Western visitors to Egypt must obtain visas before arrival

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Western visitors to Egypt must obtain visas before arrival

Post by DJKeefy »

Egypt is going backwards (and it has been that way since Mobarak stepped down) many people have had their visa refused, some only got 6 months (me included) and some are only getting 3 months then they have to leave, now they are saying you have to get your visa before you enter the country, seems a strange move since they are CRYING out for tourists to visit Egypt yet they make it harder for you to get here or even stay here. (Egyptian mentality) :roll:



Egypt will require visas from all travelers prior to arriving in the country, ending decade-long unrestricted entry for American and other western visiters, and some other nationals, the Middle East news agency reported Thursday.

Foreigners in Egypt have already begun to face a clamping down on visa restrictions since 25 January, with some reporting that Egyptian officials have begun rejecting a second three-month visa extension for those already in the country and substituting them for one-month extensions only.

MENA quoted a spokesman for the government as saying that only tourists coming on pre-arranged package tours will have unrestricted entry to Egypt.

Mohamad Hegazy said a new government decree will require that all visitors apply for a visa from an Egyptian embassy abroad.

Hegazy did not explain the motives behind the new measure or say when the new regulation will take effect.

The move appears to be the latest salvo against free entry and residency for foreigners in Egypt following the uprising that toppled President Hosni Mubarak in February.

Nationals of the Arab Gulf states, Latin America, Japan and other wealthy Asian countries, and Australians are among those affected by the new restrictions.


Source: http://www.almasryalyoum.com/en/node/493671


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Post by LovelyLadyLux »

I can only respond with a "wow"!! Isn't that the most regressive piece of legislation I've heard about in a long time. In an economy based on tourism this isn't foreward thinking.

I do know that had I obtained a visa to enter Egypt from the Embassy in Canada it would have held up my passport for at least a month and cost me approximately $75 or maybe it was $79 Canadian (few years back too). I opted for the $15 US visa at the airport and obtained extensions accordingly.

Now even just knowing I'd have to go through this hassle makes Egypt less appealing.

I'm starting to think the Brotherhood has more influence in Egypt than maybe Egypt is willing to admit. Saudi Arabia anyone????
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Post by Horus »

If this is true it has to be the most damaging bit of legislation they could have come up with. I have in the earlier year of Egyptian travel sent for and received a visa from the Egyptian embassy in London. This is not only more expensive, but also incurs the cost of sending valuable documents like passports through the post, hence the need for a registered delivery with the extra costs involved. They of course are quite entitled to lay down whatever restrictions they wish on who enters their country and how easily it is to do, but for people making spur of the moment or late bookings it will have great impact.

Also would the embassy which has in the past been very efficient, be able to cope with the added demand without people experiencing delays. I have to say that for a tourist destination it is the most ridiculous piece of legislation imaginable if it were to become a fact, it is not as if Egypt has the same problems as the UK with everyman and his dog wanting to live here and avail themselves of our welfare system. How many people out of the millions who visit would actually wish to stay in the country after their holiday was over, very few I would imagine other than a small group who wish to make it their home for reasons of retirement or similar.

Even the small amount of foreigners that may wish to work in Egypt and potentially take Egyptian jobs will not be affected by this as they are already under some form of scrutiny, so the whole thing just seems very damaging and counter productive to the Egyptian economy and can only work in favour of more accommodating countries in what are globally difficult times.
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Post by DJKeefy »

Well said Horus :)
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Post by Grandad »

That is in stark contrast to the action of the government after the 1997 massacre at Hatshepsut when, to encourage visitors back, visas were issued by the Egyptian Embassy free of charge.

I don't know the current fee but it is probably around £40 per person.

They need to get it sorted rapidly or more visitors will go elsewhere. I suppose visas are still not required for the Red Sea resorts or has that also changed?
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Post by Horus »

When I used to get them from the embassy, they were £15 whereas it cost roughly £10 at the airport. The most annoying part was their habit of sending ours back, opened and stapled together which made them a bit tatty. :(
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Post by Grandad »

You are correct Horus, a visa is £15 from the Consulate. I thought that I could recall them being £30 some years ago but perhaps that was Kuonis charge. They have to make an extortionate profit I suppose. :(

As has been the case, no visa is required for Red Sea resorts provided your stay does not exceed 14 days and you will not be travelling to St Catherines Monastery.
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Post by Horus »

I see no change to the Red Sea destination visa requirements as they have always worked that way for a long time, providing you did not want to pop over to Israel or a few other locations you were OK without one. The real worry about this latest announcement is the lack of clarity, it is Ok for the usual “all is well with Egypt” brigade to dismiss it as just a bit of rhetoric that will soon be sorted out, but that is not going to satisfy the average tourist who wonders what may or may not happen when they arrive for their holiday without having an official embassy visa in their passports.

You only have to look at the abortion of a job they made with the Avian Flu checks at the airports with people being whipped off into isolation when they arrived for a holiday, or the unnecessary slaughter of thousands of pigs even when the WHO told them it was not needed, so I have very little faith in them interpreting this in a clear and precise manner.

Some may say it is because we in the UK and US do not allow free entry and they are just paying us back, well that is fine by me, it just puts Egypt a lot lower down the scale of countries I will visit in the future, I can spend my money anywhere in the world and they need to know that certainly where Upper Egypt is concerned at least, the only thing they have going for them is the monuments and although I love to visit them I will not be devastated if I never see them again, maybe I will go to China instead, the world is full of culture.

