Djibouti Visa for Dummies

So it turns out, that trusting the sources on the internet proved me wrong! Because I am slightly paranoid whenever there is a visa required… I contacted a visa company and asked them to assist me with my visa for Djibouti. Their response was, as a South African citizen you will require a UK visa + a Schengen visa issued out of France. OMG! Instant panic stations!

So I did what any normal person would do… first checked if its possible for me to cancel my return flight from Addis Ababa to Djibouti. Darnit, its a non-refundable ticket. Argh!!!

Next google frantically in the hope that I will find some sort of direction and eventually realizing I could just call the Dept of International Relations and hope someone nice answers and will feel my desperation at this stage.

So I dialled, and what a blessing, the chap who answered could not have been kinder. First he advises that I call the Djibouti representative in South Africa, and only if I failed must I call a friend of his who is at the East Africa desk. So dial the first number, only to be answered by a receptionist at a warehouse company. Argh again!!!

Next up, the lady at the East Africa desk! Ring… Ring … and Answered (by the nicest lady ever! Woohoo). She had a wealth of information. She was just as shocked as I was about having to apply for a UK and Schengen visa and pretty much chuckled under her breath. So she directs me to a search for the Djibouti Embassy in Addis Ababa, I get the number and dial.

YAY some joy… according to the Visa desk in Addis Ababa, all we need to do is present ourselves at the Djibouti Embassy in Addis, along with our passports, flight schedule, proof of accommodation and 95USD and a day later we will be issued with a visa!

So whether we will reach this country or not depends solely in the hands of the person dealing with our application in Addis Ababa. Worst case scenario, I suppose we can just extend our stay in Ethiopia!

I suppose thats the joys of travel, forever learning! Still couldn’t help but feel like I needed a book called Djibouti Visas for Dummies 🙂