Monthly fees on foreigners' escorts

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newcastle
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Monthly fees on foreigners' escorts

Post by newcastle »

Here's a good one from the Parliamentary Committee of (Silly) Proposals and Complaints :


I was intrigued by the term "escorts" :oops: ....and felt I had to read further :lol:

Egypt’s Parliamentary Committee of Proposals and Complaints preliminary approved the proposal, submitted by parliamentarian Kamal Amer, which stipulates imposing monthly fees on escorts (wife, husband, or children) of foreigners who live in Egypt.

According to local media outlets, Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee of Defense and National Security Amer suggests conducting some amendments to provisions of Law No. 89 of 1960 regarding the entry and residence of foreigners in the country.

The proposed amendments stipulate the collection of fees from all escorts of foreigners living in Egypt while not working for ministries, or government institutions. The fees also will be imposed on foreigners’ escorts when they are issuing or renewing the residence permit or issuing the final exit visa.

The suggested fee is LE 200 on a monthly basis and would increase LE 100 annually. The fee is set to be applied by July 2018, if the bill is enacted by the parliamentary committee this June.

MP Amer said that this proposal stems from the fact the there are recently increasing numbers of foreign delegations to Egypt and their families. The bill is an attempt to devise a revenue-generating strategy to finance the budget deficit State, he explained.

In 2017, Amer suggested a draft law that stipulates granting residence permit to foreigners in return for bank deposits, especially amid increased requests by foreigners to obtain residence permits in Egypt in light of the international changes taking place in the region.

According to a statement released from his office at the time, he explained that putting a deposit in foreign in Egyptian banks is an indirect investment and encourages Arab and foreign investors to participate in economic projects in Egypt.

“Under the residence upon a deposit system, foreigners will apply for residence permits in return for depositing money in Egyptian banks in foreign currency. After 5 years of residence in Egypt, they can apply for citizenship” he added

Authorities will have the right to accept or deny the citizenship request, he said.

http://www.egyptindependent.com/egypts- ... s-escorts/

I can't imgine there's many foreign residents in Luxor with dependants. MT has gone...and most other "dependants" are probably Egyptian hubbies or kids. I assume they won't be "taxed".

But it is a further disincentive for foreign workers who want to bring their families....if I read it right.

Then again...it's only a proposal and they've got many dafter ones in the pipeline :lol:

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Re: Monthly fees on foreigners' escorts

Post by Dusak »

The final exit visa quote is a fun one, reading between the lines, you don't pay, you don't stay. I wonder if my friend would fall into the ''escort'' category. Taking me shopping, visits to the dentist, doctors and eye clinic. I've had the feeling for quite awhile now, that the lives of the foreigners living here will eventually become untenable.
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Re: Monthly fees on foreigners' escorts

Post by newcastle »

the lives of the foreigners living here will eventually become untenable.
I think that's unnecessarily pessimistic.

Since the revolution of 2011, and more so since Sisi's rise to power, we've seen quite a few changes.

The biggest, in my view, has been the attitude of the average Egyptian to foreigners. It's much more "bolshie"...no longer are we on a pedestal and treated with deference. But any animosity is nothing to what many emigrants to the West have had to put up with for decades.

The curtailing of what was , in effect, a free-for-all attitude to visas - with unlimited extensions - was almost unique in the world outside the confines of Europe (and then only for Europeans).

We've seen the introduction of property taxes and a steeply rising cost of living....but offset by a doubling of the EGP you can get for the pound sterling.

It makes no sense to me that Egypt would be deliberately trying to oust foreigners but their lack of joined up thinking in implementing ostensibly reasonable changes has created unnecessary difficulties for some. Efficient bureaucracy is not their strong point . Maybe they're trying to do too much too quickly.

It's also a fact that, for a Westerner, the cultural gulf between an islamic third world state - one which has now become depressingly authoritarian - becomes harder to stomach after a decade or so.

But a lot depends on whether you're prepared to "go with the flow", and accept that the positives of living here outweigh the negatives. Much depends on personal circumstances.

