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Hiiraan Online Today from Hiiraan Online: Somali Music advertisements BBC journalist’s ordeal exposes dispute over Somalia’s new e-visa system FacebookFacebook messengerTwitterWhatsAppLinkedInTelegramEmail Monday November 3, 2025 A BBC Somali journalist poses with her passport after encountering difficulties with Somalia’s new electronic visa system. She obtained a valid e-visa through the federal immigration portal but later faced issues travelling within the country when regional authorities refused to recognize it. BBC Mogadishu (HOL) — Somalia’s rollout of a nationwide electronic visa (e-visa) system has sparked a growing dispute between the federal government and regional authorities after multiple travellers were denied entry or charged extra fees despite holding valid visas issued in Mogadishu. The controversy surfaced when a BBC Somali journalist travelling from Nairobi to Bosaso was forced to buy a new entry visa upon arrival in Puntland. Local immigration officials refused to recognize the e-visa, insisting that only visas issued through Puntland’s own system were valid. The journalist had paid $64 for the federal e-visa but was required to pay an additional $60 to enter the region. Puntland authorities argue that the state maintains its own immigration system and does not recognize visas from the federal government. The incident highlights the broader administrative divide between Mogadishu and the regional governments over control of borders and airspace. Other travelers, including members of the Somali diaspora and media professionals, have reported similar problems. Some were turned away from domestic airports, while others paid secondary entry fees unrelated to the federal e-visa platform. Receipts show two separate payments made by the BBC Somali journalist — a $64 federal e-visa fee issued in Mogadishu and a $60 entry fee charged upon arrival in Puntland, which maintains its own immigration system independent of the federal government. SUPPLIED The federal government launched the e-visa program in September 2025 to modernize border management, enhance security, and simplify entry procedures. However, both Puntland and Somaliland have rejected the initiative, asserting authority over immigration and border control in their territories. Puntland officials maintain that their administration regulates travel independently, while Somaliland, which declared independence in 1991 but remains internationally unrecognized, recently announced that flights entering its airspace without prior clearance from its aviation ministry would be barred. With files from the BBC Somali Service Opinion| Privacy Policy|Sports|Somali Music|Somali Map All Rights Reserved Copyright. © 1999-2025, www.hiiraan.com
