# Visa scare???



## MaidenScotland (Jun 6, 2009)

a friends status this morning

a friend of mine went to the Mogamma over the weekend. She needed to renew her visa to renew the licence on her car. She last left Egypt in June 2012 but has extended her visa since her return. She was told that recent rule changes mean that she must leave the country and then return. After that she can get the standard 4 week visa at the airport, then a 6 month extension and then 2 additional 2 month extensions ONLY before having to leave again. A total of 11 months stay maximum. A senior officer advised her, off the record, to head to Hurghada and try there as they were usually ‘behind’ Cairo in implementing updates and she might have a window of opportuntiy. She drove down this morning. I will update you on how she gets on but… Has anyone else heard of this or anything similar? Incidentally, my friend is a long time expat in Egypt and does own property here. As always… Grrrrrrr!!!!


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## hurghadapat (Mar 26, 2010)

MaidenScotland said:


> a friends status this morning
> 
> a friend of mine went to the Mogamma over the weekend. She needed to renew her visa to renew the licence on her car. She last left Egypt in June 2012 but has extended her visa since her return. She was told that recent rule changes mean that she must leave the country and then return. After that she can get the standard 4 week visa at the airport, then a 6 month extension and then 2 additional 2 month extensions ONLY before having to leave again. A total of 11 months stay maximum. A senior officer advised her, off the record, to head to Hurghada and try there as they were usually ‘behind’ Cairo in implementing updates and she might have a window of opportuntiy. She drove down this morning. I will update you on how she gets on but… Has anyone else heard of this or anything similar? Incidentally, my friend is a long time expat in Egypt and does own property here. As always… Grrrrrrr!!!!


Not heard anything recently with regard to Hurghada but do know that Luxor recently have been giving one year ones after a load of ex-pats complained to the governer about only getting 6 month ones.I never had any problems while in hurghada...started off with 6 months then without asking they changed it to 12 months after i had lived there a year.Will ask on the Hurghada forum though.


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## canuck2010 (Jan 13, 2010)

I know someone who had to renew their visa a month or so ago, went to Hurghada, paid 1000le (wink wink)  and promptly received a 1 year visa. Avoid the Mogamma!


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## hurghadapat (Mar 26, 2010)

canuck2010 said:


> I know someone who had to renew their visa a month or so ago, went to Hurghada, paid 1000le (wink wink)  and promptly received a 1 year visa. Avoid the Mogamma!


and why pay silly money when you can get it in Hurghada for somewhere in the region of 100Le and to be perfectly honest they are the last people i would be offering backsheesh too.


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## Helen Ellis (Aug 9, 2008)

Haven't heard of any problems renewing one year tourist visas in Hurghada, for Brits at least. The service is good, hand in application by 11am and get it back between 1 and 2pm. The queues are short and the office is not crowded. No need to bribe anyone.
One year visa cost me 92le in September.


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## Gounie (Jan 27, 2011)

MaidenScotland said:


> a friends status this morning
> 
> a friend of mine went to the Mogamma over the weekend. She needed to renew her visa to renew the licence on her car. She last left Egypt in June 2012 but has extended her visa since her return. She was told that recent rule changes mean that she must leave the country and then return. After that she can get the standard 4 week visa at the airport, then a 6 month extension and then 2 additional 2 month extensions ONLY before having to leave again. A total of 11 months stay maximum. A senior officer advised her, off the record, to head to Hurghada and try there as they were usually ‘behind’ Cairo in implementing updates and she might have a window of opportuntiy. She drove down this morning. I will update you on how she gets on but… Has anyone else heard of this or anything similar? Incidentally, my friend is a long time expat in Egypt and does own property here. As always… Grrrrrrr!!!!


I can't find anything official about this? I understand tightening the rules to stop foreigners working without a work permit but what about all the retired property owners that aren't interested in working but happy to live and spend their money here? I'm planning a quick trip back to the UK and now wondering whether I should tie it in with when my annual tourist visa expires if we will have to leave the country to renew it?


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## Helen Ellis (Aug 9, 2008)

MaidenScotland said:


> a friends status this morning
> 
> a friend of mine went to the Mogamma over the weekend. She needed to renew her visa to renew the licence on her car. She last left Egypt in June 2012 but has extended her visa since her return. She was told that recent rule changes mean that she must leave the country and then return. After that she can get the standard 4 week visa at the airport, then a 6 month extension and then 2 additional 2 month extensions ONLY before having to leave again. A total of 11 months stay maximum. A senior officer advised her, off the record, to head to Hurghada and try there as they were usually ‘behind’ Cairo in implementing updates and she might have a window of opportuntiy. She drove down this morning. I will update you on how she gets on but… Has anyone else heard of this or anything similar? Incidentally, my friend is a long time expat in Egypt and does own property here. As always… Grrrrrrr!!!!


