Monday November 3, 2025
Mogadishu (HOL) — The Somali Civil Aviation Authority (SCAA)
has warned the airline Flydubai to fully comply with Somalia’s visa
requirements after it was discovered that a passenger flown to Hargeisa did not
have the required electronic visa (e-Visa).
According to an official letter signed by SCAA Director
General Ahmed Moallim Hassan on Sunday, the authority said the incident
violated Somalia’s immigration and aviation regulations and posed a potential
threat to border and national security.
“The passenger brought by Flydubai to Hargeisa was found not
to have the required Somali visa prior to travel, which is in direct violation
of the country’s regulations,” the statement read.
The SCAA ordered the airline to immediately implement strict
verification procedures to ensure all passengers traveling to Somalia,
particularly to Hargeisa, obtain a valid Somali e-Visa before departure.
The agency warned that failure to comply could result in
legal action, including financial penalties, suspension of Flydubai’s flights
to Hargeisa, or a review of the airline’s operating permit within Somali
airspace.
The authority emphasized that adherence to immigration laws
is not only a legal requirement but also a demonstration of mutual respect for
national sovereignty and international aviation standards.
In response, Somaliland’s Ministry of Civil Aviation and
Airports Development issued a new order requiring all civil aircraft —
scheduled, non-scheduled, and commercial — to apply for an overflight permit
before entering, transiting, or flying over Somaliland’s airspace.
The directive, set to take effect on November 10, 2025, was
announced to “reflect Somaliland’s full sovereignty over its land, airspace,
and seas,” according to the ministry’s statement.
The e-Visa enforcement marks the latest flashpoint in the
long-running sovereignty dispute between Mogadishu and Hargeisa, complicating
travel, diplomacy, and regional cooperation. Somaliland declared independence
from Somalia in 1991 but has not gained international recognition. Despite
multiple rounds of talks since 2012 — held in London, Turkey, the United Arab
Emirates, and Djibouti — no political settlement has been reached.