Egypt has always been a welcoming home to many foreigners. People from around the world come to enjoy the mesmerizing sandy beaches, get a glimpse of our heritage, or just get lost with the wonders in the depths of the Red Sea. Now, applying for a visa to Egypt has never been easier as anyone can now apply online.

The Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (EMOFA) released a statement last Tuesday, 11th of June, entailing that the implementation of electronic visas in many foreign countries has been completed. The ministry explained that this website was aimed at making visa procedures to enter Egypt easier and to encourage more tourists to visit our beloved country.

According to the EMOFA, the entry visa on the new electronic portal is available in eight different languages for 46 countries. Those include the USA, the UK, Switzerland, Spain, Germany, Italy, Denmark, Bulgaria, Australia, Canada, Japan, and South Korea.

For tourists to apply, they shall visit the website (www.visa2egypt.gov.eg) and click on the “get your visa now” and voila. Tourist visas are issued for holders of regular passports for a fee of USD 25 for a single entry visa and USD 60 for a multiple entry visa. If the application is rejected, visa fees are non-refundable. 

The applicant receives the e-Visa after submitting the required information and paying the required service fee by credit or debit card. After completing the payment process, a link is sent to the applicant to download the e-Visa. The e-Visa is then to be printed and submitted to immigration officers at ports of entry after verification. 

It is important to apply for an e-Visa at least seven working days before travelling to Egypt.

The good news is the second phase of the website will include visas 12 more countries by the end of 2019.

We couldn’t be anymore excited for such great news. Egypt has been suffering with its tourism sector for quite some time after the political turmoil that followed 2011. However, thankfully, with the beginning of 2018, tourism started to regain its power. And hopefully, this new electronic portal would encourage more foreigners to come see what they’re missing out.

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By Yara Tarek