Ethiopia warning - Carnet is not enough
 

We are stuck at the Ethiopian border at gallabat.

They wont except our carnets without an additional letter from our Embassy in Addis to say they guarantee our bikes.

Our carnets have ethiopia on them.....

Email your embassy and get this letter with all your bike details on it. Kind of like a letter of invition.

British email: gelilawit.damena@fco.gov

That is most bizzare indeed!?! I've never had a problem at that crossing before. I've always done it in a 4x4 mind, but it is still ludicrous!

Official?
 

Is this definitely not a ruse to get some cash out of you?

I have tried the FCO / Home Office et al. The current "line" is that they are unaware of the issues and are unprepared to issue anything from the UK. ie as usual very helpful!

Looks like it will have to be done "locally"

Ted, keep us up to date and thanks for the warning.

Interesting this comes up so soon after getting an Ethiopian visa outside your home country becomes almost impossible.

The contact suggested:

gelilawit.damena@fco.gov.uk

(I have added the UK)

has been very been very helpful in the paperwork.

Where is the best place to get the visa now? I have Harare, Zim as the best place?!

We got through... Took us about four hours to get a pdf letter sent to us and printed. Totally relying on a guy with a laptop though. Otherwise its a 40km taxi ride to the next town and a 1-2 day stop over in NOWHERE !!

We ended up forging our letter for the kiwis but they got caught out and had to pay $50 usd each to let it slip.

They have NO WAY to check forgeries as long as they are good. Check your dates and details, they're not stupid... You shouldnt/wouldnt get into trouble for trying though. its only a small office with customs officials collecting A LOT of tourist bribed..

Our Brit friends got their letter in advance and sailed through with no issues or bribes this morning. Very fast and official..

Get the letter !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hey Ed ... Andre here on the F800 .... strange, we got through those customs, think 5 bikes and 1 land rover no problems quite late in the evening. It almost seemed like they wanted to go home and just quickly did all our stuff to let us go.

Glad you guys are through now, we are still in Kenya .. probably in Uganda early next week. Hope you guys catch up with us at some point .. ride safe, see you have had your fair share of problems already. Good luck on the Moyale road, my favourite part of the trip so far ;)

Hi there, we will be there in a few weeks. I am a British national, living in Australia, bought my bike in SA and has the carnet issued there. Am I supposed to be contacting the SA authorities or the British embassy in Nairobi? The email address mentioned above, the person is out of the office, not sure if on leve or not.

Thanks in advance all.

Maestro

If you're British or NZ (maybe other) contact the British Embassy in Addis !!

Email OR +251 11 661 2354


I now have a PDF copy of the said letter if anyone wants it emailed to them for "Editing"

Ted

Hi Ted, I made contact with the British embassy already today and hopefully they are sending me the letter electronically. Would you be so kind as to send me a copy of yours so that I can compare information contained therein please? Similarly, I would be more than happy to send mine (if I get it!) on to anyone as well.

Many thanks

Maestro

Clearly, this seems to be the norm and they are sorted providing this info

After a couple of emails I received an email containing a pdf with appropriate seals

:D

Greetings, I just got mine as well so clearly this is indeed the norm. Best of luck and see you all some time soon.

Maestro

Hi Ted - Can you send me a copy pls? enzo at africa4x4cafe dot com

Thanks

FIY: We have just had correspondance with Travcor, the agency my wife used to get her Ethiopia VISAS from Nairobi. (UK company)

After our pannicky email to them they contacted the Ethiopian embassy in the UK to ask about this. The Embassy said catagorcically that they have not changed the rules...

So.. revert back to "perhaps they are trying to scam all you suckers...."

However, with my South African passport I had to send my vehicle registration papers with my application so that they could prepare a "border letter" which they then sent to the port of entry. I did not get a copy of this letter.

Freeflyd, have sent you pm. You need to get in touch with the British embassy in Addis, contact details earlier in the post. They are more than aware of what is going on and will email you the letter.

Good luck

Maestro

Hi

Maestro is absolutely correct, contact the embassy in Addis; the UK offices don't see local issues.

I have now received my letter, basic but hopefully it will fulfill the need

We sent the email and recieved an "out of office" reply...

That was the gelilawit.damena@fco.gov.uk address.

I agree with getting the letter rather than have ahssles at the border though.

This is the address that you need to email for the letter. These are the folk based in Addis at the British embassy.

adabavisainfo@fco.gov.uk

Maestro

I believe the individual is on vacation

There is another person, PM if you need this addy

PS karma is needed for these urgent times

All working well
 

We just crossed with a letter from the Addis embassy no probs at all. The customs officer seemed to think this issue will disappear in the future. A cursory glance was made at the letter. Others with letters of photoshop origin passed with no problems!

