Ethiopia
Corporate Guide

Is there a requirement to have a resident director in Ethiopia?

There is no legal requirement that obliges a director to be a resident. However, where the company decides to have a resident director, the director needs to obtain a residence permit as it is mandatory for a foreigner to have a residence permit in addition to their work permit to reside in Ethiopia. The required documents to obtain a residence permit are:

• Application form
• Personal file of the expat
• Authenticated academic credentials, professional licence or certificates
• Passport valid for not less than three months
• Valid work permit
• Employment contract
• Support letter from the applicable government organisation
• Business licence or investment permit of the employer company
• Passport-size photos of the expat

Residence permits are issued by the Immigration and Citizenship Service.