Essential Documentation
There are 2 types of documents which will be required for you to be cleared for arrival at Bingham Academy. Internal documentation allows us to prepare for your arrival and to comply with our employment policies and procedures. Governmental documentation is required for securing the necessary visa invitations, visas, work permits and residents' ID card, as well as for procuring an Ethiopian Driver's Licence. We would like to receive these documents as soon as you have completed the authentication process and no later than 1 month before you plan to arrive. Please contact us if it looks like timing will be a problem. Please send them by DHL or FedEx - and do NOT use an alternative courier or postal service as they will not get to us!
We have staff who are very experienced in all of these processes, which can sometimes get a little tricky over here. Please don't hesitate to ask questions if you need confirmation or help with anything at all. We know it can be daunting!
Documents to prepare
Documents for Bingham Academy
All incoming staff need to provide Bingham with some basic information before they arrive. Some of this is to comply with our own internal policies, others are external requirements. You will be prompted to complete each of these tasks as part of your onboarding in BambooHR.
signed statement of faith
a list of all vaccinations for each family member
Personal & family information
proof of health insurance
completed police checks for each family member over the age of 18 (please bring the original certificate(s) with you when you come as well as uploading a scanned copy to BambooHR in advance)
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Government documentation requirements
What ethiopian government documents do I need to apply for and why?
A Work Permit and Residence ID are the official documents which allow you to live and work in Ethiopia legally.
Members of staff at Bingham need both a Work Permit and a Residence ID.
Non-working spouses are included in the working partner's Work Permit process. You will receive a Residence ID but no Work Permit. You will not officially be allowed to work at Bingham without a Work Permit.
Children will be included through the working spouse's process or through the mother's if both parents are working at Bingham. Children are issued with Residence ID.
If you're not sure you understand please ask our Human Resource Department: recruitment@binghamacademy.net
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What is the process?
This process is subject to change, especially during the global pandemic. Please follow the instructions from our Government Relations Department very carefully and ask questions before you act if you are unsure.
Please note, Bingham Academy is owned by SIM Ethiopia, who processes all of our government paperwork. Therefore, your work permit and residency ID will be through SIM Ethiopia, not Bingham Academy directly.
Step 1 - Bingham Academy will work with SIM Ethiopia to prepare the NGO/NV Visa paperwork necessary for you. We will email this to you about two months before your arrival. You will be asked to upload these documents to your application online. They are an Invitation Letter and SIM’s Registration Certificate.
Step 2 - Preparing your NIV/NGO e-visa application. In addition to the documents we send you, you will also need to have the following prepared to apply for your e-visa.
Electronic scan/photo of passport
Electronic passport like photo against white background
Electronic payment using credit card
Step 3 - Apply for an NIV/NGO e-visa. Please gather all of the documentation needed for your business visa so you are ready to apply, but do not apply for it until you are given permission by Bingham.
Working staff should apply for a 90-Day NGO/NV e-visa - this still needs to be converted to a Work Permit, but it gives us plenty of time to do that. Non-working spouses and children should apply for a 90-Day Tourist Visa. This will be converted into a Residency ID. The visas only take between 2-14 business days to obtain, so applying about 1 month before arrival is best.
You will apply for your visa at https://www.evisa.gov.et/. Please make sure you select the correct visa type!
For accommodation, use Bingham Academy’s address (Addis Ketema Kifle Ketema, Kebele 10 HN 441, Ethiopia) and phone number (0112 79 74 80)
Once you have successfully applied for your visa, please inform recruitment@binghamacademy.net and ethiopia.gr@sim.org.
Step 4 - Upload a copy of your approved e-visa(s). Once you have received the PDF copy of your visa, please upload it to BambooHR. This should be an onboarding task of yours.
Step 5 - Arrive in country and convert your visa to a work permit and a Residence ID. After you arrive in country we will assist you in the processes. We will take you to the relevant offices and assist you in everything you need to do. This stage will be fairly straightforward so long as you have provided us with all the information that we've asked for in advance.
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What do I need to do?
In order to make this process as efficient as possible we need original, authenticated documents (more information below) to be with us a minimum of 1 month before you arrive in Addis. These must be sent by DHL or FedEx. Please do not not use an alternative courier - there is no formalised postal service in Ethiopia and so the couriers won't know where to deliver your precious and expensive documents!
Please send them to the address below:
SIM ETHIOPIA
KOLFE KERANYO W-05, HN.408
ZENEBWORK ROUNDABOUT
ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA
Contact email: ethiopia.gr@sim.org
Contact phone number: +251 935401614
Read the information very carefully and always ask questions if you're not sure you understand. These can be emailed to HR at recruitment@binghamacademy.net.
After you have sent your documents, please mark this task complete in BambooHR and comment with your tracking number.
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Authentication
For documents to be accepted by the Ethiopian officials, they must have been authenticated in your home country. The procedures for doing this vary from country to country and also change from time to time. Please contact the Ethiopian Embassy in your home country to check on the most current advice. The authentication process typically involves showing your original document to a government authorised official and having a copy made and stamped before sending it to the Ethiopian Embassy for their own stamp to be added. You can find a printable document here which outlines the process for your country, but please check that it hasn't changed before you commit your documents to the process.
Driving licences and driving records also need to go through this process.
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What documents do I need to provide?
Please read all of the information above very carefully. Our Government Relations Officer will verify this process with you and confirm the necessary documents which you need to provide. This can be an expensive mistake if you don’t get it right!
Once you're sure, click on the link below to get a printable list of everything you need.
* For the purposes of Work Permit applications, a "dependent" is someone who will not have a Work Permit of their own, but will hold a Residence ID permitting them to live in Ethiopia. It is not possible to work or volunteer in Ethiopia with only a Residence ID. If, in the future, it is likely that a dependent will want to work or volunteer in Ethiopia, they will need a Work Permit. It is difficult to get documents authenticated in your home country while you are living overseas. We advise that all authentication processes are completed in advance for those who have the potential to work or serve while they are in Addis.
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Who can I contact for help?
HR and Recruitment Manager: Teresa Feller
recruitment@binghamacademy.net
For issues relating to Bingham including accommodation, our documentation process, medical and vaccination questions, health insurance or police checks, or for general information about Bingham or Addis life please email our HR Officer