Canadian travelers will no longer be eligible to obtain visas upon arrival in Egypt as part of new restrictions introduced by authorities in Egypt.
“Starting October 1, 2023, Canadian passport holders will not be able to obtain a visa online before travelling to or upon arrival in Egypt. You will be required to obtain a visa from an Egyptian embassy or consulate abroad,” the statement of the Government of Canada reads.
The recent changes mean that Canadian passport holders traveling to Egypt will be required to head to the country’s embassy or a consulate in order to apply for a visa before leaving Egypt, VisaGuide.World reports.
According to Global Affairs Canada’s travel page for Egypt, passengers were eligible to get their visas upon their arrival at the airport in Cairo or hold an e-visa before departure via the online portal.
However, following the new changes that will become effective from October 1, travelers from Canada holding proof of citizenship in Egypt will also be required to apply for a visa in order to enter this country. Prior to this rule change, Canadians were eligible to enter the country without visas, provided they had Egyptian passports, birth certificates, or national ID cards.
Egypt authorities’ recent changes came as a response to Canadian measures that deny visas to citizens of Egypt. Such measures are “offensive in nature to the dignity of the Egyptian state.”
The new rules will bring additional difficulties for travelers. The President of the Egyptian Canadian Business Network, Adel Boulos, said that it is not easy for citizens of Egypt to get a visa in order to travel to Canada.
“It’s getting more difficult for Egyptians to come to Canada. I have cases, unbelievable stuff like parents wanting to see their children, people are getting married here and they want their parents and family to come and they can’t… It’s insane,” he pointed out, according to a CBC report.
On the other hand, authorities in Canada have warned their citizens to exercise a high degree of caution when planning to head to Egypt.
“Exercise a high degree of caution in Egypt due to the unpredictable security situation and the threat of terrorism,” the statement from the government of Canada notes.
The government of Canada also called to avoid travel to the Governate of North Sinai as a result of terrorist activity and ongoing military operations by the Egyptian Armed Forces.
“Avoid all travel to the area within 50 kilometers of the border with Libya and the Western Desert, including the oasis of Dakhla, due to smuggling, terrorist activities, the presence of armed groups, and ongoing military operations,” the statement reads.
As part of security concerns, Canadian authorities also called on Canadians not to travel to the northern part of South Sinai, north of St. Catherine – Nuweiba Road, among others.