# Can I ask a question about resident visas again!!!!!



## micki moo (Oct 26, 2009)

Hi, Apologieis if I have already asked this question (I dont think I have but who knows I have so much swimming around in my head) 

Anyway to the point. Does anyone know if you can obtain a resident visa the same day. I have been to the building where you get them and I remember there being hundreds of people there, I wasn't sure if you gave all the documents in and then had to go back or do you just sit around with the rest of the world and wait for the same day???????

I have all the documents necessary, and I know I can get one.

I have a week where I can come over in January (yes to start bringing the shoes and bags) and I thought if I could do it in that week then its something less I have to do in April/May????????


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## MaidenScotland (Jun 6, 2009)

Did someone not say you have to have a property?
But if you are married to an Egyptian then that will be a different matter.


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## micki moo (Oct 26, 2009)

Hi Maiden, yes they did say I needed a property but I am married to an egyptian national so I have no issue with obtaining one, just wanted an idea of time scales, day, days, weeks, months? Although I asked the Egyptian Consulate here they could;nt tell me, I was wondering if any other members had gone through this and could give me an idea


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## MaidenScotland (Jun 6, 2009)

[email protected] this is Egypt... IBM= Inshallah Bookura Mumkin


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## MaidenScotland (Jun 6, 2009)

I would think you would get it the same day if you take your marriage papers with you, although chaos reigns here it is a sorta organised chaos, if it is not the same day I am sure it will not be weeks or months.

Maiden


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## micki moo (Oct 26, 2009)

I was thinking along the same lines, it is chaos and yes it does seem organised in a frightening sort of way

Will be able to come to cairo in January and find out, I will remember to take a book, ipod, snacks, drinks etc (I might even bring some smokey bacon flavour)



MaidenScotland said:


> I would think you would get it the same day if you take your marriage papers with you, although chaos reigns here it is a sorta organised chaos, if it is not the same day I am sure it will not be weeks or months.
> 
> Maiden


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## MaidenScotland (Jun 6, 2009)

I will be here in January Inshallah I will send my contact details Pm to you, if you fancy grabbing a coffee?

Maiden


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## micki moo (Oct 26, 2009)

what a great idea, would love to, I dont know anyone other than my husband (who is not from Cairo just goes there when I am there) and one other friend in Cairo



MaidenScotland said:


> I will be here in January Inshallah I will send my contact details Pm to you, if you fancy grabbing a coffee?
> 
> Maiden


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## GM1 (Sep 30, 2008)

I have read on another forum that it will take a week. You can only apply with your husband (they need a copy of his ID/passport) and your marriage certificate. First time you will only receive it for 1 or 2 years, what I can remember is, that after the second time you will get it for 5 years.


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## Sam (Aug 27, 2009)

micki moo said:


> Hi, Apologieis if I have already asked this question (I dont think I have but who knows I have so much swimming around in my head)
> 
> Anyway to the point. Does anyone know if you can obtain a resident visa the same day. I have been to the building where you get them and I remember there being hundreds of people there, I wasn't sure if you gave all the documents in and then had to go back or do you just sit around with the rest of the world and wait for the same day???????
> 
> ...


Hi Micki Moo,

When I first came to Egypt I got the mandatory 3 weeks tourist visa (or however long it is) not long after followed by a one year tourist visa - which took just an hour or so.

Later I then applied for the residency visa. I remember it well as I was about 6 months pregnant so my hubby was having to do all the running around for me whilst I was fighting for cool air in an un-airconditioned building (July, no air con and pregnant was a nightmare, especially with so many people buzzing around). We had just normal documents and forms to fill out, we did all that and of course with the Egyptian way had to run all over the building getting a series of signatures and stamps, then we had to leave the paperwork with them for approval. Came back the next day with a shiny 5 year visa sticker ready to go into my passport. Each time we were in there I think it took an hour or two, we went early morning and they were still busy anyway and all acting like animals in the way that they do, pushing and shoving to try to be the next one at the window and forcing their documents on the poor girl behind the desk.

There was a good chance the odd 5 or 10 pound note got put under the odd table to move things along a bit, but otherwise it was very simple. Bear in mind though that this was back in 2007 so things may have changed - and this was not a working visa, but work permits are done separately anyway and for the most part unnecessary.


