Bringing money to Ethiopia: cash limits and rules
How much birr and foreign cash you can carry in or out, whether you need to declare it, how long you can hold it, and where to change it - taken from the National Bank of Ethiopia's directives, including the February 2026 change most travel guides have not caught up with.
The limits at a glance
| Rule | Limit |
|---|---|
| Birr you may carry in or outFXD/01/2024 | Up to 3,000 birr |
| Birr to or from Djibouti and neighbouring countriesFXD/01/2024 | Up to 10,000 birr |
| Declaring foreign currency over USD 10,000 on entryFXD/04/2026 | No longer required since 12 Feb 2026 |
| Foreign cash a resident may take out per tripFXD/01/2024 | Up to USD 10,000, unless the NBE authorises more |
| Converting foreign cash: Ethiopians and people of Ethiopian origin living abroadFXD/01/2024 | Within 90 days of entry |
| Converting foreign cash: residents of EthiopiaFXD/01/2024 | Within 30 days of entry |
| Holding foreign cash: foreign visitorsFXD/01/2024 | For as long as the visa is valid |
From the National Bank of Ethiopia's Directive FXD/01/2024, as summarised on its FX page, and Directive FXD/04/2026. Checked 26 October 2026.
Arriving with foreign currency
The NBE's directives set no maximum on the foreign currency a traveller may bring in. Until February 2026 anything above USD 10,000 (or the equivalent) had to be declared to customs on arrival. Directive FXD/04/2026, in force from 12 February 2026, removed that requirement - for border entry, for exchanging at a forex bureau, and for depositing into a foreign currency account.
The NBE's own FX page still describes the older declaration rule, and so do many travel guides. The directive is what applies. Whatever you bring, keep the receipt every time you exchange it.
Passengers only transiting through Ethiopia are exempt from declaring foreign currency at the point of entry.
How long you can hold it
Foreign cash brought into Ethiopia has to be exchanged or deposited within a set time, and the time depends on who you are:
- Ethiopians living abroad, and foreign nationals of Ethiopian origin: convert it to birr or deposit it into a foreign currency account within 90 days of entry.
- Residents of Ethiopia: within 30 days of entry, at a bank or forex bureau, or into a foreign currency account if you have one.
- Foreign visitors: you may hold it for as long as your visa is valid.
Carrying birr
Anyone entering or leaving Ethiopia may carry up to 3,000 birr. The limit is 10,000 birr for travel to or from Djibouti or another neighbouring country.
Leaving with foreign currency
A resident of Ethiopia may carry up to USD 10,000 (or the equivalent) in foreign cash per trip, unless the NBE authorises more. For a trip abroad, a bank can sell a resident up to USD 5,000 for personal travel, or USD 10,000 for business travel, as cash or on a debit card, on presentation of a ticket and a passport with any visa required. A foreign currency account holder can take up to USD 10,000 from the account, plus 10 percent of the remaining balance on a debit card, per trip.
Where to exchange it
Only at a bank or a licensed forex bureau. Changing money with anyone else is illegal, and a street deal gives you no receipt and no recourse. Since February 2026 forex bureaus may also sell you foreign cash to pay visa, immigration and licence fees, on proof of the payment.
Banks set their own rates and reprice most business days, so where you exchange matters. On 26 October 2026 the best bank pays 164.52 birr for a US dollar in cash, at Buna Bank. Compare every bank before you go.
Sending money out
Under Directive FXD/04/2026, residents of Ethiopia may transfer up to USD 3,000 (or the equivalent) abroad through a bank for family support, on an application that justifies it.
These are the rules as the National Bank of Ethiopia's directives state them on 26 October 2026. They change, and a bank, bureau or customs officer may ask for documents beyond them. ET-Forex is not a legal adviser; for anything unusual, ask your bank or the NBE before you travel.
Answers
Travel money questions
How much cash can I bring into Ethiopia?
The National Bank of Ethiopia's directives set no maximum on the foreign currency a traveller brings in, and since 12 February 2026 (Directive FXD/04/2026) you no longer need a customs declaration for amounts above USD 10,000. Birr is different: you may carry no more than 3,000 birr in or out, or 10,000 birr when travelling to or from Djibouti or another neighbouring country.
Do I need to declare dollars when I arrive in Ethiopia?
Not any more. Directive FXD/04/2026, in force from 12 February 2026, removed the customs declaration requirement for foreign currency above USD 10,000 at border entry, at forex bureaus and when depositing into a foreign currency account. Some older pages, including the National Bank of Ethiopia's own FX page, still describe the earlier rule. Keeping your bank or bureau receipts is still sensible.
How much birr can I take out of Ethiopia?
Up to 3,000 birr per person when leaving, or up to 10,000 birr when travelling to Djibouti or another neighbouring country, under the National Bank of Ethiopia's foreign exchange directive.
How long can I keep foreign currency in Ethiopia?
It depends who you are. An Ethiopian national living abroad, or a foreign national of Ethiopian origin, must convert or deposit it into a foreign currency account within 90 days of entry. A resident of Ethiopia has 30 days. A foreign visitor may hold it for as long as their visa is valid.
Where should I exchange money in Ethiopia?
Only at a bank or a licensed forex bureau - changing money anywhere else is illegal. Banks price independently, so the rate depends on which one you use. On 26 October 2026 the best bank pays 164.52 birr for a US dollar in cash, at Buna Bank. Ask for a receipt every time.