As for the Red Sea resorts, well what have they really got? Sunshine and beaches? I would rather lie on a beach in Florida on pure white soft sand sipping a Daiquiri with no hassle and a far better standard of food. Once that area becomes a problem most Americans and Brits will just move on to the next best destination and leave it to the Russians, to be honest it is easier to just nip over to Morocco, Spain, Majorca or Tenerife if sunshine is all your after.
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Egypt tightens visa rules due to security concerns

Post by DJKeefy »

You see!!! till a new goverment is in place then nobody will know anything, we will all be left to suffer. I still believe they dont even know themselves and change this and that to just look like they are doing something. Security concerns now!!!

Egypt tightens visa rules due to security concerns

Egypt has tightened rules for issuing entry visas to tourists due to security concerns, according to security sources, in a move which tourism officials fear could further damaged their industry.

The Egyptian cabinet said late on Thursday it had decided to cancel the option of obtaining a tourist visa at Egyptian airports to individuals or groups travelling independently.

It said only groups travelling through licensed tour operators would be granted entry visas at Egyptian airports. Others must obtain visas in their home countries before travelling.

"This is a security measure and we have asked for it," one security source said. He could not say if senior officials had requested the step as a precautionary measure or were prompted by "cases of foreigners trying to enter Egypt to conduct illegal actions".

Egypt in July detained four U.S. nationals for taking pictures in the Suez Canal area and an Italian for taking pictures of a military building in Cairo.

The chairman of Egypt's Tourism Authority, Amr El-Ezaby, told state news agency MENA on Friday the decision would "harm the flow of tourism to Egypt ... and is not understood and its purpose is also not understood".

Tourism, a main pillar of the Egyptian economy, was hit hard after the uprising that toppled President Hosni Mubarak in February but has been recovering slowly since then.

On Thursday, the Egyptian Ministry of Planning said in a statement that tourism revenues in 2010-11 were $10.6 billion down from $11.6 billion in 2009-10.

The decision caused confusion among passengers at Cairo's International airport on Friday, airport sources said.

"The government should have consulted with tourism and airline experts before issuing such a decision ... as tourism and airline companies depend on the ease of issuing entry visas," one airport source said.


Source: http://af.reuters.com/article/egyptNews ... ED20110909
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Post by LovelyLadyLux »

I remember landing in Cairo during the height of the avian flu scare. As we all walked off the plane all I could see were mega Egyptian airport persons robed and surgically masked with gloved hands waiting for us to walk in. We were all physically looked at, eye checked. I was praying I wouldn't sneeze cause am sure I'd of been whisked off somewhere.

All this new visa rule is going to take is one planeload of tourists denied entry at the airport and a fiasco of mega proportions will ensue. Once it hits the Media and word really gets out big time Egypt is going to move way down lower on everybodies vacation list.

I'm of a mind like H. I loved to visit the place, never aspired to live there but if it becomes nothing but a hassle or even a perceived hassle by me I'll go elsewhere. Lots of places where my tourist presence will be welcomed that come with lots less hassle and worry too.

I'm just hoping this visa situation can be sorted easily for all the ex-pats. I kinda have a notion that times over the next little bit are going to get tough(er) and there will be push to clear out anybody who is not Egyptian. Maybe not - just a feeling I have.
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Post by Bearded Brian »

Still nothing on the easyjet website - ok may be not the best source of information but as most of their passengers will be independant travellers it is in their best interest to make sure they don't have a plane load of un-visa'ed tourists.

Too late now for me to apply by post (yes I have two weeks before my flight but need my passport next Saturday) so may have to take a day off work and go to London to get a visa.
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Post by Horus »

Hope it all pans out for you OK Brian, I can only say that in the past the Embassy service has been very quick, about 7 - 10 days :D
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Post by Bearded Brian »

Thanks H - just read the consulate's website - you can no longer drop off and pick up the passport on the same day so that would mean two days off work and two trips down to London.
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Post by Jayway »

Is it worth it ? 2 trips to London, to go to a country whose rulers dont want you ?
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Post by Bearded Brian »

It's getting to the point where Egypt is getting less and less attractive - if it wasn't for friends out there I would seriously consider going elsewhere.
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Post by Christine »

For those of you on facebook, check out my profile page , there is a declaration made yestreday by the egypt consulate that the visa situation is the same as always and that you can buy a visa on entry.
It may be worth phoning thier consulate in Uk to find out more , saving possible trips to London ?
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Post by Horus »

Thanks for that Chris, I am sure that things will not have changed overnight, it is just these stupid unsubstantiated statements that muddy the waters for everyone, why do they come out with such things without thinking through the implications?

Anyone with imminent travel plans are going to be very concerned when they read these things and of course we all know that one department may say one thing and another will say something else, at the moment Egypt seems to lack any joined up thinking. :roll:
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Post by Christine »

Well any joined up outward thinking maybe more like it, but im of the belief that they know exactly what they are doing, pulling evry string/ stunt they can to keep the Military in power, including the bans on visa's which will eventually impoverish the country even more, now just who is going to put it all back together me wonders , call me suspicious ;)
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Post by Horus »

I think you have got it in one Chris, to the people the message is "better the devil you know"
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Post by Horus »

It does seem as if they have now reversed that decisioon on visa's :) but it does beg the question of who comes up with such a damaging decision in the first place? Even though they have now reverted to the status quo position, it will still have done some damage to tourism in general as many people will now believe it to be true and won't bother to check any further.
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