By Dawan Africa - Reporter
Ethiopia,19 October 2025 -The Ethiopian Immigration and Citizenship Service announced that 16,465 foreign nationals and Ethiopian citizens were intercepted while attempting to enter or leave the country illegally during the first quarter of the 2025/26 fiscal year.
The announcement came as the Foreign Affairs and Peace-Building Committee of the House of People’s Representatives reviewed the Service’s quarterly performance report, parliamentary sources and local media outlets said.
According to the Director-General of the Service, Selamawit Dawit, 3,463 foreign nationals were apprehended while trying to enter Ethiopia unlawfully, while 1,550 others were caught attempting to leave the country through irregular exit routes.
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She added that more than 10,000 Ethiopian citizens were intercepted while trying to leave the country through non-official channels, stressing that these operations are part of ongoing efforts to strengthen border management and curb irregular migration.
Selamawit also revealed that 830 individuals—including both Ethiopians and foreign nationals—were caught attempting to obtain passports using falsified documents, and that legal measures were taken against them.
The report further stated that the Service issued 545,491 passports during the first quarter, in addition to 14,818 electronic passports (E-passports) issued to applicants using the new system.
