Reports claiming certain citizens from various countries were banned from obtaining a visa upon arrival in Egypt have sparked outrage, a matter the Egyptian cabinet has assured to be untrue.
The Cabinet’s media center has denied these rumors and added that the center communicated with the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities to confirm the matter as false.
No new procedures for entering Egypt have been established to prevent citizens of various countries from obtaining a visa upon arrival, the center said.
Nor have they been obliged to obtain a prior visa from the Egyptian embassy affiliated with their countries or applying for a tourist visa electronically through the Egyptian government portal.
The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities stressed that all procedures currently in force at Egyptian airports and ports are in effect without any change.
Entry visa facilities
The Egyptian Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, Ahmed Issa, announced earlier that the government has granted facilities on entry visas to Egypt.
These facilities include issuing a multi-visit visa to Egypt for a period of five years for US$700 for citizens of 180 countries, who were also allowed in April to obtain an e-visa to enter Egypt, he said.
Issa added that Chinese tourists can obtain an emergency entry visa upon their arrival at Egyptian airports, whether as groups or individuals.
Indian tourists can also obtain an emergency entry visa upon their arrival at Egyptian ports, provided that they have residency in GCC countries or a visa for the US, UK, Australia and New Zealand, or the Schengen visa.
Facilities have been granted to Egyptian tourism companies to obtain compulsory entry visas at Egyptian ports for groups of tourists coming from the Arab Maghreb countries, Iran and Israel, Issa said, pointing out that Iranian tourists will only be allowed to visit the tourist cities of South Sinai.
Turkish tourists are allowed to obtain a visa upon arrival at Egyptian airports instead of obtaining it at the Egyptian embassy in Turkey.
Issa added that for Iraqi tourists under 16 years old and over 60 years old, e-visas are required to enter Egypt.
Iraqis can obtain compulsory entry visas upon their arrival at Egyptian ports, provided that they have a visa to the US or the UK, or a Schengen visa.