Personally speaking - and looking at the current turmoil in the UK, Europe (Brexit? Spain? Italy?), the aggressive outlook of Trump's America - I think I'll sick it out for the time being, comfortable with my family, books and perpetual sunshine 8)
Last edited by newcastle on Sat Jun 02, 2018 5:14 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Monthly fees on foreigners' escorts

Post by Major Thom »

Verging on Racism now.... They do not wants foreigners point blank...
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Re: Monthly fees on foreigners' escorts

Post by newcastle »

Major Thom wrote:Verging on Racism now.... They do not wants foreigners point blank...
Thank you!

If you - someone who's demonstratively wrong on just about everything - thinks that....I am even more sanguine about life here :lol:
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Re: Monthly fees on foreigners' escorts

Post by crewmeal »

Verging on Racism now.... They do not wants foreigners point blank...
If it wasn't for foreigners as you put it MT there would be no tourism. Don't forget it's the number one industry that supports the country.

Not the best of remarks to make MT.
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Re: Monthly fees on foreigners' escorts

Post by DJKeefy »

This is what Law help in Egypt facebook page posted:

There have been some changes in the Visa fees
Every Foreigner in Egypt had to pay for a Visa in posing a monthly fee on the foreigners residing in Egypt. It is 200 pounds per month as of July 1st 2018, increasing annually by 10 EGP to reach the maximum of 500 EGP per month in July of 2021.

The committee approved the proposals in the House of Representatives during its meeting today, Monday, headed by MP Hammamal-ali, on the bill submitted by MP Jamal Amer, chairman of the National Defense and security committee. A fee is imposed on every foreign resident in Egypt starting from 200 pounds and the fees increase every year to reach 500 pounds per month in 2021.

The committee decided to refer the amendment of the provisions of law number 89 of 1960 regarding the entry and residents of foreigners in the territory of the Arab Republic of Egypt to the National Defense and security committee and the Bureau of the Constitutional and legislative affairs committee.

The proposed law provides a collection of fees for each facility and for the temporary resident of the Ministries, institutions, government departments in the private sector, annually in advance when issuing or renewing the residence visa or when issuing the Final Exit Visa at 200 EGP per month from the first of July 2018, increasing by 100 EGP a year to reach a maximum of 500 EGP in July of 2021.

Jamal Amer said that these increases are to help bear the financial burden of providing public services such as health, Water, Sanitation, infrastructure and others. There will be a search for new resources to finance the budget deficit as well as this recent increase on foreigners and their families.

The proposed amendment is all related to residency .
Article 36 of law 89 will be replaced by the following:
The minister of the Interior shell determined by virtue of a decision issued the cost of the fees to obtain the license and the residence cards, not less than 500 EGP and not exceeding the amount of 5000 EGP for each year as well
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Re: Monthly fees on foreigners' escorts

Post by Dusak »

:lol: They must of read my post a few years back on the topic of visas. I stated that I would be quite happy to pay 5,000 per year for my visa as long as the ridiculous situations some of us still suffer when attempting to renew, myself included still.

I often state that I am happy living here, although these days I tend to keep my own company, by choice. I enjoy my home and the personal environment that I have created over the years. The few close friends I still have are there if and whenever they need me or I them. The weather here is an added health bonus, to my mind one of the governing factors of my continued fitness and health. But, I'm now 65 and the most depressing periods of my life here is the two visits to the visa office. Its not a thing I ever thought would happen, especially if you abide by the countries rules that allow a foreigner to live here, which I have done and still do, but the constant games they enforce me to go through are now tainting my pleasure and my 'official' retirement. If things do not improve for me personally then I will contemplate moving elsewhere to enjoy my final years. In August I leave for my months holiday, the first thing I will do when I return is go to the visa office, and I know that the first thing they will do is tell me to come back in four weeks, then another two and so on until my illusive paperwork suddenly appears. But what I get is down to the real controllers of the visa for foreigners, not the office itself. I may get what most receive, a six month extension, or a three month one, thus have to start the process all over again as my next new application is ready to apply for time wise if I have had to wait my standard ten weeks from first applying.

