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Somalia e-visa breach exposes 35,000 applicants' personal data, US warns
The US Embassy in Somalia has confirmed a major data breach in the country's electronic visa system, potentially exposing sensitive personal information of at least 35,000 applicants, including American citizens. Unidentified hackers infiltrated the government's e-visa platform, compromising records containing names, photographs, dates of birth, marital statuses, home addresses, and email contacts, according to a statement released Thursday.
Ongoing breach prompts travel warnings
The US Embassy cautioned that the breach remains active, risking exposure of any data entered into the system. The UK government has similarly advised travelers to weigh the risks before submitting e-visa applications for Somalia. Somali authorities have not publicly addressed the incident, though the visa service was recently migrated from evisa.gov.so to etas.gov.so without explanation.
"While Embassy Mogadishu cannot confirm whether an individual's data is part of the breach, individuals who have applied for a Somali e-visa may be affected," the US statement noted. The BBC has sought comment from the Somalia Civil Aviation Authority (SCAA).
Mandatory e-visa system sparks regional tensions
Somalia's new system requires all travelers-including those from the self-declared republic of Somaliland and the semi-autonomous Puntland region-to apply for entry visas online. Critics argue the process has introduced additional fees in certain areas, effectively doubling costs for some applicants.
The breach exacerbates long-standing disputes between Mogadishu and Hargeisa over airspace control. Somalia reclaimed full authority over its airspace in 2017, but Somaliland continues to challenge this arrangement. This week, Somaliland President Abdirahman Irro declared his administration would reject Somalia's e-visa, directing airlines to seek clearance from Hargeisa before entering its airspace. Major carriers, however, have refused to board passengers without Somalia's e-visa approval.
Somaliland defies Mogadishu, reroutes flights
On Saturday, Somaliland's Foreign Minister Abdirahman Dahir Aadan reiterated that travelers to Somaliland would receive visas on arrival, dismissing Somalia's e-visa as "not safe." He warned that the system could allow extremist groups to access personal data. The standoff has left some Somaliland-bound passengers stranded at airports for lacking the required e-visa.
Somaliland's Civil Aviation Minister, Fu'aad Ahmed Nuux, told the BBC that directives-first announced earlier this year-took effect on November 10. Airlines failing to comply will be ordered to divert, with Nuux claiming several flights have already been rerouted. Footage released by Somaliland's aviation ministry shows local air-traffic controllers issuing instructions to international pilots, a move framed domestically as an assertion of autonomy.
Somalia asserts sole airspace control
The Somalia Civil Aviation Authority (SCAA) insists it retains exclusive administrative and legal authority over the Mogadishu Flight Information Region (FIR), which encompasses the entire nation's airspace. It has instructed all aircraft to disregard directives from any authority other than Mogadishu, warning that non-compliance with Somali and international aviation regulations could endanger safety and result in "serious legal consequences."
"Anyone travelling to Somaliland will obtain their visa on arrival. Somalia's e-visa system is not safe-people's data can fall into the hands of extremist groups."
Abdirahman Dahir Aadan, Somaliland's Foreign Minister
