Yellow card holder

it is nice too meet you please contact me related to the lists onetoone803@gmail.com

Question: What exactly is a 'Yellow Card;' and does one go about obtaining it.

Dear Qadar,
I re-post an old post by expat member from another thread as in my case i become eligible for the yellow card because of old Yemeni Ethiopian relations   my family owned huge lands and houses,they left Ethiopia due to instability and government change back then :
ethiopia007
"If you have Ethiopian 'Heritage' but have never had Ethiopian Nationality - say your parents where or are Ethiopian - but you were born in the UK/USA ( Or have given up your Ethiopian Nationality by default - i.e you became a national of another country by marriage) you can apply to any Ethiopian Embassy for a Yellow Card or in Ethiopia at the Immigration Department - it is your choose - cost is $100 per Yellow Card. It has been recently reduced from $500 to encourage more Ethiopians to get the card. As a 'Yellow Card Ethiopian' you have all the rights of a 'Ethiopian National' - except you cannot vote or take up public office. The spouse of an 'Ethiopian Yellow Card' holder is also eligible to get a Yellow Card - as long as you remain married - regardless of your heritage. Why is there a 'Yellow Card' you ask yourself - under Ethiopian Law you cannot have duel nationality. So if an Ethiopian married a (in my case) a British Citizen they are not considered to be Ethiopian by Ethiopia - not my rule!!!! hence in theory when they go back to Ethiopia they must get a tourist visa. To by-pass this rule the government introduced the yellow card to encourage 'ex-ethiopians' to bring in overseas money to the country. Hope this all makes sense. It would have been a lot easier just to allow duel nationality!!!!!!"

Thanks; I would like to say, I support their choice to not go the duel nationality route.....  They ask you to choose, "This" or 'that'..... That's what what is all about, Truth or lie;  I have been trying to take This 'Me', over there.  Thanks again for the info...

You can contact me : ayalewm2008@yahoo.com

You are welcome, I completely agree with you regarding Yellow card , I wish you all the best in obtaining it mine will take a month or so hopefully i will get it this week  as all the paper work must be finalized in Ethiopia as per the new instructions, they used to issue it through any embassy abroad, but with this new instructions the embassy must send your application to Ethiopia the whole process takes one month minimum.

To get mine when I was working in Ethiopia it took 4 weeks.

Hy,

Regarding Investment I would suggest you to visit Ethiopia and visit Ethiopia Investment Commission , it on bole road.

before you visit there better to check the option online on http://www.investethiopia.gov.et/

Ethiopia , in recent times has changed lot of things when it comes to investment and eased off many bureaucratic procedures.

You being yellow card holder,will be treated as Ethiopian national only with limitation on certain things like voting rights , military admission and so on.

AS far opening of local company , buying of land and other business related activities you will be treated at par with locals only.

Hey Maria, did you ever get your yellow card?

To get a Yellow Card from abroad, if have family members, you will need get a power of attorney (POA) for them speak on behalf get all the required documents need in Ethiopia that your Ethiopian origin. Most of documents need be produced in the local region.

Contact local Ethiopian Embassies in your home country regarding POA Option.

If you decided go to Ethiopia your self, first port call will be your local regional government authorities, will give you guidance what to do, Diaspora office will help.

Remember, it will take maybe 2 months get all required documents by POA) in person it can maybe same time too.

Then, your option when  your in Ethiopia you can get Yellow Card from capital Addis ABABA) It will take 7 days i was told.

other option, will be by POA) get all documents sent to you apply at Embassy) remember all documents need be translated in (amharic) and stamped by local courts in your region

My advise use DHL when get documents sent to you safe and very fast. In Europe it will take 5 days and rest of the world maybe 8 - 10 days. Embassy option will take 4 months get your Yellow Card.

Ethiopia has 9 national regions,  2  City administration. All regions have there only language important that documents are translated in amheric.

I hope my information does help regarding how to obtain a yellow card from Ethiopia and if overseas by POA) though family members.

Regards