Hi

Has anyone crossed the border recently without the letter? My embassy (Finland) does not give any letters of guarantee anymore, they say they can't take the responsibility of my bike. I'm not sure I should make the letter myself since I don't know what the letter from the embassy of Finland should look like.

Any ideas, anyone?

Jami

Fake it !!!!!!!!!!

Yeah but I don't know how the Finnish letter should look like with stamps and everything. And they've seen a Finnish letter some time ago.

Jami

Djibouti to Ethiopia (via Galafi)
 

Coming from Djibouti couple of days ago (on Sunday) and the guarantee letter was not required - the customs did not even ask for it. Thank God for that since my country has absolutely no representaion in Ethiopia.

Carnet business was not computerized and very basic with their own book. Very smooth and quick border crossing.

Margus

Not surprised at all. Folks on that (Djibouti) side of the boarder are generally more relaxed.

Indeed, in 5 min it was done. You can even get away without a carnet.

Laurent

Yeh, so no one coming from Kenya was asked for the letter either.

Conclution: One silly official on one border who had his knickers in a twist about somehting.

Now the letter of guarantee is not enough!
 

I crossed the border at Gallabat - Metema two days ago and they said that the law has changed just two days ago: Now you need a confirmation from the foreign ministry of Ethiopia. Me and some other overlanders were stuck in the border but they let us through the next day. I still don't know what happened and whether the law has really changed or not but just a heads up for anyone crossing the border - it might take a while.

I was in contact with my ambassador but I don't no whether it helped or not. If the law has really changed, it could be that in the future they don't let people through that easily.

Jami

We also crossed the border a couple of days ago (2nd of Jan 2011) but going into sudan. Those guys seemed pretty friendly and helpful, but there are definitly issues there!

Everyone we met that arrived there with letter in hand had no issues, and everyone we met who manufactured their own letter had no issues. The issues came in when people arrived at the border without knowing about the letter. However, some guys were made to camp there for a night and then let through without the letter and without a bribe...

Honestly, I still firmly believe its a scam, but for now you just have to play the game.

Hi guys,

Can anyone email me a copy of the letter to ness.green at gmail.com?

We are kiwis, so don't have an embassy in Ethiopia - I'm going to ask the NZ embassy in Cairo if they can help, but it would be useful having a copy of the letter as well. I'll let you know what the outcome is.

If any other kiwis have been through can you let me know what you did for the letter?

Cheers :-)

The BRITISH Embassy will represent you in Ethipia..

I have mailed you the letter anyway although I suggest you just use the contact details on the email..

Cheers, Ted

Hi Ted,

Many thanks for this. I will contact the British Embassy in Addis a bit closer to the time.

I did contact the NZ embassy in Cairo about this, as they are supposed to represent the whole area, and they said they would charge us about £32 for a letter of introduction for the Ethiopian Visa. I responded to point out that we didn't need a letter of introduction for the visa, we needed a letter of guarantee for our vehicle to get it across the border, and I've recieved no response from them. So we'll be contacting the British embassy who seem to know what they are talking about! THanks for your help on this!

Cheers
Ness

Hi Ted.

Very interesting info. Were on our way down the west coast at the mo and will hopfully cross the border in 5 or 6 months. Would definatly like to have your pdf. PLS send to dazzmood@yahoo.com . Also, any idea where you can get the Ethiopia visa from. Be coming from the south but dont intend to go to Zim
Cheres Darren

In Khartoum at the moment, and meeting a lot of people coming from the south who have flown here/ couriered from Kenya to get the Ethiopian visas - looks like Zim is the only place down south which issues it.

The FCO website now advises Brits how to get the letter from the Embassy re car. Wonder how long it will stay free.

Touring Ted

I just sent you an email - but could you also send me (another kiwi) a copy of the letter and details?

vickey-p@hotmail.com

Many many thanks - your posts are most helpful and will be saving many people a whole load of grief!

Hey there vickey, the email is: gelilawit.damena@fco.gov.uk they reply pretty fast (assuming it's not lunchtime or a weekend/national holiday) ours were under an hour. Send you vehicle details with the general courtesy you would with any embassy. Good luck! :)

Is there a time limit on the letter?

I won't be there for 6 months at least, but worried that the situation might change etc, so better to get it now????

MMm I am a S. African and I will be traveling from SOuth as well. I leave SA in July. Can anyone tell me where I can apply for visa or if I even need one to get through to Ethiopia? My route will be- Mozam, Malawi, Tanzania, Burundi, Rwanda, DRC, Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia and then off to Sudan.

Thanks for any info to help :) Finally got all financial backing etc and now need to work on finer details like visa's and documentation required.

