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Germany directs citizens to follow Somaliland visa rules, not Somalia’s e-visa

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Tuesday September 16, 2025

Mogadishu (HOL) — Germany has become the first country to formally recognize Somaliland’s separate visa procedures, instructing its citizens to comply with rules set by authorities in Hargeisa rather than the federal government’s new electronic visa system.
The German Federal Office for Migration issued the guidance this week, bluntly distinguishing between Somalia proper where the federal government insists all foreigners must now apply for visas online, and the self-declared republic of Somaliland, where visitors can still buy permits on arrival at airports in Hargeisa, Berbera, Borama, Burao and Erigavo. Those entry stamps, valid for up to 30 days, often require a local invitation letter and are payable in crisp U.S. dollars.

For Berlin, it was a bureaucratic clarification. In Mogadishu, many interpreted it as a diplomatic affront.
The move comes just weeks after Somalia rolled out its e-visa platform on September 1, a system the federal government hailed as a leap into digital modernity, and as a way of tightening border controls, boosting revenues, and signaling to investors and tourists that the country is open for business. Internal Security Minister Abdullahi Sheikh Ismail Fartaag called it a step toward modern governance and stronger financial oversight.
But the rollout has sharpened political divides. Somaliland’s Ministry of Civil Aviation and Airports quickly rejected Mogadishu’s new system, reaffirming its long-standing visa-on-arrival policy at Hargeisa’s Egal International Airport. Civil Aviation Minister Fuad Ahmed Nuh described the decision as a commitment to “regional connectivity, open travel, and passenger convenience,” and warned airlines that only Somaliland-issued documents are valid for entry.
Puntland also dismissed the federal order, calling it “illegal.” Information Minister Mahmoud Aydiid Dirir accused Mogadishu of overreach, saying Puntland has sole authority to regulate its airports until a negotiated agreement is reached.
Somali Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre, responding to questions from the public on Monday, defended the federal government’s system, arguing it was designed to centralize oversight of who enters and exits the country. He acknowledged Puntland’s opposition but said it would eventually be compelled to comply. Somaliland, he added, presented a separate case.
“Somaliland’s case is unique and we will address it through dialogue, but Puntland will have to accept the reality,” Barre said.
For Somaliland, Germany’s decision is a rare acknowledgment on the world stage, however indirect. It does not amount to recognition of independence, which Hargeisa has sought since the collapse of Somalia’s central state in 1991. But it does highlight the messy, contested nature of Somali sovereignty, where rival authorities issue rival documents, and where foreign governments are increasingly forced to pick a side, even if only to tell their own travelers how to navigate Somalia’s fractured borders.

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