Ethiopia now offers passport renewal through a mobile application as well as in person at the embassy. The online route works, but it is unforgiving about technical detail: the uploaded photograph and the scanned passport copy must each be under 2.5 MB, and applications that miss the technical requirements are delayed or rejected outright.
Quick facts
What Ethiopia accepts as proof of nationality is unusually broad, and worth knowing if your documents are incomplete: an old or damaged passport, a birth certificate, a local administrative identity card, a letter of community membership authenticated by the ministry in Ethiopia, a bank book, or a marriage certificate.
Fees breakdown
| Item | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Passport, 32 pages | Around $60 | Confirm in the application |
| Passport, 64 pages | Around $110 | For frequent travellers |
| Origin identity card | Separate tariff | For foreign nationals of Ethiopian origin |
| Document authentication | $59 or $90 | See the authentication page |
| Emergency travel document | Consular tariff | Return to Ethiopia |
Fingerprints are not required for applicants under 14, which simplifies children’s files considerably.
How to renew
- Download the official application and complete your details.
- Scan the documents and the photograph, keeping each file under the size limit.
- Upload the fingerprint capture form where it is required for your age.
- Pay by card within the application’s secure payment section.
- Provide a mailing address for delivery.
- Alternatively, attend the embassy in person if you prefer the counter route.
Required documents
- Current or most recent Ethiopian passport.
- Proof of nationality from the accepted list.
- Digital photograph to the published specification.
- Fingerprint capture form where applicable.
- Marriage or court documents for a name change.
- Police report where the passport was lost or stolen.
Where to apply
Through the official application, or in person at the embassy in Washington. Consular services in the United States are concentrated there.
Additional notes
Not every old passport can be renewed
Older booklet types may fall outside the online renewal route and require a replacement application instead. Check which applies to your book before starting.
Technical rejection is common
Oversized scans are the single biggest cause of delay. Compress the files before uploading rather than after being rejected.
If you hold another citizenship
Read the citizenship page first. Ethiopia’s position on dual nationality changes what document you should be applying for.
Allow months, not weeks
Three to four months is a realistic expectation. Renew well ahead of any travel.