Passport Office

[hatusu]

We’d gone over to the Passport Office to renew my visa, and after various filling in of forms I eventually joined the queue for payment. There were 4 Egyptian gentlemen in front of me. Eventually this was whittled down to 2 gentlemen in front of me when 2 ladies in Niqab joined the queue. I say “joined the queue” – they attempted to go to the front of the queue but the 2 gentlemen were having none of it and an altercation took place, and I was a little perturbed to see that the gentlemen seemed to be telling the Egyptian ladies to look at me. My Other Half was greatly enjoying this side show by the big smile on his face and he eventually told me what was going on. The Egyptian ladies had demanded to queue jump purely because they were ladies, but apparently had been told by the Egyptian men in front of me that if I , an English lady was happy to queue, there was no reason why THEY should queue jump. ……..

[Teddyboy]

Not wanting to insult you hatusu, but I would have thought that you'd reached retirement age by now. I was under the impression that we retirees didn't need to renew our visas any more. Is that not correct?

[HEPZIBAH]

I was under the impression that we retirees didn't need to renew our visas any more. Is that not correct?

Not my area of experience or expertise but, based on all sorts of snippets I've read over the years, I think there may be a bit of urban myth about that. I thought everyone was supposed to ensure they had an up-to-date visa for any country, including Egypt, that they might be visiting, albeit long stay '(resident) visitors. It is said that those who do overstay, if they are over 60 do not get fined however, I have read in the past of those over 60 who had problems re-entering the country.

Just a thought - if you are over 60 and don't need an up-to-date visa after you've stayed there for a while, why would the over 60s need to buy one to enter the country?

I know if it were me, I'd not be relying on hearsay and urban myth, but would be joining that queue at the passport/visa office.

[Teddyboy]

The last few times we have been here it has only been for 6, 7 or 8 weeks, buying the month visa on entry, and a couple of times we have been to the passport office to renew the visa and have been told we don't need to. We haven't had a problem on returning to Egypt and buying a visa on entry, either at Luxor or Hurghada airports.
Until about 4 years ago we always renewed our visa for 6 or 12 months, as we were in Luxor for long periods of time. Maybe because we now are only here for short periods and are overstaying by just a few weeks, we haven't had a problem.
We too would rather be 'legal' but it is proving difficult and trying to find the information at the passport office or the government website is difficult.

[Gordon292]

In the past I would always make sure that I renewed my visa without fail. I even liked going to the passport office to renew it.At the times I have been there was a lady in charge who many people did not like. However I got on well with her as did Carrie. One year when arriving to renew my visa she said that I was a little late.Then when I enquired,why? she said the valid period for the visa had changed and was for a shorter period than before. Any way she said leave it with me and I will speak to someone. When I went back later she was all smiles and told me the visa had been extended and no fine.Obviously she got a good tip from me. With today's situation if I was there for just 6 weeks I would not extend my visa which is what I have done a couple of times but if I was there longer I would renew it without fail. After all it is not as if it costs a fortune and to know you have a valid visa is a weight off your mind.

[hatusu]

The gentleman who deals with the visas now is the son of the lady mentioned above so he will have been well trained.

[Gordon292]

Have been told that there was now a gentleman there who deals with visa applications and have also been informed that he was indeed the ladies son. I would hope that he would be as fair as his mother was as in my case.

[Teddyboy]

Not wanting to possibly fall foul of the immigration people here, I had a toodle up to the Passport Office the other day, just to make sure. My word, it's all changed and lovely now!
Anyway, I sat and waited till two Egyptian men with lots and lots of papers toing and froing had finished and then stepped up to the counter. I had never seen the young man before, not the son of the lady. After quite a bit of gesturing and using my shwire shwire Arabic, he was tut-tuting and shaking his head, but then popped into the little room behind and flashed my passport to whoever was at the desk. No, no, I didn't need to renew the visa.
But it may have just been because we are only here for another week or so (8 weeks in total). I'm not sure!
EDIT: Just been reminded by Mrs Teddyboy that she always has a copy of the prescription in her purse! Sorry if I've misled anyone there.