I know why I'm put through this each and every time, I also know what action I have to implement to ''carry on my life as normal.'' But unfortunately there is little or nothing I can do to rectify the situation I find myself in while living here. Fortunately for me, money has always taken a backseat in my life. As long as I have enough to live comfortably on, then all is well, I've never lead a materialistic lifestyle. So I would be quite happy to sell my property at far below the actual purchase price all those years ago. And, if I did have to make this decision, my cats that survive at that time would be very well looked after with no consideration towards the cost.
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Re: Monthly fees on foreigners' escorts

Post by newcastle »

This is what Law help in Egypt facebook page posted:
I've learned in the past to take the output of this lot with a pinch of salt. They've jumped the gun (the proposals are still with parliament), they can't write intelligible English and are, I suspect, a front for Egyptian lawyers trying to drum up business from gullible foreigners.

My reading of the situation - and I might be way off track - is that there is a proposal to levy a form of tax on the dependents of foreign residents. Not many of those about...as anyone trying to get a resident visa will testify.

I can't see it impacting on tourists...or those who live here long term, but on tourist visas.

@ Dusak

I feel for you. The Luxor office does seem to have it in for expats. Hurghada seems a much smoother operation.....but then they probably have a much greater through flow of visa applicants..

I'm lucky in that I come and go with such regularity, rarely staying over 3 months, that I don't have to bother with this palaver. I doubt I could find the visa office any more.
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Re: Monthly fees on foreigners' escorts

Post by Yildez »

Dusak wrote::lol: They must of read my post a few years back on the topic of visas. I stated that I would be quite happy to pay 5,000 per year for my visa as long as the ridiculous situations some of us still suffer when attempting to renew, myself included still.

I often state that I am happy living here, although these days I tend to keep my own company, by choice. I enjoy my home and the personal environment that I have created over the years. The few close friends I still have are there if and whenever they need me or I them. The weather here is an added health bonus, to my mind one of the governing factors of my continued fitness and health. But, I'm now 65 and the most depressing periods of my life here is the two visits to the visa office. Its not a thing I ever thought would happen, especially if you abide by the countries rules that allow a foreigner to live here, which I have done and still do, but the constant games they enforce me to go through are now tainting my pleasure and my 'official' retirement. If things do not improve for me personally then I will contemplate moving elsewhere to enjoy my final years. In August I leave for my months holiday, the first thing I will do when I return is go to the visa office, and I know that the first thing they will do is tell me to come back in four weeks, then another two and so on until my illusive paperwork suddenly appears. But what I get is down to the real controllers of the visa for foreigners, not the office itself. I may get what most receive, a six month extension, or a three month one, thus have to start the process all over again as my next new application is ready to apply for time wise if I have had to wait my standard ten weeks from first applying.

I know why I'm put through this each and every time, I also know what action I have to implement to ''carry on my life as normal.'' But unfortunately there is little or nothing I can do to rectify the situation I find myself in while living here. Fortunately for me, money has always taken a backseat in my life. As long as I have enough to live comfortably on, then all is well, I've never lead a materialistic lifestyle. So I would be quite happy to sell my property at far below the actual purchase price all those years ago. And, if I did have to make this decision, my cats that survive at that time would be very well looked after with no consideration towards the cost.

Several years ago I thought about the possibility of living in Luxor full time, but I decided it was not for me. One of the major reasons was the visa situation - I know I couldn't cope with all the uncertainty and stress that some ex-pats have to go through.

In Turkey you apply for a Residence Permit, you know exactly what documents and information you have to provide, you apply on-line knowing there's a 50% chance you will have to visit the regional Immigration office ( because we're still under a State of Emergency) and the system is universal, no exceptions. If you read the Turkish ex-pat forums you'll find plenty of complaints about the requirement for adequate health insurance and proof of a minimum income (to show that you are not working illegally) but in my experience the system is fair and works well. Totally unlike Egypt :urm:
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