Yemen

YEM

Yemen has been engulfed in a devastating civil war since 2014–2015, pitting the internationally recognised government—backed by a Saudi-led coalition—against the Houthi movement (Ansar Allah), which controls Sana'a and much of the north. The conflict has triggered one of the world's worst humanitarian crises, with millions facing famine conditions and a near-collapsed health system.

A UN-brokered truce first agreed in April 2022 has reduced but not ended hostilities, and a comprehensive political settlement remains elusive as of mid-2026. The Yemeni rial has suffered severe devaluation. No meaningful immigration or investment pathways exist for foreign nationals. Yemeni passport holders face severely restricted international mobility, with visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to around 31 destinations.

Naturalisation: 10 years
Tax system: Residence Based
Currency: Yemeni Rial (YER)
Dual citizenship: Not allowed
Capital: Sana'a
Region: middle east
Population: 34,449,825
Cost-of-living: 22 /100

→ If you hold a Yemen passport, see the Yemen nationality guide

Passport Rank

#101

Visa-Free

destinations

Visa-free travel

A Yemen passport has visa-free access to 31 destinations. See the full Yemen passport breakdown →

Passports that enter Yemen without a prior visa (12)

Visa-free, visa on arrival, or on an eTA.

Community-sourced (passport-index, synced 2026-08-18) — verify with the embassy before travel.

1 approved English test centre in Yemen →

Immigrating to Canada from Yemen

Current IRCC processing times for Yemen nationals, by application type.

Visitor visa (outside Canada)	52 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)

Official source

Country Details

Capital: Sana'a
Currency: Yemeni Rial (YER)
Languages: Arabic
Population: 34,449,825
Tax System: Residence Based
Dual Citizenship: Not allowed
Naturalisation: 10 years
Schengen / EU: No
Climate: Hot desert climate along coasts; more temperate in western highlands; arid in interior
GDP per capita: $634
Life expectancy: 69.44 yrs
Population growth: 2.89%/yr

GDP per capita, life expectancy, and population growth: World Bank (2025).

Indices

Cost of Living

Safety

Healthcare

Quality of Life

Tax Summary

Tax System: Residence 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 →

Monthly cost of living per major city in USD: rent, groceries, utilities, transit pass
City	Rent 1BR centre	Rent outside	Groceries	Utilities	Transit pass
Sana'a	—	—	—	—	—
Aden	—	—	—	—	—
Hodeidah	—	—	—	—	—

Monthly USD figures. Typical central 1-bedroom rent, grocery basket for one, household utilities, monthly transit pass.

Climate

Sana'a

13°J

14°F

16°M

18°A

20°M

21°J

19°J

19°A

20°S

18°O

15°N

13°D

Rainfall range: 5–60 mm/month · Daylight 11h (winter) to 13h (summer)

Aden

26°J

27°F

29°M

32°A

35°M

38°J

36°J

35°A

34°S

32°O

29°N

27°D

Rainfall range: 2–10 mm/month · Daylight 11h (winter) to 13h (summer)

Visa Categories & Immigration Authority

Major Visa Categories

Tourist (severely restricted)
Business
Work
Family
Diplomatic

Authority: Immigration, Passports & Naturalisation Authority
Official Portal: ipna.gov.ye

Naturalisation Details

Residence Years: 10
Language Test: Yes (Arabic (Modern Standard; functional proficiency assessed informally by officials))
Civic Test: No
Oath Required: Yes
Dual Allowed: No
Fee: $50
Processing: ~24 months

Safety

GPI Rank

#163

Global Peace Index ranking (lower is safer)

Common Risks

⚠Fake humanitarian-aid or NGO employment offers targeting foreign nationals online
⚠Currency exchange fraud exploiting dual exchange-rate gap between official and black-market rates
⚠Checkpoint extortion by armed non-state actors demanding payment or confiscating vehicles and goods

Examples of areas to avoid: All of Sa'dah governorate — Houthi stronghold and frequent Saudi-led coalition airstrike zone, Al-Hudaydah port district — ceasefire line between Houthi and anti-Houthi forces; active skirmishes, Marib city perimeter — front-line of Houthi–government forces clashes; shifting control, Aden suburbs (Sheikh Othman, Mansoura) — inter-factional armed group activity and assassinations, Note: the FCDO, US State Department, and UN advise against all travel to Yemen; no area can be considered safe

Regulators & official sources

Bodies that regulate immigration advice in Yemen, and the official sources indexed for it by Visa Atlas. Descriptions are verbatim; each links to its source.

Embassy of the Republic of Yemen in Washington, D.C.

Yemen Embassy

Official Yemeni mission page publishing visa availability, general evidence, business, student, diplomatic/official and non-U.S.-citizen visa guidance for applicants using that mission.

Embassy of the Republic of Yemen in Washington, D.C.

Yemen Embassy visa application form

Visa form

Official Embassy-linked entry visa application form used with consular visa submissions where filing is accepted.

Yemen Embassy visa application form

Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates

MFA

Official foreign ministry site for Yemen government, mission and diplomatic context; public entry-procedure detail may be limited or protected.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates

Sources & last verified

Index from Visa Atlas (CC BY 4.0), as of 2026-09-20.

Official source

Related Guides

Exit tax: countries that charge you to leave

Country-by-country reference of departure taxes, deemed-disposition rules, and wealth-locking regimes that trigger when tax residency ends.

Related on The Citizenship Desk

Life logistics

Reference tables

Visa routes

Official visa and residence routes for Yemen, 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

Business Visa

Short-term / business

Yemen business visa checklist route requiring employer evidence from Yemen, based on the official Embassy page.

Sponsor requiredMission and prior-approval dependent; confirm validity, stay and entry conditions with the serving Yemeni mission.

Embassy of the Republic of Yemen in Washington, D.C. · reviewed 2026-06-30

Diplomatic and Official Visa

Short-term / business

Yemen diplomatic and official visa route requiring agency letter, sponsor and prior Yemeni authority approval.

Sponsor requiredOfficial-purpose stay and validity are mission and prior-approval dependent.

Embassy of the Republic of Yemen in Washington, D.C. · reviewed 2026-06-30

Tourist Visa Suspension and Consular Check

Short-term / business

Yemen tourist and ordinary consular visa check page reflecting the Embassy notice that tourist visas are not currently issued by the Washington mission.

Sponsor requiredDo not assume tourist visa availability or duration; the reviewed Embassy page says tourist visas are not being issued at this time by the Washington mission.

Embassy of the Republic of Yemen in Washington, D.C. · reviewed 2026-06-30

Work (sponsored)

Work or Residence Authority Check

Work (sponsored)

Yemen cautious authority-check route for work, residence, humanitarian, NGO, journalist or local-status cases not fully covered by the public visa page.

Sponsor requiredDo not infer work or residence duration from a visa checklist; confirm the status basis with the competent Yemeni authority.

Embassy of the Republic of Yemen in Washington, D.C. · reviewed 2026-06-30

Study

Student Visa

Study

Yemen student visa checklist route requiring an acceptance letter from an institution in Yemen.

Sponsor requiredStudy duration should be confirmed from the institution letter and visa issued; the Embassy page says the letter should indicate nature and duration of study.

Embassy of the Republic of Yemen in Washington, D.C. · reviewed 2026-06-30

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.

Official source

Sources & last verified

Last verified 2026-06-15