Tourist Visa

Post by **ISABEL** » Sat Jul 09, 2011 12:09 pm

Hi,

I hope to visit next month, i was wondering does anyone know how long the Tourist Visa lasts for now and how and where you can have it extended if needs be.

Thanks

Post by **Chocolate Eclair** » Sat Jul 09, 2011 2:10 pm

you can get a year visa from the Passport Office opposite the Stienberger Hotel, price around about 95 Egyptian Pounds, cannot remmeber exact but I think the normal one is about 3 months...

Post by **Nanny Ogg** » Sat Jul 09, 2011 4:15 pm

The one on entry is valid for 6 months as we were informed on entry to Luxor airport Thursday when Elomda asked if they could issue a years visa there. We were informed to go to the Passport office to obtain further visas if we were here longer!

Post by **Kevininabydos** » Sat Jul 09, 2011 10:11 pm

They seem to change the length of time on the incoming visa as the whim takes them at the airport. THE PASSPORT OFFICE SAY IT IS ONLY A FOUR WEEK VISA!! If I remember correctly the yearly tourist visa is 97.5 Egyptian pounds, you will need 2 photocopies of you passport photo page and a passport size photo.

Post by **Winged Isis** » Sat Jul 09, 2011 10:42 pm

There is a photocopier at the shop on the nearest (north) corner to the passport office, if you forget to get copies before you leave.

Post by **Glyphdoctor** » Mon Jul 11, 2011 11:50 pm

Post edited By DJKeefy - Luxor4u rules: Posts that contain just a URL (Link) without a brief explanation of what the link contains will be deleted.

CAIRO: Mark Hopkins has lived in Egypt for the past three years studying Arabic at a local private school, but when he went to renew his tourist visa in order to continue his studies, Egyptian officials told him he couldn’t have an extension.

“I have at least 5 tourist visa extensions,” he told Bikya Masr, showing his blue American passport, which is filled with Egyptian visas. “It is frustrating that they are cracking down on tourists wanting to stay longer.”

Then, turning to the more traditional route, Hopkins asked the International Language Institute where he was taking courses for a letter he could take to the authorities in order to obtain a student visa. Upon arrival, however, he was again turned away.

Officials told him only national universities could provide student visas for foreigners in the country, he said.

The moves have left many foreign nationals living in Egypt frustrated, but Egyptian officials said that the moves are part of a plan to become part of the international community’s regular restrictions on tourists in a country.

“All we are doing is enforcing the rules of law that most tourists in other countries abide by so it shouldn’t come as a surprise to the foreigners who are not getting extensions,” said Amr Abdelmaged, a mid-level tourism ministry official who works in the immigration department.

“We have seen a lot of frustration from foreigners, but the reality is that unless they are working or studying at an approved school, they don’t have the right to keep staying without providing the proper documents,” he added.

Still, a number of foreigners have reported that Egyptian authorities have even turned down work permits, leaving many wondering of the future of foreign nationals in the country.

“I am still waiting to hear back about my work visa and it has been a few weeks so it is frustrating because I have a job and until I get the work permit I can’t work,” said one American citizen who asked not to be named.

Not giving out visas to foreigners could leave the tourism industry in jeopardy, experts argue. They say that despite the need to bolster restrictions on visas to foreigners, Egypt’s current economic situation should not move too quickly in forcing out revenue sources.

In 2008, tourism to Egypt brought in some $11 billion and 12.8 million visitors, making it one of the largest sources of income for the North African country, the tourism ministry has reported.

With many of those being foreign “residents” in the country, ending visa extensions could have adverse affects on the attempts to bolster foreigners traveling to the country.

Hopkins said that if he cannot get an extension, he might simply leave the country for good and go elsewhere.

“I know what they are doing, but it is frustrating, especially if they won’t give student visas for those of us studying at local private schools. That doesn’t make sense,” he added.

Those small schools could also face major setbacks if students are unable to stay in country for the duration of classes.

One former German student of ILI in Cairo said that she has been in contact with former instructors who fear that if the government doesn’t give student visas to those attending, it could see massive drops in attendance.

“They said that if students are not able to stay in Egypt for a couple months, it will be hard for them to find people to attend, which leaves the question if they can survive if the new restrictions are not amended,” said Lena Egger, a long-time Cairo resident and student, who is on the final two weeks of her visa in the country.

For now, many foreigners in Egypt currently are confused, frustrated and worried over the legal status in the country. Many are simply deciding to overstay their visas and pay a penalty to leave the country when they choose to stay.

That, others say, could lead to a widespread crackdown and ultimately see the banning of individuals who abuse the system.

Abdelmaged said the ministry has yet to decide on overstay limits, but is looking into tacking on additional fees if too many foreigners decide to overstay their visas.

