Somali passport visa-free countries

Traveling with a Somali passport

Somali passport is a document granted to Somali citizens with the purpose of traveling abroad. Previously used green passports were replaced with biometric passports. Somali passports are regulated by the federal government of Somalia and issued for 10 years.

Somali passport currently ranks 103rd in the Henley Passport Index. According to visa requirements all over the world, Somali passport holders can enter 11 visa-free countries. Also, they are able to travel to 42 countries with an electronic visa, 21 countries obtaining a visa on arrival, and 172 countries with a regular visa.

Somali passport application process

Somali passport can be issued only to a Somali citizen provided that they prove their citizenship and meet the requirements. Somali nationality can be acquired in Somali or Somaliland at birth or later in life through grant, also known as naturalization.

To get a Somali passport, it is needed to follow the steps bellow:

1. Prepare the necessary documents.
2. Contact the office to schedule an appointment.
3. Once your appointment is approved, bring the documents along with a money order or cashier’s check for the passport fees.
4. After processing your application and receiving money, the embassy will contact you when the Somali passport is ready for pick up or delivery.

Countries where Somali passport holders travel visa-free

Somali citizens are able to enter 11 travel destinations without a visa. It makes planning traveling easier and more convenient. Somali passport holders can enter most visa-free countries only with a passport and an international certificate of vaccination.

In 2023, Somalia travelers have visa exemption to the following countries:

• Benin
• Cook Islands
• Dominica
• Micronesia
• Gambia
• Haiti
• Malaysia
• Niue
• Suriname
• Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
• Samoa

Benefits of visiting visa-free countries with a Somali passport

Somali passport holders can enjoy numerous advantages that traveling visa-free countries offers. Visa-free access eliminates the need for the time-consuming and costly visa application process. First, it saves money on application fees, and, moreover, you do not need to spend time collecting documents, filling out forms, and waiting for processing.

Traveling without a visa also allows for a more spontaneous travel. You are able to travel on short notice without worrying about visa requirements. A visa-free trip also often permits a longer stay than under a visa, giving more time to explore the country.

Countries offering an e-Visa to Somali passport holders

Moreover, Somali passport holders can obtain an electronic visa (e-Visa) to a number of countries. It has an extremely simple application procedure. Applicants fill out a short online form, make the payment, and get the approved e-Visa via email.

An electronic visa is available for Somali citizens in the following 42 travel destinations:

• Albania
• Bahamas
• Republic of the Congo
• Ivory Coast
• Djibouti
• Gabon
• Kenya
• Kyrgyzstan
• Saint Kitts and Nevis
• Lesotho
• Moldova
• Montserrat
• Malawi
• Mozambique
• Uganda
• Zambia
• Zimbabwe
• São Tomé and Príncipe
• South Sudan
• Antigua and Barbuda

Countries offering visas on arrival to Somali passport holders

A visa on arrival is a visa issued to travelers when they arrive in a foreign country. One does not have to apply for this type of visa in advance. It is easier to obtain than a regular visa, however, has some disadvantages like long queues and possibility of getting visa denied.

At the moment, 21 countries offer Somali passport holders a visa on arrival:

• Bangladesh
• Burkina Faso
• Burundi
• Cabo Verde
• Ghana
• Guinea Bissau
• Cambodia
• Comoros
• Laos
• Sri Lanka
• Madagascar
• Macau
• Mauritania
• Maldives
• Senegal
• Togo
• Timor Leste
• Tuvalu
• Seychelles
• Palau
• Rwanda

Countries where Somali citizens need to get a visa to travel to

The rest of countries requires from Somali nationals a regular visa. To receive one, Somali applicants must make an appointment with the nearest embassy or consulate and lodge an application in person.

A regular visa is mandatory for Somali passport holders to enter the 172 countries:

• Andorra
• United Arab Emirates
• Afghanistan
• Anguilla
• Armenia
• Angola
• Argentina
• American Samoa
• Austria
• Australia
• Aruba
• Azerbaijan
• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Barbados
• Belgium
• Bulgaria
• Bahrain
• Bermuda
• Brunei
• Bolivia
• Brazil
• Bhutan
• Botswana
• Belarus
• Belize
• Congo
• Central African Republic
• Republic of the Congo
• Switzerland
• Chile
• Cameroon
• China
• Colombia
• Costa Rica
• Serbia
• Cuba
• Cyprus
• Germany
• Denmark
• Dominica
• Dominican Republic
• Algeria
• Ecuador
• Estonia
• Egypt
• Eritrea
• Spain
• Ethiopia
• Finland
• Fiji
• Falkland Islands
• Faroe Islands
• France
• United Kingdom
• Grenada
• Georgia
• French Guiana
• Gibraltar
• Greenland
• Guinea
• Equatorial Guinea
• Greece
• Guatemala
• Guam
• Guyana
• Hong Kong
• Honduras
• Croatia
• Hungary
• Indonesia
• Ireland
• Israel
• India
• Iraq
• Iran
• Iceland
• Italy
• Jamaica
• Jordan
• Japan
• Kiribati
• North Korea
• South Korea
• Kuwait
• Cayman Islands
• Kazakhstan
• Lebanon
• Saint Lucia
• Liechtenstein
• Liberia
• Lithuania
• Luxembourg
• Latvia
• Libya
• Morocco
• Monaco
• Montenegro
• Marshall Islands
• Macedonia
• Mali
• Myanmar
• Mongolia
• Northern Mariana Islands
• Malta
• Mauritius
• Mexico
• Namibia
• New Caledonia
• Niger
• Nigeria
• Nicaragua
• Netherlands
• Norway
• Nepal
• Nauru
• Oman
• Panama
• Peru
• French Polynesia
• Papua New Guinea
• Philippines
• Pakistan
• Poland
• Sierra Leone
• San Marino
• El Salvador
• Syria
• Caicos Islands
• Chad
• Thailand
• Tajikistan
• Turkmenistan
• Tunisia
• Tonga
• Taiwan
• Tanzania
• Ukraine
• United States
• Uruguay
• Uzbekistan
• Vatican City
• Venezuela
• British Virgin Islands
• Vietnam
• Vanuatu
• Samoa
• Yemen
• Mayotte
• South Africa
• Qatar
• Singapore
• Portugal
• Sweden
• Slovakia
• Slovenia
• Russia
• Saudi Arabia
• Trinidad and Tobago
• Romania
• Paraguay
• Sudan
• Kosovo
• Palestine
• United States Virgin Islands
• Turks and Caicos Islands
• Solomon Islands
• Saint Martin
• Saint Helena
• Reunion
• Puerto Rico
• Eswatini
• Caribbean Netherlands