We crossed from Sudan at Metema in March 2011, with a letter dated 1 month prior with no issues. The letter was mailed to us as a pdf, so it was easy to get it printed out just prior to arrival. Our letter was specifically addresses to the Metama Customs office, without us telling the British Embassy where we planned to cross, so I am led to think that this is the only border crossing that requires the letter. Seems consistent with other posts here. We m$et one couple in Nairobi who had to have a more recent letter printer because theirs was over 2 months old.

Anyone with a copy of the letter, please email me at rockyvachon at gmail dot com.

Thanks. :D

I would also like a copy of this letter please!

pleease send to tamin at everythingexceptthehorn dot com

This letter is only need going from North to South not from South to North at the Mojale border going up they do not asked for it.

Hi guys

im going to be crossing from Sudan to Ethiopia next week by car do you know if this rule is for all vehicles or just bikes?

Could someone also send me a copy of the letter simon at saracen risk dot com

Oh also i ve got a greek guy travelling with us does anyone know if the greek embassy in Addis will provide him a letter and if so does anyone have a contact number for them

Many Thanks

Hi Ted , would appreciate a copy of this letter as well - heading up that side with no idea what the letter looks like , huge thanks in advance
Derek
shantijourney@gmail.com

The Letter for Entry into Ethiopia
 

When we got to Al-Gallabat we were told about the letter from the embassy so we contacted them and actually drafted the letter our selves since the embassy had no Idea about the letter. We were told that it was a Guarantee letter not to sell the vehicle in Ethiopia .

Ours was addressed from the Embassy to the Ethiopian Customs Office in Metema, stating that the (Person's Name) holding the Passport # (Passport Number) is traveling via the vehicle (Make, Model, year, Registration Number, Vin # ) through Ethiopia , and that the Embassy will guarantee that the mentioned vehicle will not be sold in Ethiopia during the visit.

It didn't seem like it mattered what the exact phrasing was as long as all the data was there and "Guarantee not to Sell".

If I get a copy I will post it.

FWIW, this is the British version:

Attachment 4669

Hey Ted

Please paste a copy on your site or here..appreciate it..
thanks

Hi mate...

I won't post it online because it has personal information on it...

I only send it my email request to reduce the likely hood of information theft etc..

Please, anyone who has had a copy from me PLEASE DO NOT post online or send to anyone who isn't an overland traveler.

Thanks, Ted

We were told the same thing in Kenya a few weeks ago, forged the letter etc, but it seems that South to North is not a problem, as none of our group was asked for anything.

LM

South to North is NOT a problem. I'm traveling with Canadians and Americans and they have just got (very easily -within a day) visas for Ethiopia in Harare, Zimbabwe. The problem is vehicles entering Ethiopia FROM Sudan. Traveling north seems (at the moment anyway) a whole lot easier.

Letter of entry in Ethiopia
 

Hi, I saw your letter but cannot read it, can you please post it in a bigger, readable size/way?
Thank you
H.R.

Sorry, better late than never I guess. I have tried to get a better version - the original letter was very feint.

It is on our web site:
http://www.movinghouse.ws:81/wordpress/?page_id=1159

The scan of the letter is at:
http://www.movinghouse.ws:81/wordpre...ssy-letter.jpg

Anybody have fresh info from Metema border?

Today my (Polish) embassy in Addis write me, that that kind of letter of guarantee works no more on Metema border. They told me, they confirm this today with ethipian authorities and I have to go to ETHIOPIAN embassy in Khartum and they will give me proper authorization.
Well, whats going on? They told me it hanged recently

Anybody crossed this border few days ago?

Letter from the Embassy to Ethiopian customs
 

Anybody have an up to date take on this letter? Is it still required. We should enter at Metema, traveling south.

Reply I got from British Embassy in Addis Ababa: "Please be informed that the letter from the Embassy is no more required by the Ethiopian customs authority at the border."

Cheers
Hentie

Hello fellow travelers.

Just wanted to update -
Im traveling North and at the border in Moyale (Kenya-Ethiopia).
I diddent use my carnet - im down to my last pages in the carnet - i need for Sudan and Egypt.
Just said i diddent have a carnet - and helpfull customs gave me a import paper for my bike - no cost.

Safe driving
Morten

Hi,

Do you have any update on the letter saga?

Cheers

Nope nothing. The RAC forwarded the reply from the British Embassy in Addis Ababa to the FCO, but no new info since then.

I printed out the reply I got from British Embassy in Addis Ababa in case they ask for this letter at the border, but not sure how much help that will be :). We are currently in Alexandria so will confirm when we passed through the border probably in a month.

Cheers
Hentie