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## MaidenScotland (Jun 6, 2009)

Ohh dear Sam, don't envy you being there in July.
There used to be a system where you could pay someone to stand in the queues for you but my friend who is Egyptian went last year and told me it is no longer possible to do that.
Sam if you would like to start a new thread called residency papers I will do a sticky for it, you have done it so no more than us, 
Thanks
Maiden


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## NZCowboy (May 11, 2009)

Micki Moo
We went thru the process a year ago, it took a couple of weeks. Every time you go they want different documents. 
For starters if your Marriage Cert isn't Egyptian you will need to have it translated, then you will have to register the marriage, (at another building). Then they made me open a local bank account, not with any international banks but Egyptian bank. But to open a bank account you need residence visa!!!! 
Nothing is easy and straight forward, different requirements depending who you are talking too.
Best of luck


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## MaidenScotland (Jun 6, 2009)

Everything here is so contradictory, Cowboy my friend who you met last week has opened an account with Egypt bank and she doesn't have residency lol


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## NZCowboy (May 11, 2009)

Yes, its no problems to open an account with a international bank as I aready had local accounts with HSBC, but it had to be a Egyptian bank ..ie Banque Misr. 
Just Immigration making things difficult.


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## MaidenScotland (Jun 6, 2009)

She is banking with Banque Misr, her salary is paid straight into that account, and no she doesn't have a work permit.


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## micki moo (Oct 26, 2009)

Hi all, thanks for the various explanations of the Resident Visa system, I think it changes weekly.

NZ Cowboy - I realise you only done this last year and I am not sure if my circumstances are the same as yours. I married an Egyptian National in Egypt so as for the Marriage Certificate that is obviously in Arabic and the marriage is registered there. Fingers crossed I wont need to open the Bank Account but if I do then I do 

I am hoping that Sam's version still applies - I remember the building quite clearly from my last visit it was a nightmare with people pushing and shoving all over the place. I do have to give my hubby credit, he was fab at getting to the front of the queue in a very calm way (I think it was 20 pound that done it)

Thanks everyone for the advise I do not know what I would do with this forum, whenever I asked my husband to find something out he never seems to manage to get the whole story.


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## NZCowboy (May 11, 2009)

Micki Moo
Don't blame you husband, each time we went to the Mogamma the requirements changed. You get all the documents as requested and return and they want something else. You never get the full story. 
In the end we used contacts and we ended up sitting in the office of guy with a number of pips on his shoulder drinking tea, while my documents were processed.
My circumstances were different, male foreigner marrying an Egyptian national outside Egypt.
All i'm saying nothing is easy and straight forward.
Don't get me started on getting our childern Egyptain passports. I thought only the country the childern were born in can issue birth certificates, but my childern now have birth certificates from two countries. The agruements we had on getting the details correct.
Good luck


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## micki moo (Oct 26, 2009)

Why is evrything so hard. I have just received the requirements for enrolling my daughter in an International school in Hurgarda I have to get a letter from the British Consulate approving this, I have just emailed them asking how long this letter will take to issue (they was my stumbling block when I got married, it took ages) I also asked if my daughter has to be present, which I know sounds a real dumb question but I really dont want to be dragging her around various government office in Cairo unless I have to. She could stay here with my mum whilst I do it all over there. she would be a complete nightmare (she is 13 its bad enough as it is)

No matter who I email they never seem to answer the question, I dont know what I would do without you guys on the forum at least you guide me in the right direction.

any help you have on the getting her into a school would be greatly appreciated.

micki




NZCowboy said:


> Micki Moo
> Don't blame you husband, each time we went to the Mogamma the requirements changed. You get all the documents as requested and return and they want something else. You never get the full story.
> In the end we used contacts and we ended up sitting in the office of guy with a number of pips on his shoulder drinking tea, while my documents were processed.
> My circumstances were different, male foreigner marrying an Egyptian national outside Egypt.
> ...


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## MaidenScotland (Jun 6, 2009)

We are glad to help Micky and even if we can't you can have a rant in here lol


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## micki moo (Oct 26, 2009)

And boy do I feel like ranting.

Seriously you guys have helped me so much, its nice to talk to people in the same situation.

I have just sat down and written all the things I need to do with regards to moving out, and I wish I knew what order to do them in.



