# Visa extension - American citizen



## woodpecker (Feb 8, 2015)

Hi all, I found answers to some of the below questions in old threads, but I'm a bit concerned the information was out of date, so I'm going to post them here as well.

I'm an American citizen planning to stay in Egypt to study Arabic for a year to 18 months. I'm not enrolled anywhere as I'm already at a high level and mostly working on my conversational fluency. I may eventually hire a private tutor.

I'm currently here on a monthlong tourist visa, but that's due to expire in a week. I plan to go to the Mogamma on Tuesday to apply for an extension.

My questions are as follows:

1. What's the longest visa extension I'm likely to be able to get? I assume that since I'm not here for work or university study, I will need to stay on a tourist visa.

2. Can I get multiple-entry? I'll be going to the Gulf occasionally for work (I'm a freelancer, so I won't be working in Egypt).

3. What documents will I need to bring to the Mogamma?

4. How much should I expect to pay?

5. How long will turnaround take? I realize this is Egypt so the answer is probably "it depends."

Thanks!

WP


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## hurghadapat (Mar 26, 2010)

woodpecker said:


> Hi all, I found answers to some of the below questions in old threads, but I'm a bit concerned the information was out of date, so I'm going to post them here as well.
> 
> I'm an American citizen planning to stay in Egypt to study Arabic for a year to 18 months. I'm not enrolled anywhere as I'm already at a high level and mostly working on my conversational fluency. I may eventually hire a private tutor.
> 
> ...


One year tourist visa extensions used to be quite easy to get in Hurghada but seems like they are cracking down on them now and have heard reports that some people are only getting three month ones (money making i think).

Yes you can get multiple entry.

Extension with multiple entry not sure exactly but but somewhere in the region of 100Le to 120Le.

Turnaround depends very much on you nationality and where you are applying at but most of the long turnarounds seem to be with people from eastern block countries....i'm from UK and went in morning and returned after 1pm same day but that's in Hurghada.

Hurghada seems to be not quite so strict as Cairo so nothing stopping you going to Hurghada for a few days and extending visa there and many people do it.

Good luck.


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## Helen Ellis (Aug 9, 2008)

Latest info, all hearsay, seems to be that tourists get 3 months extension, tourist/residents with legally stamped rental contracts can get 6 months (take all the paperwork) and property owners can get 1 year if they have all the legal documents.
Regardless of this you need a couple of passport photos, copies of last visa, entry to Egypt visa(which may be the same one), and of course copies of personal info page. Requirements vary, so take 2 copies just in case.
It used to be approx 92le for a 1 year visa and 62le for a 6 month re-entry visa, you need the 1 year visa as well as the re-entry one. How this works with a 3 month visa I don't know. 
A pensioner friend has just extended her visa for 3 months, I was told it cost 13le!!! This seems daft, but there you are. She's leaving so didn't need a re entry.
Hurghada has always been more lenient than Cairo but it seems this is changing. 

In Hurghada we apply for the visa one day, before 11am, and get the passport back the next day, before 2pm.


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## hurghadapat (Mar 26, 2010)

Helen Ellis said:


> Latest info, all hearsay, seems to be that tourists get 3 months extension, tourist/residents with legally stamped rental contracts can get 6 months (take all the paperwork) and property owners can get 1 year if they have all the legal documents.
> Regardless of this you need a couple of passport photos, copies of last visa, entry to Egypt visa(which may be the same one), and of course copies of personal info page. Requirements vary, so take 2 copies just in case.
> It used to be approx 92le for a 1 year visa and 62le for a 6 month re-entry visa, you need the 1 year visa as well as the re-entry one. How this works with a 3 month visa I don't know.
> A pensioner friend has just extended her visa for 3 months, I was told it cost 13le!!! This seems daft, but there you are. She's leaving so didn't need a re entry.
> ...


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## Helen Ellis (Aug 9, 2008)

I've heard about this no visa extension needed for the over 60's but no-one I know has ever done it, at least to my knowledge. Wouldn't they still need to buy a visa on entry each time though, so it's probably just easier to get the extension, or can you get a free extension if you ask nicely? Who knows?


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## MaidenScotland (Jun 6, 2009)

Helen Ellis said:


> I've heard about this no visa extension needed for the over 60's but no-one I know has ever done it, at least to my knowledge. Wouldn't they still need to buy a visa on entry each time though, so it's probably just easier to get the extension, or can you get a free extension if you ask nicely? Who knows?



I was asked by immigration police if I was over 60 as if I was I would not need a visa.


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## Helen Ellis (Aug 9, 2008)

MaidenScotland said:


> I was asked by immigration police if I was over 60 as if I was I would not need a visa.


Takes a brave man to ask a woman if she's over 60!


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