remote and sparsely populated areas; Do not take photos without permission, and it is prohibited to take photos of ports, military facilities, etc; Please be aware of potential piracy risks when sailing in the waters surrounding Djibouti.

natural disaster

Djibouti mainly has a tropical desert climate, with hot weather and little rainfall throughout the year. The mainland is dominated by plateaus and mountains, with a tropical grassland climate. The whole year is divided into two seasons: cool and hot. April to October is the hot season, with an average temperature of 37 ℃ and a maximum temperature of over 50 ℃; The cool season is from November to March of the following year, with an average temperature of 27 ℃. Severe drought and lack of drainage systems in cities often result in severe water accumulation on rainy roads, making some sections impassable. Earthquakes occur frequently, but the magnitude is low and the impact is minor.

There are several beaches along the coast of the capital where local residents are active, but none of them are effectively managed. Please proceed with caution to prevent drowning.

FDA

Due to severe water shortage and poor overall hygiene, diarrhea and hepatitis are common diseases in the local area. Tap water is non potable water, and bottled water is required for drinking water, cooking, and other purposes. Supermarket food is mostly imported from France, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Ethiopia, with high prices.

Urgent Help

First aid: 19.

Fire alarm: 18.

Police officer: 17.

Coast Guard Maritime Rescue Hotline: 1500.

air traffic

The main airport is Djibouti Amboli International Airport, which currently operates Air France, Ethiopian Airlines, Yemen, Flydubai, Türkiye Airlines, Qatar Airways, Air Djibouti and other flights. There are international routes to France, Türkiye, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia and other countries and regions. There is no direct flight route from China to Djibouti. From China to Djibouti, transit is generally in France, Ethiopia, Türkiye, Dubai or Doha.

Private buses or taxis can be used to travel between the airport and the city.

land transport

Djibouti City, the capital of Djibouti, is connected to Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, by the Addis Ababa Djibouti Railway, which was opened to traffic on January 1, 2018.

The domestic transportation in Kyrgyzstan is mainly on highways, with cars driving on the right side. At important intersections, drivers must follow traffic signals and cannot turn right at red lights. Motor vehicles must yield to pedestrians, and branch vehicles must yield to main road vehicles. When turning, drivers must go straight, and when turning left, drivers must turn right. There is no distinction between primary and secondary roads. At intersections, drivers must follow the principle of turning right, and when outside a roundabout, drivers must turn inside. Traffic on congested roads must alternate.

The road conditions in the urban area of Djibouti are good, and many sections of the road in the inland areas are gravel roads that can only be accessed by off-road vehicles.

Renting a car in Djibouti is more convenient. Foreigners who have resided for more than half a year can apply to the vehicle management office to renew their local driver's licenses. A Chinese driver's license can be exchanged for a Djibouti driver's license, but prior to coming to Djibouti, the driver's license translation must be certified domestically and relevant materials must be provided according to the requirements of the local regulatory authorities.

Driving precautions: When unfamiliar with the situation, it is advisable to avoid driving frequently; Local taxi drivers and private buses may suddenly stop, turn off their turn signals, or turn their lights in the opposite direction, so it is important to maintain a certain distance from them while driving; Slow down when driving at night.

Djibouti City and Ethiopia are connected by Highway 1, but this road only has two lanes and some sections are undulating. The road is mostly used by container trucks and oil tankers traveling between Djibouti and Ethiopia, resulting in frequent car accidents. Please control your speed and overtake carefully while driving on this road.

water communication

There is a ferry connecting Djibouti City and the Tajura region.

Urban transportation

The transportation in Djibouti city mainly relies on private buses and taxis. Foreigners seldom take buses. Taking taxis may kill foreigners. Please negotiate the price in advance and take your luggage when getting off.

The roads in the center of Djibouti city are crisscrossed, with many single lane roads, but usually there are no obvious no go signs. The direction of traffic can be determined based on the direction of vehicles parked on the roadside.

major city

The country is divided into one city and five regions: the capital city of Djibouti ville, the Tadjourah region, the Obock region, the Ali Sabieh region, the Dikhil region, and the Arta region.

The capital city of Djibouti is the political, economic, and cultural center of the country.

Commodity prices

Djibouti has scarce resources, poor natural conditions, and almost no production. Food and consumer goods are mostly imported, and prices are high.

The currency is Djibouti francs, with 1 US dollar equivalent to 177.5 francs. Loose financial policies, no foreign exchange controls, allowing for free capital flow. The payment methods are mainly cash and check, and credit cards can only be used in a few high-end places. UnionPay cards cannot be used temporarily.

Insurance Medical

The medical conditions are backward, the number of medical personnel is seriously insufficient, and the health status of the people is poor. H ô pital g é n é ral Peltier is the largest comprehensive hospital in the country, with telephone number 00253-21352712 and emergency department 00253-21350962.

The Djibouti government has no mandatory requirements for medical insurance for foreigners in Djibouti.

Please consult the domestic health quarantine agency regarding the situation in Djibouti before going abroad. There are outbreaks of infectious diseases such as malaria, dengue fever, and cholera in the local area. Please pay attention to preventing mosquito bites during the cool season. The local temperature is high and the ultraviolet rays are strong. It is necessary to pay attention to heatstroke prevention and sun protection, and prepare sunglasses.

Customs taboos

Djibouti is a Muslim country that abstains from eating pork and drinking alcohol. Working from Sunday to Thursday, with weekends off on Friday and Saturday. Government departments and public institutions work from 8:00 am to 1:00 pm and from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm. During Ramadan, do not eat or drink in public places.

Communications Power

The country code for international calls in Djibouti is 00253. Domestic mobile phones can be directly replaced with local SIM cards for use. The main SIM cards in China can be used for roaming calls and sending and receiving text messages in Djibouti. China Mobile has opened Djibouti data roaming. Please consult domestic operators for specific tariffs.

Jilin Telecom has expensive tariffs. Wired internet access is relatively good in African countries, with bandwidth ranging from 256K to 15M. Only one mobile operator, 4G signal only covers a few areas. For more information, please refer to the Djibouti Telecom website.

Voltage/frequency: 220V, 50Hz, socket is French standard, it is recommended to carry a conversion plug.

contact information

Chinese medical team stationed in Jilin: 00253-21353748, 21358455.

Emergency hotline: 19.

Fire alarm hotline: 18.

Police phone number: 17.

Coast Guard Maritime Rescue Hotline: 1500.

Police Headquarters: 00253 21353891

Military Police: 00253 21351003