Eritrea
ERIEritrea is a single-party state on the Horn of Africa with one of the world's most restrictive governance environments. The government requires citizens living abroad to pay a 2% diaspora tax on foreign income or face consequences for relatives inside the country. Dual citizenship is not permitted, and the Eritrean passport offers limited travel access—around 35 destinations visa-free or on arrival.
No formal foreign-resident or investor visa programmes exist; tourist visas require a government-issued letter of invitation. Emigration is tightly controlled, and unlawful departure carries criminal penalties. Naturalisation is theoretically possible after ten years but rarely granted in practice.
- Naturalisation
- 10 years
- Tax system
- Citizenship Based
- Currency
- ERN
- Dual citizenship
- Not allowed
- Capital
- Asmara
- Region
- africa
- Population
- 3,497,000
- Cost-of-living
- 28 /100
Passport Rank
#98
Visa-Free
35
destinations
Visa-free travel
A Eritrea passport has visa-free access to 35 destinations. See the full Eritrea passport breakdown →
Passports that enter Eritrea without a prior visa (4)
Visa-free, visa on arrival, or on an eTA.
Community-sourced (passport-index, synced 2026-08-18) — verify with the embassy before travel.
Immigrating to Canada from Eritrea
Current IRCC processing times for Eritrea nationals, by application type.
| Visitor visa (outside Canada) | 123 days |
| Super visa | No processing time available |
| Study permit | No processing time available |
| Work permit | No processing time available |
| Sponsor a dependent child | No processing time available |
| Adopted child (citizenship) | Not enough data |
| Government-assisted refugees | Not enough data |
| Privately sponsored refugees | sponsor: Not enough data / refugee: Not enough data |
Your application may take longer than the times shown here. They’re not a maximum or a guarantee.
As of 2026-09-22 (IRCC). See all Canada processing times →
Source: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada — “Check processing times”. This is a copy of the version available at https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/check-processing-times.html. Reproduced under the Government of Canada’s non-commercial reproduction terms; not endorsed by or affiliated with IRCC.
Sources & last verified
Government of Canada — non-commercial reproduction (canada.ca Terms and conditions)
Country Details
- Capital
- Asmara
- Currency
- ERN
- Languages
- Tigrinya, Arabic, English
- Population
- 3,497,000
- Tax System
- Citizenship Based
- Dual Citizenship
- Not allowed
- Naturalisation
- 10 years
- Schengen / EU
- No
- Climate
- Hot, dry desert strip along Red Sea coast; cooler highland interior
- GDP per capita
- $689
- Life expectancy
- 68.89 yrs
- Population growth
- 2%/yr
GDP per capita, life expectancy, and population growth: World Bank (2025).
Indices
Cost of Living
28
Safety
30
Healthcare
22
Quality of Life
25
Tax Summary
- Tax System
- Citizenship Based
- Territorial Taxation
- No — worldwide income taxed for residents
- Naturalisation
- 10 years of legal residency
- Dual Citizenship
- Not allowed
Cost of Living by City
← scroll the table →
| City | Rent 1BR centre | Rent outside | Groceries | Utilities | Transit pass |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asmara | — | — | — | — | $10 |
| Massawa | — | — | — | — | $7 |
| Keren | — | — | — | — | $6 |
Monthly USD figures. Typical central 1-bedroom rent, grocery basket for one, household utilities, monthly transit pass.
Climate
Asmara
Rainfall range: 5–90 mm/month · Daylight 11h (winter) to 13.2h (summer)
Massawa
Rainfall range: 1–10 mm/month · Daylight 11h (winter) to 13.2h (summer)
Keren
Rainfall range: 3–70 mm/month · Daylight 11h (winter) to 13.2h (summer)
Visa Categories & Immigration Authority
Major Visa Categories
- Tourist
- Business
- Work
- Family
- Student
- Authority
- Department of Immigration & Nationality
- Official Portal
- www.shabait.com
Naturalisation Details
- Residence Years
- Language Test
- Yes (level n/a)
- Civic Test
- No
- Oath Required
- No
- Dual Allowed
- No
- Fee
- $300
- Processing
- ~48 months
Safety
GPI Rank
#140
Global Peace Index ranking (lower is safer)
Common Risks
- ⚠Currency exchange at official rate (severely disadvantageous vs parallel market)
- ⚠Government-affiliated fixers charging for basic services or travel permits
- ⚠Unofficial guides demanding payment at historic sites in Asmara
Regulators & official sources
Bodies that regulate immigration advice in Eritrea, and the official sources indexed for it by Visa Atlas. Descriptions are verbatim; each links to its source.
Embassy of the State of Eritrea in Scandinavia
Eritrean EmbassyOfficial Eritrean mission site publishing visa, consular-service, contact and office-hours information for applicants using the Scandinavian mission.
Eritrean Embassy visa section
Visa sectionOfficial mission visa page listing passport validity, application-form, residence-in-jurisdiction, Eritrean identity, local-contact, photo and payment evidence points.
Eritrean Embassy consular services
Consular servicesOfficial mission consular services page describing consular handling for immigration, administrative and public services coordinated with Eritrean government institutions.
Related Guides
Related on The Citizenship Desk
Visa routes
Official visa and residence routes for Eritrea, indexed from Visa Atlas. Each links to its government source. This is a licensed external index, distinct from our own curated visa guides.
Short-term / business
Consular Entry Visa
Short-term / businessEritrea consular entry-visa route based on the official Eritrean mission visa checklist.
Eritrean-Origin Foreign-Passport Entry Visa
Short-term / businessEritrea mission checklist route for Eritrean citizens or Eritrean-origin applicants using another passport.
Work (sponsored)
Work or Residence Authority Check
Work (sponsored)Eritrea cautious work/residence check page for activity that may go beyond consular entry-visa permission.
Sources & last verified
Route index from Visa Atlas (CC BY 4.0), as of 2026-09-12. Each route links to its official government source.
Sources & last verified
- Last verified