Immigration law in Somalia

Somalia’s immigration framework is based on the Immigration Law, the HSJS law and implementing regulations, together with constitutional rules and the refugee protection framework. The 2012 Constitution assigns citizenship and immigration to the federal level. A new Constitution was reported as approved on 4 March 2026 and signed on 8 March 2026, but the publicly accessible constitutional material does not yet provide detailed replacement rules for immigration or citizenship. Some older legal references also use conflicting numbering for the Immigration Law, so applicants should confirm the current rule and responsible office before relying on a citation. The HSJS, commonly referred to as the ICA, handles visas, entry permission, temporary and permanent residence, work-related residence services and citizenship functions. The Ministry of Internal Security has additional authority over immigration decisions. The Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (MoLSA) handles work permits, while the Ministry of Foreign Affairs deals with diplomatic and special visas. Applications and enforcement may be affected by security conditions, missing documents and uneven regional implementation. Since 1 September 2025, travellers using foreign passports generally need an electronic travel authorization through eTAS before travelling. The authorization is normally linked to a valid passport with at least six months of validity, and a copy may be required on arrival. The standard eTAS authorization is single-entry, its fee is non-refundable, and its validity window can extend up to 180 days from the intended arrival date. Rwanda and Malaysia are listed as visa-free exceptions. Nationals of Ethiopia, Burundi, Djibouti, Mauritania, Tanzania, Uganda, Algeria, Libya, Tunisia, Egypt and Comoros are listed for visa on arrival. Multiple-entry visa holders, residence-permit holders and holders of a UN laissez-passer are exempt from eTAS. An airline or border authority may refuse boarding or entry when the required authorization or document is missing. Available entry purposes include tourism or family visits, business, transit, paid engagement, short study of up to six months, medical treatment, marriage or civil partnership and academic visits. A visitor generally needs a return or onward ticket or a financial guarantee. Visitor permission lasts up to three months from entry and may be extended twice for three months each. Transit requires onward documentation, a ticket or sufficient means and is limited to three days. Study or research normally requires a recognized institution and may require a financial guarantee. A special visa depends on a government invitation and consultation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. A multiple-entry visa requires at least two earlier lawful entries, a legal guarantor, an address or accommodation and a detailed purpose. Temporary residence can last up to one year and normally depends on lawful entry, a valid visa or guarantee and compliance with the permit conditions. A non-work residence permit does not authorize profit-making activity. Employee applications generally require an employer request, a security guarantee and evidence of livelihood, a passport valid for at least one year, an MoLSA-approved employment contract, a work permit, two photographs and a skills certificate or curriculum vitae. A national identity document or medical certificate may also be requested. Investor applications generally require a written application, insurance, a Ministry of Commerce business permit, a passport valid for at least one year, photographs and a business profile or skills evidence. Government, United Nations, intergovernmental and diplomatic cases follow special approval procedures. A published stay-service fee is US$5, payable through mobile money or a bank at a regional centre, but this does not establish a complete tariff for every permit. Work authorization is separate from permission to enter or remain. MoLSA’s listed work-permit documents include a valid passport, photograph, entry visa, curriculum vitae, academic qualification, medical report and proof of payment. The employer should request authorization before lawful work begins. Published fees are US$320 for three months, US$490 for six months and US$780 for twelve months. Employment-linked residence depends on the sponsoring employer. The employer carries guarantee responsibilities and may have to pay return costs. The employer must notify MoLSA and the ICA within 15 days after employment ends, while the foreign worker must give notice within seven days. An existing permit does not authorize changing jobs or starting an independent business; a new job or self-employment generally requires departure and a new application from abroad. Permanent residence, called Deganaansho rasmi ah in the local legal terminology, is available after at least five years of lawful continuous stay and requires good reputation. The status can extend to a spouse and children under 18 living with the holder. It lapses after an absence of more than six months. Permanent residence does not automatically create Somali citizenship. No current language or civic-integration test was identified in the reviewed material. Protection claims follow a separate refugee and asylum framework. The Constitution provides a non-refoulement baseline, meaning a person should not be returned to a place where the person faces the legally relevant protection risk. Registration can legalize stay while a claim is pending and can provide access to public services and assistance. The National Commission for Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons (NCRI) handles southern and central Somalia, the National Displacement and Refugee Agency (NDRA) handles Somaliland, and the Humanitarian and Protection Directorate of the Ministry of Interior, Federal Affairs and Reconciliation (HPD-MoIFAD) handles Puntland. UNHCR supports biometric registration. Applicants should provide passports, identity documents and family records when available, without submitting fraudulent information. A Proof of Registration or Asylum Seeker Certificate may be issued. People from Yemen receive prima facie recognition across Somalia; Somaliland also applies that approach to Afghans, Syrians and Palestinians. Other cases normally undergo an individual refugee status determination interview. Interviews are confidential, legal representation may be possible, decisions are normally expected within three months after the interview, delays can occur and a negative decision can be appealed. Asylum services are free. Citizenship is governed substantively by the accessible 1962 Citizenship Law, although current amendment and procedure details remain unclear. Citizenship may arise through birth or origin. Naturalisation generally requires adulthood, at least seven years of residence, good civil and moral conduct and a declaration renouncing foreign citizenship. The residence period is reduced to two years for a child of a Somali mother even when the mother is not a citizen. A grant is made by presidential decree on the proposal of the Interior Minister after consideration by the Council of Ministers. The older law contains unequal provisions affecting married women and children, while the 2012 Constitution recognizes one Somali citizenship and states that citizenship cannot be taken away merely because a citizen acquires foreign citizenship. The ICA has responsibility for citizenship and naturalisation, but a complete current checklist, fee schedule and service deadline is not publicly available. Immigration permission may be amended or revoked for false information, concealment of material facts, breach of permit conditions or unauthorized work. The Interior Minister may cancel entry or residence with reasons. Written notice should state the reason, effective date and departure deadline. A criminal conviction can also lead to revocation. For removal, possible grounds include a previous removal order, insufficient means, narcotics, trafficking or smuggling, illegal arms, a dangerous public-health condition, illegal entry or invalid documents, a rejected refugee claim, or risks involving public order, national security, public interest or morality. Removal may follow a court order, a political decision or an immigration decision. A written removal order should state the procedure and normally allows up to seven days to leave unless a court sets another period. Detention may occur during removal, removal costs may be secured by a deposit and a sponsor may have to pay when the person lacks funds. Re-entry bans last at least six months unless a court sets another period, and the Minister may waive a non-court removal ban. A dedicated administrative appeal process was not identified in the reviewed national sources, so refusal, detention and removal decisions require prompt legal advice. Somaliland operates separate entry and visa practices through its own authorities, including the Somaliland Immigration and Border Control (SIBC) and the Ministry of Interior. An external ETA or visa may not be accepted there, and a separate Somaliland visa may be required. Airlines may nevertheless demand the Federal Government eTA for travel involving Somaliland. Puntland’s protection registration is handled through HPD-MoIFAD, while its entry and residence implementation is not fully standardized in the reviewed material. Anyone travelling or applying should verify requirements separately with the relevant port authority, airline, ICA and, where applicable, SIBC. At entry, complete passenger forms and keep the passport, eTA or visa, residence permit and supporting documents available. If irregular entry occurs and immediate reporting is impossible, the person should appear at the nearest ICA office within 24 hours. A border resident may need an ICA border pass.