Tourist Visas No Longer Renewable Beyond 6mo?

1POSTS

10 years ago

Has anyone else recently had this problem?

My family and I have lived in Cairo for 14 months under tourist visas, renewing it every three months at Mogamma. I know of other people who have lived here much longer than this under a tourist visa. But I went into Mogamma this week and they told me that they have no stopped giving tourist visas to people after 6 months of stay. So they said I could get a month exit visas, but would have to leave after this is up. So I could not get a renewed three months on me and my family's visas as usual.

Could someone help me in finding a way stay longer? We have our home set up here and my wife is pregnant right now, planning to give birth in Egypt. Now would not be the ideal time to move at all for us. I had also planned to start working as an English teacher at the beginning of next year.

I've heard of people going to Sharm or Hurghada to renew visas, does anyone know if these places will still renew after six months? Or, has anyone started taking courses at a school to be here as a student?

Any ideas or real information on this would be great as there doesn't seem to be anything written out on these sudden new rules.

Thanks!

See also

Living in Cairo: the expat guide - Guide
Tourist Guide in Cairo - Business
Egypt Tourist Visa Extension Update 2023 - 24 Replies
Tourist visa extension - 7 Replies
Looking for information on extended visas - 5 Replies
Tourist visa and new foreign tourist i.d card - 6 Replies
How to renew visa in Mogamma Tahrir - 29 Replies

nilminipeiris New member

4POSTS

10 years ago

hi sir i am sri lanka.i am working here house maid, so i know very good loyer,he going mogamma聽聽all weys , if you want i can help you do your visa, let me know,

1 member reacted to this post

the egyptian lawyer Active member

37POSTS

10 years ago

Hi

There is 2 type of visas here in egypt

1 鈥� tourist visa :

This 1 cant be extended more than 1 year , so u have to exit & come back again

2- non tourist visa :

This 1 could be renewal for 1 year or 5 , this visa for who are studying 鈥� work 鈥� set up business in egypt or have a real state = 50 thousand usd

My advice for u that u should look for non tourist visa for u & ur family

U can check this post too for more information

good luck

1 member reacted to this post

Chocolate Eclair Active member

85POSTS

10 years ago

Read the Magnificent Magazine page headlined "Egypt's warm welcome has gone cold", This article has not been denied by anyone in authority so we have to presume it is the case. Not a nice thing for a Country wanting to develop tourism, investment etc 6 month visa's are now the norm in Luxor, even for business and homeowners.

1 member reacted to this post

luca85 Member

1POSTS

10 years ago

Our Italian embassy has recently confirmed the news...and its talking about a maximum of 3 months not even 6. I know people who simply dont renew the expired visa and pay a 200 pound fine at Cairo Airport when they leave..at your risk... But it's out of question that things are gettin harder for us here in Egypt..

1 member reacted to this post

alexeander New member

4POSTS

10 years ago

Tourists visas are issued for tourists who intend to stay for this purpose,if you staying in Egypt for 14 months..that mean you are doing business here,in that case if you are working or owning a business you can change your visa status according to the law,and pay your taxes..! there is no other country grant 14 months for tourism,and its not about changing the law its about applying the law now.

3 members reacted to this post

Ambarta Member

3POSTS

10 years ago

Hello, my husband and i have been living in Cairo for 5 years neither of us Egyptian. I haven't yet tried to renew my visa to find this problem. But if you are working as a teacher in a school, the school should be able to set you up with a work visa and this will allow your family to also have an extended visa. Unless they changed all that too, you ca give it a try.

1 member reacted to this post

laady24 Serial expat

234POSTS

10 years ago

becoming very hard to get a longer than 3 month visa in Egypt................but if you have a work visa or own a business or own your flat or are married to Egyptian it is easier to stay......................soon you will have to get your visa on line so they can tract how many times you come and go and can stop you from coming............ Egypt wants Egypt for Egyptians.....as other countries want for them self.....

Shellis73 Member

14POSTS

10 years ago

What about if you want to travel for 2 weeks

Chocolate Eclair Active member

85POSTS

10 years ago

#10

I can only speak about Luxor, where many are leaving and going home or moving to another Country to live and have peace of mind. Nearly everyone has their property up for sale. Although there is a temp resident's visa for investors and property owners Luxor will not issue them. It's quite hostile really. Travellers for a 2 or 3 week holiday is still fine, it's. just they do not want foreigners living here. 6 years ago Luxor was a lovely place to retire to, now it's not a financial viability to retire in Luxor and purchase a property or invest. Some are even boarding their homes up and moving hoping for a better attitude towards foreigners to prevail. They are leaving other Europeans to keep an eye out on their properties until they are sold. This week on the Monday flight to Europe there were 4 people that had retired for some peace, leaving for good. So it just says that there are major problems in Egypt and it really does not welcome foreigners. Pity really because foreigners really did contribute to business's, and in a lot of cases kept business's open. Many business's are now running flat and not making much profit at all. Foreign business owners are closing their business and moving on. Most European people come from law abiding and peaceful Countries and are now questioning the Egyptian motives. So at the end of the day, it's Egypt that is keeping Egypt down.

