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HOME > FOREIGN ENTRY REQUIREMENTS > Djibouti
Foreign Entry Requirements and Travel Tips:
Foreign Entry Requirements and Country Information
International Travel Information for US Citizens
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Click here to obtain an Djibouti Visa
Print or Email Requirements
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| Current Travel Warning for Travel to Djibouti |
On May 14, 2007, The United States Department of State issued a Travel Warning for persons considering travel to the Middle East and North Africa. This Travel Warning expires on November 20, 2007. To read the Travel Warning in entirety, please go to http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/pa/pa_1165.html .
On August 31, 2007, The United States Department of State issued a Travel Warning for persons considering travel to East Africa. This Travel Warning expires on February 29, 2008. To read the Travel Warning in entirety, please go to http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/pa/pa_1158.html . |
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| Entry/Exit Requirements |
A passport, visa, and evidence of yellow fever vaccination are required. Travelers may obtain the latest information on entry requirements from the Embassy of the Republic of Djibouti, 1156 15th Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20005, telephone (202) 331-0270, or at the Djibouti Mission to the United Nations, 866 United Nations Plaza, Suite 4011, New York, N.Y. 10017, telephone (212) 753-3163. Overseas, inquiries may be made at the nearest Djiboutian embassy or consulate. In countries where there is no Djiboutian diplomatic representation, travelers may sometimes obtain visas at the French Embassy.
In an effort to prevent international child abduction, many governments have initiated special procedures at entry/exit points. These often include requiring documentary evidence of relationship to the person traveling with the child and permission for the child's travel from the parent(s) or legal guardian not present. Having such documentation on hand, even if not required, may facilitate entry/departure. Please refer to Traveling with Children for detailed information |
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| Population |
| 466,900 (July 2004 est.) |
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| Nationality |
noun: Djiboutian(s)
adjective: Djiboutian |
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| Country Name |
conventional long form: Republic of Djibouti
conventional short form: Djibouti
former: French Territory of the Afars and Issas, French Somaliland |
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| Capital |
| Djibouti |
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| Climate |
| desert; torrid, dry |
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| Currency |
| Djiboutian franc (DJF) |
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| Government Type |
| republic |
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| U.S. Embassy Location |
chief of mission: Ambassador Marguerita RAGSDALE
embassy: Plateau du Serpent, Boulevard Marechal Joffre, Djibouti
mailing address: B. P. 185, Djibouti
telephone: [253] 35 39 95
FAX: [253] 35 39 40 |
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| Legal System |
| based on French civil law system, traditional practices, and Islamic law |
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| Religions |
| Muslim 94%, Christian 6% |
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| Country Background |
| The French Territory of the Afars and the Issas became Djibouti in 1977. Hassan Gouled APTIDON installed an authoritarian one-party state and proceeded to serve three consecutive six-year terms as president. Unrest among the Afars minority during the 1990s led to multi-party elections resulting in President Ismail Omar GUELLEH attaining office in May 1999. A peace accord in 2001 ended the final phases of a ten-year uprising by Afar rebels. Djibouti occupies a very strategic geographic location at the mouth of the Red Sea and serves as an important transshipment location for goods entering and leaving the east African highlands. GUELLEH favors close ties to France, which maintains a significant military presence in the country. |
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| Safety and Security |
Djibouti enjoys a stable political climate. However, its international borders are porous and lightly patrolled. In particular, Somalia, Djibouti's neighbor to the south, has become a haven for terrorists and other insurgent elements. Continuing instability in Somalia and in nearby Yemen present the potential for internal unrest in Djibouti, which has large ethnic Somali and Yemeni populations. In addition, tensions exist between neighboring Ethiopia and Eritrea due to the unsettled nature of their long-running border dispute. Civil unrest or armed conflict in neighboring countries could disrupt air travel to and from Djibouti or otherwise negatively affect its security situation.
