At any time of the year, the hot heat of the African state is ready to welcome guests from different parts of the world. Russians especially fell in love with Egypt due to its clean beaches, high level of service, the presence of a majestic historical base and the relative affordability of prices compared to other resorts.

Entry into Egypt requires a special tourist residence permit. However, visas to Sharm el-Sheikh, which allow you to move around the territory of several regions for a certain amount of time, much easier to get, besides, the Sinai visa in Sharm el-Sheikh in 2020 is free.

Only Sinai: visa specifics

The small wedge-shaped peninsula, straddling Asia and Africa, is under the control of the Egyptian state. Sinai is one of the best resort areas in the country, famous for its comfortable stay and the presence of numerous hotels with different levels of service.

Tourists who have received an Egyptian visa can enjoy the beauty of the peninsula without restrictions. Although it is possible to obtain a separate visa to Sharm el-Sheikh, which has several features:

1. The Sinai stamp gives the right to stay on the territory of the peninsula for only 15 days;
2. Travel within the state is limited to a few cities, travel outside of which may result in a heavy fine;
3. It is not possible to extend the Sinai visa;
4. The applicant's international passport must be valid for at least six months from the date of crossing the border;
5. A child over 14 years old must have a foreign passport.

Obtaining a permit stamp is possible only if a foreign citizen enters the territory of the peninsula at one of three points:

• Sharm El Sheikh Airport;
• Border checkpoint in Taba;
• Border control in Nuweiba, at the junction with Jordan.

The document is valid for 2 weeks from the moment the visa is issued, and its cost is zero.

Sinai stamp: historical commentary

The war between Israel and Egypt, which ended in 1978, led to the signing of the Camp David Peace Accord. According to the document, Israel returned the captured Sinai Peninsula to Cairo control. However, Israeli rule significantly changed the local economic structure - new highways, airports, and settlements appeared here, which became the home of many Israelis.

Diplomatic troubles had to be resolved, so in addition to material compensation, Israel demanded from Egypt the right of free entry to the peninsula for its citizens.

After so many years, not only Israelis have the right to apply for a Sinai visa - every tourist who has expressed a desire to admire the local beauty can receive a free permit.

Despite the apparent complexity of completing the document at first glance, traveling around the outskirts of Egyptian territory is a fairly easy procedure. In addition, it will not hurt the tourist’s pocket: entry into the territory of Sinai does not cost a single cent.

Obtaining a Sinai visa in Sharm el-Sheikh: features of the procedure

Upon arrival at the airport, immediately after the flight arrives, you must fill out a migration card, where you must enter the answers to the following questions:

1. Passport data (last name, first name, date of birth);
2. The country of which the tourist is a citizen;
3. The name of the hotel where you plan to stay.

The issuance of Sinai visas became the responsibility of the border guards - they should hand over the completed application form, writing “SINAI ONLY” on the back side in legible printed font in English. The card with the passport should be handed over to the passport control officer, making sure that the inscription “SINAI ONLY” is noticed by him.

Sinai visa in 2020 or where to go?

The document applies to a number of established regions. Receiving a border stamp gives the right to visit:

• The cities of Sharm el-Sheikh and its surroundings;
• The small tourist town of Tab;
• Family resort Nuweiba;
• Golden beaches of Dahab;
• Ancient monastery of St. Catherine;
• Ras Mohammed Nature Reserve;
• Mountains of Moses.

The southern side of the peninsula is completely open to tourists and excursions, but Sinai visas do not allow visits to ancient Alexandria, the pyramids of Cairo, the wrecks of Thiselgorm and other attractions that many travelers seek out.

In this situation, the applicant needs to obtain a regular visa by contacting the Egyptian embassy or tour operator.

If the cultural and historical heritage of Egypt is not the main purpose of travel, then 15 days during which a visa to Sharm el-Sheikh is valid in 2020, will give you the opportunity to bring home an unforgettable experience.

What to do in case of refusal?

Refusal to issue a stamp is an extremely rare occurrence, but it is also possible to get into the position of officials. The Egyptian state wants to attract more than 10 million tourists every year. When calculating the income from the issuance of official visas, it is not difficult to guess what billions of dollars are coming into the budget.

The inexperienced traveler may be informed that filling out the Sinai form and subsequently receiving a stamp is a privilege that applies exclusively to Israeli citizens. Having heard such arguments, you should not worry or argue with customs officials. Specify (preferably in English) what, according to the Camp David Agreement, a stamp is given to all guests of the island.