2 members reacted to this post

laady24 Serial expat

234POSTS

10 years ago

#11

What about people married to Egyptians and the ones going to school here???? Is their any hope for them to stay ?????聽 Or do they want them all gone????

laady24 Serial expat

234POSTS

10 years ago

#12

6 months聽聽聽 God 2 weeks in Egypt no problem.聽聽聽It said 6 months.聽聽聽2 weeks is much shorter than 6 months.聽 6 months is the longest you can stay and then you have to leave Egypt for good

Chocolate Eclair Active member

85POSTS

10 years ago

#13

I think you may stand a chance if property married to an Egyptian, but Orfi marriages are not recognised in this case. Everyone in Luxor looks upon Orfi Certificates as a sex certificate.

1 member reacted to this post

laady24 Serial expat

234POSTS

10 years ago

#14

have you heard any thing new about聽 the visa situation in Egypt........so many people having so much trouble.....

Chocolate Eclair Active member

85POSTS

10 years ago

#15

It's a real mess, and no one knows what is happening including the authorities. The Government site is not being held to by the different Governates. I really cannot blame people for leaving, you cannot live under the threat of you may get a visa and yet you may not. It will of course effect tourism because those that do leave will be telling all of the problems.

1 member reacted to this post

laady24 Serial expat

234POSTS

10 years ago

#16

Yes have a mark in my passport but no visa and will wait for the security interview but have home here I rent聽 and love Egypt do not want to leave.聽 Do not know where to go聽聽Have been here since 2007 and will do what is nessasary to stay my country Lebanon is over run with Syrians no place to go.聽 And I am Muslim so do not want to go back to America.聽聽 So just stay and see what will happen

Chocolate Eclair Active member

85POSTS

10 years ago

#17

That's the best thing to do in your caselaady24, at least you will get probably treated with more respect. You may be used to being treated this way and living in a third world Country, but Europeans are so used to being treated as European citizens and the freedom and equality Europe bestows on its citizens. It's very hard to understand really what this is all about really. People say it's for security reasons that being so I really do not mind, the trouble is the authorities are so secretive they are just not willing to explain. Of course the other question is, why wasn't these security checks done when people applied for their visa's in the first place?

laady24 Serial expat

234POSTS

10 years ago

#18

There should have been some warning or we should have been told.聽聽How can you just put people out of their homes聽聽This is what the Republican Party Trump wants to do to people in America聽 maybe Egypt just wants to do it first.聽 No matter what I do not want to go so we will see what happens.

laady24 Serial expat

234POSTS

10 years ago

#19

Some man in Luxor just went for his appointment with the security and then to the passport office and got a visa for 9 months.聽聽Also if you have a passport from Sudan you need no visa for Egypt or Ecuador nor do Egyptians need visa for Ecuador聽聽聽Or well

Chocolate Eclair Active member

85POSTS

10 years ago

#20

It maybe just Europeans then, the trouble is everyone is winding the other up about visas and everyone is becoming paranoid

laady24 Serial expat

234POSTS

10 years ago

#21

Swell I desired not to go any where till I have to I am worried about coming back if I do go.聽聽My mother is 98 and have to see her every year just in case.聽聽So I have to and come sooner or later.聽聽America has not lowered its rates for airlines but Luftansa has

laady24 Serial expat

234POSTS

10 years ago

#22

Salaam.聽聽聽 Well went to security for the interview and was told to go to the visa department to get a visa in 10 days.聽 Then talked to more people from Germany聽聽They thought they got a year visa but in fact is was for 7 months because is was from last time they entered the country not going now ahead for one year.聽聽 So now back to the West Bank to again wait to see how long my visa will be for if any very nerve racking when you have made your home in Egypt for so long.聽聽I am going to see my cousin in Monzoura maybe I can relax and calm down wonder if they have this problem there????

zaupino Active member

32POSTS

9 years ago

#23

Hello,
really i was thinking with my girlfrient to move in Hurghada to live,聽 maybe buying a flat not immediately聽 and put some money in a bank.聽 But is it really hard to stay now in Egypt? Are they not interested to promote tourism and investors?

