According to an official of the embassy of Ethiopia in Ottawa, the Ethiopian Department of Immigration and Naturalization Service is responsible for the issue of exit visas (10 Mar. 1994). To obtain an exit visa, an applicant must apply to the department. Offices of the department are found only in Addis Ababa and Dire Dawa. Exit visas are generally issued on the same day they are applied for. However, the official pointed out that under the Mengistu regime the issuance of exit visas could take several days. It costs the equivalent of CDN$20 to obtain an Ethiopian exit visa (ibid.). An applicant must first acquire the entry visa of the country she/he intends to visit (15 Mar. 1994). The issuance of an Ethiopian exit visa therefore depends on the earlier acquisition of the foreign entry visa. The applicant must complete an exit visa application form. The exit visa can be obtained in advance or at the port of exit on the day of departure (ibid.).

An official of the Ethiopian Association in Toronto stated that every Ethiopian who applies for an exit visa is entitled to one (11 Mar. 1994). However, in practice, the government decides who gets or does not get an exit visa. For instance, it is not easy for former members of the Mengistu regime, members of the armed forces and members of opposition groups to obtain these visas (ibid.). The official was not aware that visas were issued through bribery but did not rule out such a possibility.

This response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the DIRB within time constraints. This response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.

Embassy of Ethiopia, Ottawa. 10 March 1994. Telephone interview with official.

. 15 March 1994. Telephone interview with official.

Ethiopian Association, Toronto. 11 March 1994. Telephone interview with official.