Egyptian visa in advance

[Steve Walker]

Last time I stood in the queue at Sharm to get my visa, how do you go about getting your visa in advance ? (trip is Nov 2nd)
Cheers
Steve

[Adrian Kelland]

Last time I stood in the queue at Sharm to get my visa, how do you go about getting your visa in advance ? (trip is Nov 2nd)
Cheers
Steve

Steve

I went with Tony Backhurst (May 03), so they sorted it. The reps had the passport stamps, and just stuck them in. We did have to wait for the whole group to get together before they sorted them, so little time gained. Also there were big queues to get into the building, as they had just started doing SARS ear tests. This was so slow there were no queues at the visa desks. I assume the SARS business has stopped.

Adrian

[PeteM]

Last time I stood in the queue at Sharm to get my visa, how do you go about getting your visa in advance ? (trip is Nov 2nd)

Contact the Egyptian Consulate in London the Visa Information Service is (020) 7235 9719

[Steve Walker]

:=Last time I stood in the queue at Sharm to get my visa, how do you go about getting your visa in advance ? (trip is Nov 2nd)

Contact the Egyptian Consulate in London the Visa Information Service is (020) 7235 9719


Just spoken to the trip vendors (Oonas divers), apparently you hand your passports to the rep and he/she gets the visas for you, how very civilized, what ho? : )

[Marcus Ball]

I'm going to Sharm with my family next Feb.
I checked with the Egyptian consulate in London and the guy there told me visas for Sharm were no longer necessary. Can anyone who's been there recently confirm this?

Cheers.

Marcus

[Trevor M]

Last time I stood in the queue at Sharm to get my visa, how do you go about getting your visa in advance ? (trip is Nov 2nd)
Cheers
Steve

I see you've already got yourself sorted, but just in case others reading this still need an answer to your question - I got my passport pre-stamped with an Egyptian visa as I was travelling from Israel down Sinai and over to Hurghada (2002).

You need to get the Consulate to fax a copy of visa application to you - which costs a bit of money. Can't remember who sorted me out with the file (which I've put on the web at the address below in .pdf form) but printing it out from here is a lot cheaper!

Hope this helps.

T

[Jeanne]

I have not been to Egypt for some 3 years, but, it is worth mentioning that at the time, Sinai destinations transiting through Sharm El Sheik (Dahab, Sharm, Na'ama Bay) were treated differently to Mainland Egypt Destinations (Cairo, Hurghada and beyond ...). 'Sinai Visa' as it was called allowed you to enter at the port of entry at Sharm and apply for visa there. However, noted too at the time, this type of visa excluded you from visiting Ras Mohammed (as a diver this would limit you somewhat), and so effectively, a pre-obtained visa in the UK or wherever you heel from was needed to allow full access to the Sinai penninsula dive sites. This could be obtained on the day at the Egyptian Consulate of your homeland. For non-Sinai destinations, a pre-arranged visa was necessary, period.

I don't have updated information and it is worth checking what the status is long before you travel. I never minded tripping up to London for the visas, you drop them off first thing in the morning and pick them up in the afternoon, and did a bit of shopping in-between... As getting visas on arrival can be a nice idea, I do however remember the queues for those who had not prearranged theirs last time I was in Sharm...testimony this is still the case goes before my message.

You pays your price and you takes your choice...Or in this case, pre-armed is pre-warned.

Jeanne