Eritrea entry requirements for British passport holders (2026): visa and passport validity
Passport validity (FCDO rule): At least 6 months after the day you arrive
Visa (FCDO): You need a visa to enter Eritrea. Official visa text
Official source: GOV.UK – Eritrea travel advice, Entry requirements (FCDO) · page last updated 12 October 2026 · checked on 17 October 2026
Whether you need a visa and how long your British passport must be valid to enter Eritrea, as published by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), quoted word for word, with a checker for your dates.
Other passports: Canadian passport · Australian passport · Italian citizens: documenti per italiani
Do I need a visa for Eritrea with a British passport?
In short: You need a visa to enter Eritrea.
Our one-line summary of the first FCDO sentence below, which matches a wording we recognise. It applies to British citizen passport holders; read the full official text, which may add conditions.
You must have a visa to enter Eritrea. For information about visas, contact the Eritrean Embassy in the UK or the nearest Eritrean embassy. Check with your airline or travel company for the latest information.
Official source: GOV.UK – Eritrea travel advice, Entry requirements (FCDO), section “Visa requirements” · page last updated 12 October 2026 · checked on 17 October 2026
Passport validity: official text “Passport validity requirements”
To enter Eritrea, your passport must have an ‘expiry date’ at least 6 months after the date you arrive and at least 2 blank consecutive pages for stamping.
Official source: GOV.UK – Eritrea travel advice, Entry requirements (FCDO) · page last updated 12 October 2026 · checked on 17 October 2026
Check your passport for Eritrea
Schengen rules count your whole trip in the Schengen area: if you visit several Schengen countries, enter the day you first enter the area and the day you leave the last Schengen country.
The check runs in your browser: your dates are not sent anywhere. It applies the FCDO sentence literally (for example “6 months” is counted as the same day of the month 6 months later).
For British passport holders only. These are the rules published by the UK government (FCDO) for British citizens. If you hold another passport, check your own government's advice. The airline and the border officials of the destination decide whether you can travel or enter: this site is information, not legal advice.
Blank pages: the official text says “…at least 2 blank consecutive pages…”. The checker does not count pages.
Recent FCDO updates to the entry requirements
- 10 December 2025: “New information about dual nationals returning to the UK (‘Entry requirements’ page).”
- 6 June 2023: “Information on Eritrea’s land border with Sudan, local security measures and air travel, and update to Embassy contact telephone number ('Safety and security', 'Entry requirements' and 'Coronavirus' pages).”
- 28 November 2022: “Information on coronavirus entry requirements ('Entry requirements' page) and coronavirus exit requirements ('Coronavirus' page)”
- 12 April 2022: “The FCDO advises against all travel to within 25km of Eritrea’s land borders ('Summary' page). Full review of the entire advice with amendments to the 'Entry requirements', 'Coronavirus', 'Local laws and customs', 'Health' and 'Money' sections.”
- 18 November 2020: “Updated information on Eritrea’s borders and options for leaving Eritrea ('Summary', ‘Coronavirus’ and ‘Entry Requirements’ pages)”
Read the full FCDO travel advice for Eritrea (safety, visas, health) before you travel.
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Same FCDO rule (6 months after arrival)
and 79 more destinations with the same rule: see all
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