For a foreign employee whose company requests authorization before the employee begins work in Somalia.
Official government source: somalia.gov.so · checked 2026-07-27
Eastern Africa · Immigration
Somalia
Somalia sits in Eastern Africa. Its immigration system runs 17 distinct routes — led by work, short stay & visit and business & self-employment, each set out in official law. 16 of them cite an official government source, shown on the route with the date we last read it. Who actually qualifies depends on your full profile.
- Immigration routes
- 17across 10 route categories, each set out in official law
- Source-cited routes
- 16 of 17cite an official government source, with the date we last read it
- Largest category
- Work3 of the 17 routes — see them under Work below
- Region
- Eastern Africa
- Capital
- Mogadishu
- Population
- 19,654,739
- Official language
- Arabic, Somali
- Currency
- SOS
- Time zone
- UTC+03:00
Source-cited pathways
Immigration routes
All 17 routes, grouped by purpose — 16 of 17 cite an official government source directly. Any route below without one says so on the route.
Work
3 routes
For a foreign employee sponsored to work in Somalia with the required labour authorization and contract.
For a foreign national seeking Somalia's Work Permit entry class for work-related entry.
Business & self-employment
2 routes
For a foreign national seeking Somalia's Business Permit entry class for business-related entry.
For a foreign investor or business operator holding the required commercial authorization in Somalia.
Study
1 route
For a foreign national seeking Somalia's Student Visa entry class for study.
Family
1 route
Stay permit for the spouse or child of a qualifying parent or spouse in Somalia.
Can bring: spouse, children
Official government source: immigration.gov.so · checked 2026-07-27
Residence-based status
2 routes
Information on the permanent-residence class listed by Somalia's official investment authority.
Official government source: sominvest.gov.so · checked 2026-07-27
For a foreign national seeking Somalia's Residence Permit entry class for entry connected to residence.
Short stay & visit
3 routes
For a foreign national seeking Somalia's Multiple Entry Visa entry class for repeated temporary entries.
For a foreign national seeking Somalia's Temporary Visa entry class for a temporary visit.
For a foreign national seeking Somalia's Tourist Visa entry class for tourism.
Humanitarian protection
2 routes
Asylum and Refugee StatusUnknown
For a person in Somalia seeking international protection from the competent national refugee authority.
Official source of the governing body: help.unhcr.org · checked 2026-07-27
For a person recognized and registered as a refugee by Somalia's protection authorities.
Official government source: immigration.gov.so · checked 2026-07-27
Medical treatment
1 route
For a foreign national seeking Somalia's Medical Visa entry class for medical treatment.
Transit
1 route
For a foreign national seeking Somalia's Transit Visa entry class for transit through Somalia.
Other & special
1 route
For a foreign national seeking Somalia's Special Visa entry class for a specially authorized purpose.
Official sources
- Immigration Citizenship AgencyGovernment
- eTAS Travel AuthorizationGovernment
- Somalia Investment Promotion OfficeGovernment
See which Somalia routes you actually qualify for.
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