“Right now, we are in a process of investigating and looking into all possibilities and hopefully soon we will know exactly what is going to happen and we will publicize this to all travelers to the country,” he said.

Source: http://bikyamasr.com/wordpress/?p=35929

Post by **A-Four** » Tue Jul 12, 2011 12:12 am

Yer know sometimes Glyph, God bless her, can just post a link on here, not even saying a word herself, that is a show stopper,........class act.

I do so miss her associate in crime, that other third year student, that I am begining to think, that together you could put both Oxbridge and Harvard in the shade......................occasionally.

Post by **Kevininabydos** » Tue Jul 12, 2011 8:30 am

Even if it is against forum rules to post just a link!

Post by **Glyphdoctor** » Tue Jul 12, 2011 9:06 pm

It may be against forum rules to post a link but it certainly is against the law to republish an entire article without permission as you have done above. I think the law overrides forum rules. So if that is your intention then I ask that you delete my post in its entirety.

Post by **LivinginLuxor** » Tue Jul 12, 2011 10:23 pm

But Glyph, your post is now self-explanatory! My visa is due for renewal in 2 weeks, so I'll keep you all posted as to my progress with it.

Post by **Winged Isis** » Tue Jul 12, 2011 11:33 pm

So how exactly does it help Egypt to do this? These people are spending money, thus eventually keeping people in jobs, etc. so where is the advantage to Egypt???????

Post by **DJKeefy** » Wed Jul 13, 2011 12:25 am

Glyphdoctor wrote:It may be against forum rules to post a link but it certainly is against the law to republish an entire article without permission as you have done above. I think the law overrides forum rules. So if that is your intention then I ask that you delete my post in its entirety.

Hmmm Glyph, think you are wrong on that one, most news outlets on the internet allow you to post the article providing you link back to the original source, ive only come across a few news sites that wont allow you to use any of there publications without asking permission first.

bikyamasr.com once used 2 full posts from Luxor4u and did not provide a link back to us till I told them that this was required, they accepted this and put the link to the orignal Luxor4u post.

I have only done the same and of course I have provided a link back to the original source.

In future Glyph to keep within Luxor4u rules you can post part of the article and then place a link to the full article so people have an idea of what they are about to read.

Post by **DJKeefy** » Wed Jul 13, 2011 12:28 am

LivinginLuxor wrote:But Glyph, your post is now self-explanatory! My visa is due for renewal in 2 weeks, so I'll keep you all posted as to my progress with it.

Hang on Stan, im sure I read on Luxor4u that you had your visa renewed just after the revolution, so did you only get a 6 month visa, I only got a 6 month visa and a few others ive been told only got 6 months too, It seems like these are people who have lived here many years though without leaving the country or have been working in Egypt.

Post by **LivinginLuxor** » Wed Jul 13, 2011 9:42 am

No - my visa expires in mid July, as it always has. I arrived here on 30th June 2004, and got my first visa around 21st July 2004. I might have hinted that my visa still had 6 months to run though! I'll let you know what happens when I go for it later this month.

Post by **Teddyboy** » Wed Jul 13, 2011 11:20 am

My wife and I renewed our 6th (or maybe 7th?) annual vises the other week, without any fuss at all.

Post by **TONY** » Wed Jul 13, 2011 2:12 pm

It was no problem for my 8th one in March.

Tony
Karnak

Post by **DJKeefy** » Wed Jul 13, 2011 2:52 pm

Teddyboy wrote:My wife and I renewed our 6th (or maybe 7th?) annual vises the other week, without any fuss at all.

TONY wrote:It was no problem for my 8th one in March.

But have you left the country at all ?

Post by **TONY** » Wed Jul 13, 2011 4:54 pm

Yes I left the country for the first time this year, just for 3 weeks, but after I had my years visa so it doesnt indicate anything.

Tony
Karnak

Post by **TonyC** » Wed Jul 13, 2011 8:41 pm

I realise we're still waiting for clarification on what "leaving the country" means, but I've just come back after a three-week trip without any problems. Yearly visa renewed in May (LE91.25) and six-month re-entry bought in June.

Post by **DJKeefy** » Thu Jul 14, 2011 11:13 am

Leaving the country means just that!!! even if its for 1 week or more, your visa will be classed as visa 1 again (this is how I have understood it)

I was told the problems start when you are on your 10th one year visa without leaving Egypt at all (which I am), after 10 years you are entitled to an Egyptian passport (nationality), some say that the visa situation as been reduced from 10 years to 3 years as from this year.

Im still trying to get more information to what is going on, maybe the Governour might be able to get some correct answers, Mr Gaddis says it should get back to some normality after the elections, he does not even know why some are getting 1 year and other are getting 6 months or turned away, they tell him everything is as normal, which we all know is not true, I think they are now following the law which was set up years ago but they did not enforce till after the revolution.