MaidenScotland said:


> We are glad to help Micky and even if we can't you can have a rant in here lol


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## MaidenScotland (Jun 6, 2009)

Micky you will get there, things will drop into place once you are here

Maiden x


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## micki moo (Oct 26, 2009)

Thank you Maiden, I know. I am just so worried about my Daughters school place and the time frame. If I didnt have that then I would go with the flow. I have to either sell my property here or rent it (not to sure which yet) so my hands are tied until that happens, this cannot happen until December.

With the government offices being in Cairo and the school in Hurgarda and them saying they cannot do anything until i get the paperwork - I could scream. 

My hubby is going to try and get a tourist visa to come here for a couple of weeks. He was going to apply for a spousal visa but it takes so long. I have no faith he will get one but if you dont try you dont get



MaidenScotland said:


> Micky you will get there, things will drop into place once you are here
> 
> Maiden x


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## GM1 (Sep 30, 2008)

you can do also things like a visa in Hurghada. I have done my permit of stay for 5 years there. Even I have heard today that you can apply for the Egyptian nationality in Hurghada! 
You will enroll your daughter in El Gouna school? Can I ask you how much are the fees now?
Do you know about the schools and the problems? For example after high school, there is no university in Hurghada, so you will have to go to Cairo or back to England (and that time is coming sooner than you expected!) They are planning an university in Hurghada, but when it will open?
I can tell you a lot more about this situation (I had to move to Cairo because my sons had to finish high school and are now in university, daughter is in school in Cairo).


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## micki moo (Oct 26, 2009)

Hi GM1

At last someone who knows the school. The fees are quite high but I have heard good things about the school. Yes the only drawback is no university there. I really didn't want my daughter going to school in Cairo, its so full on and with so many schools to choose from. Can I ask which school your daughter went to. Did your children speak Arabic before going to school. How do your children feel about living in Cairo? Even my Egyptian friends dont really like Cairo so quite how I will get on I dont know

With regards to the visa - OH MY GOD - I can do it in Hurgarda HOW????

I have to go to Cairo to get my daughter registeresed for schooling in Egypt, did you do this and how long a process was it. Would love to chat to further on this can I give you my PM and when you have the time let me know???

Micki



GM1 said:


> you can do also things like a visa in Hurghada. I have done my permit of stay for 5 years there. Even I have heard today that you can apply for the Egyptian nationality in Hurghada!
> You will enroll your daughter in El Gouna school? Can I ask you how much are the fees now?
> Do you know about the schools and the problems? For example after high school, there is no university in Hurghada, so you will have to go to Cairo or back to England (and that time is coming sooner than you expected!) They are planning an university in Hurghada, but when it will open?
> I can tell you a lot more about this situation (I had to move to Cairo because my sons had to finish high school and are now in university, daughter is in school in Cairo).


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## GM1 (Sep 30, 2008)

yes, you can, I live 10 years in Egypt and I had it always in Hurghada. It is in the passport office in Dahar( the old road to El Gouna), Hurghada, where also the Egyptians have to go for their passport and ID card (bta-a). Egyptians is first floor, foreigners second floor.

You can always PM me about schools!

My daughter is 13 years old and is in Port Said school in Zamalek, the British section. She is now in Pre-IG, class 9, but there are no lower classes, I don't know why, maybe they will stop Pre-IG and only continue to do years 10, 11 and A-level. She started here in Cairo two years ago in year 7, before that she was in El Gouna International school, she finished there year 5. So she skipped a class because I didn't want her to be in the Egyptian system. She had no problems because of the skipping.

She is now in school with her Dutch passport and because of that she is exempted from Arabic (Arabic, Social Studies and Religion). She started in KG2 in El Gouna, she took also Arabic, but since the time she is in school in Cairo, her Arabic has improved a lot!


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## micki moo (Oct 26, 2009)

Hi

She is the same age as my daughter. I just had a quick browse at schools in cairo (not your daughters one) one of the schools the fees were stupidily expensive. I will send you my PM as I would really like to know about El Gouna, if you dont mind?



GM1 said:


> yes, you can, I live 10 years in Egypt and I had it always in Hurghada. It is in the passport office in Dahar( the old road to El Gouna), Hurghada, where also the Egyptians have to go for their passport and ID card (bta-a). Egyptians is first floor, foreigners second floor.
> 
> You can always PM me about schools!
> 
> ...


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