Holiday FAQs

Q: I'm due to travel to Egypt next month from Germany and I have a few questions concerning my trip. As a German citizen, do I need to obtain a visa for Egypt in advance, or is it possible to obtain it at the airport upon arrival? Do I need a passport, or is my ID card enough?

A: All travellers to Egypt can obtain an entry visa upon application from any consulate of the Arab Republic of Egypt or from any Egyptian diplomatic mission abroad. However, it is also possible for most tourists, including Germans, to obtain an entry visa which is valid for three months at any of the major Egyptian ports. A visa costs between $15 and $19 (or equivalent in other currency) depending on whether it is a single or multiple entry visa.

If you decide to enter the country via the south Sinai check points (Taba land check point, Taba airport, Sharm El- Sheikh airport, Sharm El-Sheikh port, Nuweiba port) in order to visit the Gulf of Aqaba coast or the monastery of St Catherine, you may enter without having previously obtained a full visa and you will be granted a free residence permit for a period of 15 days.

Almost all travellers must be bearing passports valid for at least six months. Germans, Italians and Spaniards may enter using only their ID cards.

However, nationals from the following countries must obtain a pre-arrival visa from an Egyptian diplomatic representation abroad: Afghanistan, Algeria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bosnia-Herzogvina, Chechnya, Croatia, Georgia, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Iran, Israel, Kazakhstan, Kirghizstan, Lebanon, Macau, Macedonia, Malaysia, Moldavia, Montenegro, Morocco, Pakistan, Palestine, The Philippines, Russia, Serbia, Slovenia, Sri Lanka, Tadjikistan, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan and all African countries.

Please check with your travel agency before you set off.

This question was devised by Al-Ahram Weekly Travel desk. As of our next monthly Travel Supplement, we hope that you, the traveller, will contribute to this section by sending your travel inquiries to us. If you have a question concerning airlines, sightseeing, restaurants, dress code, itineraries, hotels, travel agencies, vaccinations, sporting facilities, or anything else related to your trip, please do not hesitate to contact us.

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Al-Ahram Weekly Online : 28 August - 3 September 2003 (Issue No. 653)
Located at: http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2003/653/tr6.htm