Renewing your Residence Permit

Based on the position that you hold in the company, the number of times you are allowed to renew your residence permit changes. Nonetheless, renewing your residence permit is a task you must do each year.

Renewing residence permit for employees with work permits

In most cases, you can renew your residence permit each year, for the length of three years. This is the same period in which you have your work permit. However, this period differs if you are a general or a deputy general manager.

Document Required

After you have renewed your work permit, you will get a supporting letter addressed to the immigration office. There you will provide the following documents:

• A request letter to the immigration office for the renewal of your permit.
• A duly filled renewal application form. The general manager or the representative with a power of attorney needs to sign this form.
• A letter signifying that the work permit renewal is addressed to the immigration
• Your renewed work permit

Renewing residence permit for sole owners and shareholders

You will be able to renew your residence permit as long as the company exists. This applies if you are a sole owner or a shareholder without having an official position in the company.

As your residence permit nears its expiration date, you will need to head to the EIC to receive a supporting letter, but first, you need a request letter of your own. After the EIC reviews your request, you will receive a letter. This grants you the EIC’s support in the renewal of your residence permit.

Whereafter, you can head to the immigration office with the supporting letter. There you will fill an application form. Once the immigration office reviews and approves your request, your residence permit will be renewed.

What happens if your residence permit expires?

For each day your residence permit is unrenewed after its date of expiration, you will be charged a penalty of 5 USD per day.

Canceling a resident permit

Provided that you have a work permit, your residence ID will be canceled once the work permit is canceled. First, you will need to carry out the work permit cancelation process. Then after, you have to take the cancellation letter you received from the authority, and head to the immigration office.

At the immigration office you need to present:

• The cancellation letter
• The residence permit
• Your company’s request letter. This request is for the cancellation of the residence permit

As a result, your residence permit will be void. Soon after you will get an exit VISA. Which will give you a few days to get ready to leave.

In case you do not have a work permit, you can directly apply to the immigration office to cancel your permit.

Forced cancellation

The immigration office can cancel your residence permit in the case that:

• It is found that you obtained your permit by presenting false evidence
• You got the permit based on a marriage of convenience.
• You have left Ethiopia and stayed abroad for more than one year.
• Your work permit has been canceled. This will in turn cancel your residence permit.

Please feel free to contact us with any questions you may have at portal@investin.et.