The last resort may be your polite request to invite your superiors, tactfully reminding the higher-ranking official that at the moment Egyptian legislation does not operate with laws that would prohibit the issuance of this type of entry permit.

Responsibility for violating the visa regime

Different reasons for violations of migration legislation determine different ways of punishing the perpetrators:

1. An overstayed visa will result in a fine of 157 Egyptian pounds (about 30 US dollars);
2. Violating the boundaries of territories that the Sinai stamp gives the right to visit threatens three days imprisonment and the procedure for deportation to their homeland.

Tourists who violate the state's migration regime can fly home only from Cairo on special scheduled planes. The traveler pays the costs associated with deportation on his own, and he is prohibited from entering the country for the next few years.

Law-abiding citizens need not worry - a Sinai visa will open up to them the entire range of pleasures available on the Egyptian peninsula!

Video: how to travel to Egypt without a visa

Egypt is one of the most popular countries for beach holidays among Belarusians. Indeed, you can enjoy the sea and sun there almost all year round; there are plenty of interesting cities and places where you can go on excursions. In addition, it is possible to visit neighboring Israel and Jordan by checking not one, but three countries on the travel map. And the cost of travel is much lower than in many other destinations.

Another point that makes the country of Arabian dreams attractive in the Belarusian tourism market is the absence of the need to obtain a visa in advance. You can get it directly at the airport upon arrival. However, do not forget that this applies exclusively to tourist visas. All others must be opened in advance.

Documents for tourist visa

In order to obtain a tourist visa to Egypt, Belarusians do not require any additional documents. All you need is a valid passport, a completed migration card, a return air ticket and a hotel reservation.

Border guards rarely ask for confirmation of the latter, so tourists who decide to decide on a place to live directly in Egypt often write information “at random”, having found information on the Internet about any hotel in the resort they are going to.

One of the most common questions that Belarusian tourists have is filling out a migration card. All columns are indicated in English and Arabic, but it is not difficult to guess their meaning.

Migration cards are usually issued on board the plane. Here, flight attendants help fill them out, politely answering questions that Belarusians have. If there are technical problems and the airline does not have the forms, do not worry. You can always pick up the form at the airport information desk, where there are samples to fill out. But it’s better to take care of having a pen in advance, at home.

As for filling out, the main rule is to write legibly and in Latin letters. All fields must be filled in. Border guards often do not read into the meaning of what is written, and sometimes limit themselves to a cursory glance, but empty cells always catch the eye.

Registration process

Applying for a visa at Hurghada airport is very fast, all formalities are kept to a minimum. The procedure consists of three stages.

Tourists fill out a migration card (on the plane or at the airport upon arrival).

When going through passport control, the foreign passport along with the completed migration card is presented to the employee.

After checking the documents, the customs officer glues the visa into the passport and puts an arrival stamp on top of it.

You shouldn’t expect any tricks - Egyptians treat Belarusian tourists loyally and never refuse entry.

Price

Speaking about the cost of a visa, it is worth remembering again that there are two types - the Sinai stamp and a full-fledged Egyptian tourist visa. The first one is completely free, the second one costs $25. Children who do not have their own passport can count on free entry. If a minor traveler is traveling on their own passport, they must pay a consular fee of $25.

Validity

The Sinai stamp is valid for 15 days; a tourist visa obtained outside the Sinai Peninsula is valid for 30 days. Violation of the terms of stay in the country threatens with serious fines and even a further ban on entry into Egypt.

Possible problems

The first problem faced by Belarusians arriving in Egypt is filling out a migration card. The difficulty is not so much in filling out the form itself, but in understanding what is required of you, because everything is written in English and Arabic. It is best to do everything on board the plane - here you can count on the help of a flight attendant. But even if you had to fill out a form at the airport and there’s nowhere to wait for help, don’t despair. Try contacting Russian-speaking tourists or representatives of travel companies. As a last resort, write the information as you see fit. The main thing is clearly and in Latin letters. Customs officers rarely read forms; most often they pay attention exclusively to the fact of filling them out.

Egypt is an Arab country where many seek to profit from tourists. This is the peculiarity. You can encounter this already at the airport, when for a Sinai stamp they will demand 25 dollars from you, as for a full-fledged visa. This is completely illegal and you should not give extra money for fear of threats and possible consequences. Refusal to pay will not harm you! Although many, in order to avoid conflict and not spoil their vacation, are ready to fork out money. This is exactly what the rogue customs officers are counting on.

