Canada has announced that Egypt will soon eliminate the complicated visa requirements for Canadian tourists, nearly a year after Cairo introduced the measure for Canadian passport holders.
As it has been revealed, Egypt is expected to start soon permitting Canadians to obtain e-visas again, simplifying the current costly application process, VisaGuide.World reports.
In October 2023, Egypt stopped the ability of Canadians to obtain visas online or on arrival, which previously cost about $35 for a single entry. Since then, Canadians have been required to pay $150 and submit an application by mail, including their passport and travel itinerary.
The two ministers were keen to discuss studying the possibility of cancelling the current pre-entry visa requirements for Canadian citizens travelling to Egypt.
Previously, passengers could obtain their visas upon arrival at Cairo airport or secure an e-visa through the online portal. However, since October 1, 2023, travelers from Canada who can prove their citizenship in Egypt must now apply for a visa to enter the country. This new requirement replaces the previous policy that allowed Canadians to enter visa-free with Egyptian passports, birth certificates, or national ID cards.
It Is Still Unknown When Egypt’s E-Visas Will Be Available for Canadians
While Egypt has decided to permit Canadians to obtain electronic visas, Global Affairs Canada reported that during a meeting this week, Egypt’s embassy in Ottawa has not yet responded to inquiries about the timing of this change.
Welcomed and responded positively” to the visa discussions, “with an official announcement expected soon.
Last year, a new departure was implemented for Egyptian citizens traveling abroad, increasing the fee to LE 100. However, this fee will remain LE 50 for travelers departing from Luxor, Aswan, the Red Sea, South Sinai, and Marsa Matrouh.
Egypt welcomed a record 14.9 million tourists last year, surpassing the previous 14.7 million visitors in 2010.
According to the Egypt Tourism Ministry data, this growth occurred despite the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict. In this regard, Minister of Tourism Ahmed Issa attributed the rise in international arrivals to collaborative efforts between the ministry, the private sector, and strategic partners.
In 2023, there was also a ten percent increase in hotel accommodations, bringing the total to 220,000 rooms. This growth aligns with the ministry’s goals for further expansion in 2024.