Terrorism continues to pose a threat in East Africa. U.S. citizens should be aware of the potential for indiscriminate attacks on civilian targets in public places, including tourist sites and other sites where Westerners are known to congregate.
Travelers should exercise caution when traveling to any remote area of the country, including the borders with Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Somalia. Djiboutian security forces do not have a widespread presence in those regions. In recent months, acts of sabotage have occurred along the Djibouti-Ethiopia railway. Although Americans were not specifically targeted in these attacks, U.S. citizens should exercise caution nonetheless.
U.S. citizens are advised to keep informed of regional developments and to register with the U.S. Embassy in Djibouti upon arrival. Although large public demonstrations are uncommon, U.S. citizens should avoid large crowds, political rallies, and street demonstrations and maintain security awareness at all times.
U.S. citizens are encouraged to carry a copy of their U.S. passports with them at all times so that proof of identity and U.S. citizenship are readily available if questioned by local officials. Police occasionally stop travelers on the main roads leading out of the capital to check identity documents.
For the latest security information, Americans traveling abroad should regularly monitor the Department's Internet web site at http://travel.state.gov where the current Worldwide Caution Public Announcement, Travel Warnings and Public Announcements can be found.
Up-to-date information of safety and security can also be obtained by calling1-888-407-4747 toll free in the U.S., or for callers outside the U.S. and Canada, a regular toll-line at 1-317-472-2328. These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays). |
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| Crime |
Although accurate crime statistics are not available, the capital is generally considered to be a low crime area. Petty thefts and pickpockets are reported but major crimes involving foreigners are rare.
INFORMATION FOR VICTIMS OF CRIME: The loss or theft abroad of a U.S. passport should be reported immediately to the local police and the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. If you are the victim of a crime while overseas, in addition to reporting to local police, please contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate for assistance. The Embassy/Consulate staff can, for example, assist you to find appropriate medical care, to contact family members or friends and explain how funds could be transferred. Although the investigation and prosecution of the crime is solely the responsibility of local authorities, consular officers can help you to understand the local criminal justice process and to find an attorney if needed. |
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| Medical Facilities |
Adequate medical facilities in the capital of Djibouti are limited and medicines are often unavailable. Medicines that are available are extremely expensive. Medical services in some outlying areas may be completely nonexistent. Motorists especially should be aware that in case of an accident outside the capital, emergency medical treatment will depend almost exclusively on passersby. In addition, cell phone coverage in outlying areas is often unavailable making it impossible to summon help.
Malaria is prevalent in Djibouti. Travelers to Djibouti are at risk for contracting malaria, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises that travelers should take one of the following antimalarial drugs: mefloquine (Lariam™), doxycycline, or atovaquone/proguanil (Malarone™). The CDC has determined that a traveler who is on an appropriate antimalarial drug has a greatly reduced risk of contracting the disease. In addition, other personal protective measures, such as the use of insect repellents, help to reduce malaria risk. Travelers who become ill with a fever or flu-like illness while traveling in a malaria-risk area and up to one year after returning home should seek prompt medical attention and tell the physician their travel history and what antimalarials they have been taking.
Information on vaccinations and other health precautions, such as safe food and water precautions and insect bite protection, may be obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's hotline for international travelers at 1-877-FYI-TRIP (1-877-394-8747); fax 1-888-CDC-FAXX (1-888-232-3299), or via the CDC's Internet site at http://www.cdc.gov/travel. For information about outbreaks of infectious diseases abroad consult the World Health Organization's (WHO) website at http://www.who.int/en. Further health information for travelers is available at http://www.who.int/ith. |
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Pricing
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Passports |
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15+ Day* |
$45.00 |
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11-14 Day* |
$95.00 |
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8-10 Day* |
$145.00 |
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4-7 Day* |
$195.00 |
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1-3 Day* |
$275.00 |
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* Business Days |
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Visas |
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Non-Rush |
$55.00 |
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Rush |
$135.00 |
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Emergency |
$175.00 |
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