Perhaps these are the only problems that Belarusians may encounter when obtaining an Egyptian visa, and they, apparently, are not so significant and significant. If you are at least a little familiar with the English language, solving them will not be difficult at all.

Visa for a child

Entry into Egypt is even easier for children than for adults. There is no need to fill out a separate migration card for small tourists; it is enough that they will be included in the parent’s card. But it is still recommended to have the following documents with you:

birth certificate;

permission to travel from parents (one or two, respectively) if the child is traveling with one of them or accompanied by third parties.

Customs will most likely not require you to present them, but if controversial situations arise and there are no documents confirming the child’s legal departure abroad, trouble may arise.

A visa for a child, regardless of whether you are planning a holiday in the Sinai Peninsula or beyond, is issued free of charge. Just as in the case of the Sinai stamp, cunning border guards may require you to pay 25 dollars for it, but this requirement is absolutely illegal and can be ignored by tourists.

A Sinai visa is, in fact, quite easy to obtain: as a rule, its cost is included in the price of the purchased tour, and it is obtained upon arrival at the holiday destination. To obtain this visa in Sharm el-Sheikh, or in another city in the vastness of the Sinai Peninsula, there is no need to complete any documents.

However, if you are not going to Egypt on vacation, and you need the Sinai stamp for another purpose - a work trip, study, or going to any official event, you will need to apply for an Egyptian visa yourself by submitting documents to visa center, or the Egyptian embassy.

In any case, no matter how you apply for a visa, it will cost you about 25 dollars. This applies to both cases of registration upon arrival and if you apply through the embassy. The consular fee is the same, fixed amount, and changes quite rarely.

As you can see above, there are several types of visas to Egypt. If you are going to the Sinai Peninsula on vacation, you will be subject to certain requirements, but if you are going to work in Cairo, they will be completely different. To understand this, you need to understand what kind of visas to Egypt exist in general.

What kind of visa can there be?

Depending on the purpose of your trip, you will need to obtain a specific visa. There are seven different types of visa, namely:

• Tourist visa. This is the most common type of visa. Every year, millions of tourists from Russia go on vacation to Sharm el-Sheikh and receive the appropriate stamp in their passports. It is installed upon arrival: if you are going on vacation on a package tour, there will be no difficulties with this;
• Professional visa. Issued for diplomatic workers, politicians, and journalists. Crew members of ships and aircraft also receive this visa. Such permits to enter the republic are issued only upon application to the country's Embassy in Moscow;
• Traveling to work. A visa to work in Egypt can only be issued at the Egyptian Embassy, ​​if there is an invitation to work from an organization located in the Arab Republic. The cost of a work visa issued for up to one year reaches hundreds of dollars;
• Business visa. This visa is issued to investors, property owners and shareholders of large Egyptian companies. As a rule, its validity can reach one year;
• Student visa. This type of visa can be obtained by full-time students enrolled in one of the public universities in Egypt. To confirm their right to such a visa, Russian citizens must provide certificates of enrollment and information about the education already received;
• Sinai visa. This visa is a specific permit to stay in a particular part of Egypt. Only tourists can get a Sinai stamp, and it is usually free. This visa cannot be extended and is valid for one month.

There are some other types of visas, such as the resident visa (intended for spouses of Egyptian citizens and property owners in the country), or the fiancé visa, but these are not of particular interest to us right now. Considering that most Russians come to Egypt specifically for the purpose of relaxation, and specifically to the Sinai Peninsula, to Sharm el-Sheikh, special attention should be paid to a tourist visa.

Holidays in Sinai: visa to the peninsula

Most often, Russians go on vacation to Sharm el-Sheikh and other resorts located within Sinai and the surrounding peninsula. These places are always full of tourists coming not only from Russia, but also from other parts of the world. Sharm el-Sheikh is one of the most popular holiday destinations not only in Egypt, but throughout the Middle East.

As mentioned above, tourists apply for a visa to Egypt upon arrival, already at the airport. A visa issued in the Egyptian capital or other place will cost you twenty-five dollars. At the same time, tourists going on vacation to Sharm el-Sheikh, or to another resort on the Sinai Peninsula, can obtain a separate Sinai visa.

What distinguishes such a visa is, first of all, not its validity period, but the territory to which this action extends. You can receive a Sinai stamp for free, but it will only be valid within the Sinai Peninsula. For those who came exclusively to Sharm el-Sheikh, only to sunbathe on the beaches and have a good rest, this opportunity to save is more than relevant.