eagle Abo Contributor

120POSTS

9 years ago

#24

Hello dear Zaupino you more than welcome for you country off course and off course the government encourage tourist to come and investing here but as any country has its own right to but some Conditions and terms to make sure that the tourist is really serious and will really invest amd open project and depends on himself like any other countries and if you compare between Egypt and other European countries you will find this terms and conditions is nothing but what is very different here is the ppl warms and the security is good and everything for living is not expensive as Europe And USA so plz read the terms and conditions above and you more than welcome to our country
Good luck and all regards
聽聽聽聽 Captain Abo

zaupino Active member

32POSTS

9 years ago

#25

Chocolate Eclair wrote:
I can only speak about Luxor, where many are leaving and going home or moving to another Country to live and have peace of mind. Nearly everyone has their property up for sale. Although there is a temp resident's visa for investors and property owners Luxor will not issue them. It's quite hostile really. Travellers for a 2 or 3 week holiday is still fine, it's. just they do not want foreigners living here. 6 years ago Luxor was a lovely place to retire to, now it's not a financial viability to retire in Luxor and purchase a property or invest. Some are even boarding their homes up and moving hoping for a better attitude towards foreigners to prevail. They are leaving other Europeans to keep an eye out on their properties until they are sold. This week on the Monday flight to Europe there were 4 people that had retired for some peace, leaving for good. So it just says that there are major problems in Egypt and it really does not welcome foreigners. Pity really because foreigners really did contribute to business's, and in a lot of cases kept business's open. Many business's are now running flat and not making much profit at all. Foreign business owners are closing their business and moving on. Most European people come from law abiding and peaceful Countries and are now questioning the Egyptian motives. So at the end of the day, it's Egypt that is keeping Egypt down.

Hello,

any fresh update on Visa terms聽 to Hurghada?
Any chance to stay at least 1 y聽 without exit ? if yes which conditions?
thanks

msolimane Member

11POSTS

9 years ago

#26

Chocolate Eclair Active member

85POSTS

9 years ago

#27

We decided to leave Egypt so visa's no longer bother us anymore. Still got the Villa but until things get sorted out cannot be bothered with all the treatment people are getting.

laady24 Serial expat

234POSTS

9 years ago

#28

so so so sad I am so sorry about that
guess I am blessed I do not own a flat
I guess after 10 years this will be my last visit
I love Egypt so much it breaks my heart I will have to leave
I guess I have been blessed to have stayed this long
if I owned a villa I would never leave no mater what

where are you now what country
hope ail is well with you
and you can return soon

Chocolate Eclair Active member

85POSTS

9 years ago

#29

We are in Australia, it's so much different, tourists are made to feel welcome, the visa does not change from one day to another, and if it does change everyone is told it has changed and of course the reasons. Also if you have bought property there is no problem getting a residents visa, normally within 6 weeks, there are no secrets just rules that you have to adhere too. I am sorry to say but the visa situation in Egypt has travelled the world not even 2 week visitors feel safe to go, some fear that after a few days they will be asked to leave. Who is to blame? Well, who makes the rules up?

laady24 Serial expat

234POSTS

9 years ago

#30

No one has ever asked me to leave Egypt in fact most get up set when I leave for my two month visit with my 98 year old mother want me to come back now.聽 I live in a village no one has ever bothered me
Only Mogamma will never give me a visa only problem I have so I do not go I just come and go as I please

Floui Member

3POSTS

9 years ago

#31

Anyone here knows of a wasta to get security clearance for Egyptian to leave Egypt?

Chocolate Eclair Active member

85POSTS

9 years ago

#32

You can see why., once they see how a modern Country operates they would not want to come back, let alone the opportunities in a modern Country.

Chocolate Eclair Active member

85POSTS

9 years ago

#33

I have lived here 5 years and leave in 5 weeks, there is not a cat in hello chance I would come back. Not enough reasons to want to come back. The change over the past years since the first revolution has been astronomical,and it will be years for the Country to recover, no matter what people say.

Fady fawzy Contributor

110POSTS

9 years ago

#34

All Viza to European countries are limited to work,study,property amd marriage,nobody non European as African have the right to stay forever. Even businessmen have to prove that they gain during their stay,
Anyway
For every problem there is a solution depending on how difficult the problem is,so it's not for free and not cheap when you calculate In dollars
I helped as a into.lawyer other americans and they are on this site,and they didn't pay anything and ran away from immigration office

And told that they don't聽 no w what to pay for.
So in case you need to solve this issue legal,internationaly solving,I can聽 assist you to extend your Viza legally.
**
Thanks and have a good day
Fady fawzy
Maadi
**

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