I understood that property owners could get longer residency visas, up to 5 years. Regardless, this is worrying for us retirees who do not leave the country every year. What is her nationality?


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## MaidenScotland (Jun 6, 2009)

The thing is regulations here are according to who you see and what day of the week you go.. 

I am now reading that you have to be present to renew your visa, no more sending your husband or your employer doing it for you.. yet my visa is in the magamma and I didn't go to do it my employer did.


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## lewroll (Oct 29, 2010)

Helen Ellis said:


> I understood that property owners could get longer residency visas, up to 5 years.


Have you actually had a 5 year residency visa? I asked about getting a visa for longer than 1 year and was told the only way I could achieve that was by marrying an Egyptian. Do you know differently?


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## hurghadapat (Mar 26, 2010)

lewroll said:


> Have you actually had a 5 year residency visa? I asked about getting a visa for longer than 1 year and was told the only way I could achieve that was by marrying an Egyptian. Do you know differently?


this info was updated in 2011


Residency Visa Egypt
Available Residency Visa's in Egypt.


1) Spouse of an Egyptian Citizen. (3 or 5 year residency ) Husband must fill in appropriate form at the Mogamma Cairo and a 3 or 5 year resident visa will be issued within one week of applying. This 3-5 year residency visa DOES NOT allow the spouse to work in Egypt.

2) Owner of a REGISTERED property exceeding US $ 50,000. ( 1 year residency renewable ) (note: the property must be registered with the local council and the applicant must be registered to pay property tax and all documents must have the applicant as the official owner of the property. Applicants living in compounds which are still technically registered with the company and not yet handed to the owners will NOT be able to apply for residency. You MUST show proof that you OWN the property.)

3) Investment of US$ 50,000 in an Egyptian company with an Egyptian partner in one of the recognised companies. ( 1 year residency renewable )

4) Divorcee or widow of an Egyptian citizen showing divorce documents.
( 1 year residency )

5) Anyone over 60 years of age after living continuously in Egypt for 10 years.
( 1 year residency )

Note: Investors investing US$50,000 in an Egyptian Bank for the duration of the residency is no longer acceptable.


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## Gounie (Jan 27, 2011)

hurghadapat said:


> this info was updated in 2011
> 
> 
> Residency Visa Egypt
> ...


Was still able in June to buy a one year tourist visa. Have planned a trip to the UK next June. Looks like I will be travelling a lot more to renew my tourist visa if scare stories are true!


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## MaidenScotland (Jun 6, 2009)

I don't usually bother with a visa as my employer always told me it doesn't matter for you (I work under the umbrella of an embassy) however since arriving back in August they have applied and got me a 1 year non touristic visa, just now my passport is back in the magamma to get a multi entry as they forgot to ask for that in the first place. 

All I can deduce from this is.... yes they are tightening up on the visa regulations


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## lewroll (Oct 29, 2010)

Gounie, do you have a re-entry permit or do you just not leave the country? I keep getting a year's residence permit and 6 months re-entry permit but it frustrates me that I have to go every 6 months to get the re-entry permit. I come and go quite frequently. It would be so much more convenient and efficient for there to be a 1 year re-entry to correspond with the residency one but hey it is Egypt I suppose!


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## Gounie (Jan 27, 2011)

lewroll said:


> Gounie, do you have a re-entry permit or do you just not leave the country? I keep getting a year's residence permit and 6 months re-entry permit but it frustrates me that I have to go every 6 months to get the re-entry permit. I come and go quite frequently. It would be so much more convenient and efficient for there to be a 1 year re-entry to correspond with the residency one but hey it is Egypt I suppose!


I don't leave Egypt very often. Once a year if that so usually get the entry/exit visa when required.


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## MaidenScotland (Jun 6, 2009)

lewroll said:


> Gounie, do you have a re-entry permit or do you just not leave the country? I keep getting a year's residence permit and 6 months re-entry permit but it frustrates me that I have to go every 6 months to get the re-entry permit. I come and go quite frequently. It would be so much more convenient and efficient for there to be a 1 year re-entry to correspond with the residency one but hey it is Egypt I suppose!




I am expecting an annual mulitple re entry visa but if it is not what I get I will let you know


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## hurghadapat (Mar 26, 2010)

MaidenScotland said:


> I am expecting an annual mulitple re entry visa but if it is not what I get I will let you know


Re-entry visas are only valid for six months....unless your embassy can pull strings :fingerscrossed:


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