True, there are certain difficulties here. A visa received at the airport, for which the consular fee has been paid, not only gives you the opportunity to move freely throughout the territory of the republic, but can also be extended, if necessary. The Sinai visa cannot be extended – its validity expires exactly one month after receipt.

If you are going solely on vacation, on a package tour - for a week or two, and your plans do not include any excursions or a change of vacation destination, a Sinai visa is perfect for you. If you want to stay in Egypt longer, in Sharm el-Sheikh itself, or in another part of the republic, it is better to take care of an Egyptian visa: you will spend a little more money, but will save yourself from all sorts of problems associated with the legality of your stay in the country.

How to get a tourist visa in 2019?

All tourists traveling to Egypt on vacation are eligible for a tourist visa. However, there are several peculiarities here. So, for example, tourists who travel on their own, without a ticket or tourist voucher, must take care to collect all the documents confirming their tourist status: this includes a hotel reservation, round-trip tickets, and other information without which You may not even be given a Sinai visa in Sharm el-Sheikh.

The situation is much simpler if you are going on vacation on a package deal. If you have a travel package, your tour operator will provide you with everything you need: hotel reservation, hotel reservation, travel voucher and, of course, the right to a visa on arrival. As a rule, the cost of travel packages already includes the cost of a visa, and you will not even need to pay any additional fees upon arrival in the Arab Republic.

If you are traveling on your own, you will need to contact the consular section of the Egyptian Embassy, ​​or one of the visa centers of this country. After submitting all the necessary documents and paying the twenty-five dollar visa fee, you will need to wait five to seven business days and pick up your passport with your visa from the embassy. If you need a Sinai visa, it is better to think about purchasing a trip to Sharm el-Sheikh. It is very difficult, almost impossible, to obtain a visa for free on your own, without a voucher.

Other features of staying in Sharm el Sheikh

Both in the case of applying for a visa at the Egyptian Embassy in Moscow, and in the case of receiving it upon arrival, you must have a valid foreign passport with you. It must be valid for at least six months from the date of arrival from the holiday destination. For those who receive a Sinai visa in one of the resort cities of the peninsula, such as Sharm el-Sheikh, this period can be reduced to two months. Of course, the passport must have free pages in order to place a visa there.

Every tourist from Russia coming on holiday to Sharm el-Sheikh, regardless of his age, must be issued an individual visa. However, if your children do not yet have their own passports, they can obtain a visa together with one of the parents in whose passport they are included. If you are receiving a visa for both yourself and a child, the visa stamp must have a corresponding mark. For children over six years old, it is mandatory to have a photograph in the passport of one of the parents. From the age of fourteen, children travel to Sharm el-Sheikh using their own passport.

If necessary, the visa can be extended for one month, upon written request from tourists to the migration center located in every major Egyptian city. If we are talking about a Sinai visa to Sharm el-Sheikh, such a visa cannot be extended, and you must return home within the specified time frame. For tourists of retirement age, there is no need to extend their visa - they can freely stay in Egypt and Sharm el-Sheikh for as long as needed.

Egypt is a country that has long attracted tourists from different countries. Sharm el-Sheikh and Hurghada are the most popular resorts in Egypt.

How to enter the state? Do Russians need a visa to Hurghada, Sharm el-Sheikh?

Visa-free entry to Egypt

A peculiarity of Egypt: different territories of the state have different visa regimes. Russians do not require a visa to visit the Sinai Peninsula (the city of Sharm el-Sheikh). Upon entry, a tourist’s passport is stamped with a “Sinai stamp”, allowing free movement throughout the peninsula. Some places are restricted for travel; staying only in resort towns is allowed. Visits to the territory in the direction of the Gulf of Aqaba are allowed. A visit to the Gulf of Suez requires a visa stamp (issued at the airport upon arrival).

Important! The validity period of the Sinai stamp is two weeks without the possibility of extension.

Local Egyptian police do not allow tourists with a Sinai stamp to travel outside the Sinai Peninsula. Tourists planning to visit other parts of the country need to obtain a visa at the airport upon arrival in the country.

Important! The visa upon arrival is valid for up to one month. The period of stay under the visa-free regime is up to one month.

All other cases require obtaining a visa before entering Egypt on the territory of the Russian Federation.

Those who have a Sinai stamp are allowed to travel to other territories of the state after first obtaining permission from the passport office/border guards.

