Arrival in Yemen

Foreign visitors generally need a passport valid for at least 180 days, a visa obtained before entry, sufficient funds and any required health certificate and entry form. Do not assume that a visa on arrival is available. The Immigration, Passports and Nationality Authority, known as IPNA, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates handle immigration matters, while official airports, ports and land border posts apply the entry checks. The IPNA and Ministry of Foreign Affairs eVisa service has operated through yemen-evisa.org since 2025; processing is reported at about 3 to 5 working days, but eligibility, fees, payment methods and carrier requirements should be confirmed before travel. Applicants who cannot use the eVisa process should contact the responsible embassy or consulate. Entry points and transport connections can close at short notice, so current government warnings, carrier information and local security conditions need separate confirmation. At an official entry point, authorities may check the passport, visa and personal data and place an entry stamp in the passport. IOM's Displacement Tracking Matrix, or DTM, monitors only accessible points and does not record all movement. It recorded 11,397 migrant arrivals in August 2026, mainly from the Horn of Africa through coastal points in Abyan, Ta'iz and Shabwah and from Oman toward Al Mahrah. Many of these movements are transit movements rather than permanent settlement. A foreign visitor who remains in Yemen must follow the applicable reporting rules. The visitor may need to report personally to the foreigner registration office, مكتب تسجيل الأجانب, or the responsible police authority. A hotel or other accommodation provider must report a foreign guest and the departure within 48 hours where that rule applies. A change of residence must also be reported within 48 hours where required. A lawful short stay is regulated as 30 days, after which the person must leave or obtain an extension. An exit visa may be required for 14 days and can be extended once for another 14 days. Working outside the purpose stated on the visa is not permitted. Loss or damage to a passport should be reported within 48 hours. A valid residence document is needed for a longer stay. Refugee and asylum procedures are separate from ordinary visitor registration. A Yemeni national cannot apply for asylum in Yemen. In Sana'a, new arrivals can approach the Bureau for Refugee Affairs within the IPNA compound on Sabein or Khawlan Street. In Aden, non-Somali applicants register with UNHCR, while Somali applicants use IPNA centres in Basateen and other listed locations such as Al Mukalla and Kharaz. An asylum-seeker certificate is generally valid for one year. Contact details, address changes, renewals and lost documents need to be handled through the relevant office. Expired documents can prevent UNHCR services and may be deactivated after six months. UNHCR and partner services are free, but transport to registration or renewal is not generally paid by UNHCR. Returning Yemenis and internally displaced people do not use one national arrival office. They may receive help from local authorities, CCCM partners, site committees and community-based protection networks. CCCM means camp coordination and camp management. People outside displacement sites may need to contact the nearest protection, community or mobile partner. Assistance is assessed locally rather than granted automatically and can include emergency shelter, essential household items, cash, legal and documentation support, protection, mental health and psychosocial support, livelihoods, water and sanitation, health, education and food assistance. Site service directories and complaint channels can identify available providers. Updated identity documents make access to health care, education and assistance easier, but obtaining replacement documents may involve travel, fees and security barriers. The Civil Registration Authority, or CRA, and local offices handle civil documents. A birth certificate can affect school access, family and identity records, health care and legal identity. Partner campaigns, notaries and community volunteers may help people reach the formal system, but they do not replace an official civil document. Basic health care, medicines, vaccinations, nutrition, water, sanitation, food, cash, education, legal aid and mental health services are unevenly available. Health and water systems remain under severe pressure, and emergency treatment outside major centres may be uncertain. Carrying essential medicines and arranging transport and referral options can reduce delays. The scale of need affects access: in 2026, about 22.3 million people in Yemen were estimated to need humanitarian assistance, including about 5.2 million internally displaced people and more than 64,000 refugees and asylum-seekers. Humanitarian assistance depends on local eligibility, capacity and available funding; it is not guaranteed nationwide. Immigration, accommodation, treatment, transport and document replacement can create personal costs. Current nationwide fee schedules were not reliably established, so the amount should be confirmed with the responsible authority before payment. People entering Yemen must keep valid documents, show them during checks, follow reporting and address rules, obey local laws and instructions and avoid unauthorised work. Refugees and asylum-seekers retain protection and documentation rights according to their status and valid documents, including the principle of non-refoulement, but they are not exempt from criminal law. Internally displaced people have rights to humane and safe treatment, information, complaints and participation in available processes for a durable solution. Armed conflict, air attacks, kidnapping, landmines and unexploded ordnance, crime, exploitation, smuggling, arbitrary detention, deportation, infectious disease and flooding create serious risks. Some northern areas have reported a mahram requirement for women; confirm whether it applies to the person, purpose, checkpoint and planned travel. Do not move between governorates without current security and permission checks.