Identical entry requirements under a visa-free regime for Moldovans.

Territories of other states available for visiting by Russian tourists in 2018 who entered Egypt under a visa-free regime:

• Saudi Arabia;
• Japan;
• Qatar;
• Kuwait;
• Oman;

Travel documents

The list of documents for obtaining a visa on arrival is small:

• A passport valid for at least two months at the end of the trip.
• Air ticket to Russia/third country.
• Completed migration card.
• Tourist voucher/tour package.

Migration card

A separate card is not required for minors: the parent/guardian enters the child on their card.

Filling is done using a pen with blue/black ink. It is advisable to ask the flight attendant for a sample form.

The card is filled out in Latin, legibly, in block letters. Indicate first name, last name, patronymic, passport details, purpose of trip, flight number, address of intended place of residence in Egypt.

Those planning to receive a Sinai stamp are required to write “Sinai Only” on the card.

Tourist

For tourists traveling with a group, obtaining an entry permit is much easier: they can be obtained at the airport after arrival. Single travelers must obtain an e-visa prior to entry.

Important! If you are required to pay for the Sinai stamp (which is free) or pay a fee exceeding US$60, contact the border guard. Before entering the state, check the current exact amounts of duties.

Electronic

The electronic visa system was introduced in 2017. It is mandatory for individual traveling tourists.

The place to submit your application is the website of the Egyptian Consulate in Russia.

In an Aeroport

Issued to members of tourist groups. Registration is relatively quick. You must submit a completed migration card and passport to a border guard, pay a fee, and obtain a visa permit (pasted into your passport).

Important! The stamp is valid for 30 days with the possibility of extension.

The amount of the fee from July 1, 2017 for citizens 12-60 years old is 60 US dollars. Previously, the cost was $25, and minors under 12 were free. Payable at the airport ticket office.

There is no fee for the Sinai stamp.

For those traveling with children, it is advisable to have additional documents for the child:

• Birth certificate, photocopy is acceptable.
• Children traveling with one parent/third person - official permission of the second parent, guardian/parents, guardians.

Border guards rarely ask for documents other than a passport and migration card.

The fine for overstaying is 17-22 US dollars (approximately 150 Egyptian pounds). Tourists who violate the visa regime are deprived of the right to depart on a charter flight. Use of standard flight in Cairo is available.

Guestbook

Issued by those planning to visit friends, acquaintances, and relatives in Egypt. Required papers:

• International passport valid for at least six months at the end of the trip;
• Application form (downloaded from the Embassy website);
• Air ticket to Russia/third country;
• Photographs 35x45 mm/40x50 mm. Quantity – 2 pieces;
• Photocopy of internal Russian passport;
• An invitation letter from Egyptian friends, acquaintances, relatives, designed according to the requirements. The address of the intended place of residence must be indicated;
• Insurance in the amount of 15,000 euros. Original and photocopy are provided;
• Confirmation of solvency;

The application review process takes 2-4 business days.

Registration process

Procedure for obtaining a tourist visa at the airport:

1. Fill out the migration card;
2. Pay the fee at the airport ticket office – 60 US dollars;
3. Purchase a visa stamp - a special sticker;
4. Paste the permit into the passport;
5. Fill out the information on the stamp yourself. A sample form is available at the airport;
6. At passport control, submit your international passport and migration card. Additional documents upon request;
7. Receive a special stamp from the border guard on top of the pasted stamp;
8. Pick up luggage;
9. Go through customs inspection.

Registration of work, marriage, resident, guest, study, transit, business visas requires contacting the Embassy/Consular Section of Egypt. Process:

1. Contact the Embassy/Consular Section. Find out the latest requirements.
2. Personally submit the required papers and application. The passport is valid for more than six months after the end of the trip.
3. The review period is 2 – 4 working days. If necessary, additional checks, provision of additional information and documents may be extended.
4. Wait for an answer.
5. Get your passport back.

The e-visa is issued online. Need to:

1. Fill out a special form on the Embassy website;
2. Pay the fee;
3. Wait for a response to review the application;
4. Print answer;
5. Fly to Egypt with a printed response from the Embassy;
6. Present your passport, migration card, printed response, and other documents (upon request) to border guards upon arrival;
7. Get a stamp.

Additional papers required at the border:

• Travel medical insurance in the amount of $15,000;
• Confirmation of availability of place of residence: hotel room reservation.

Important! The validity period of a foreign passport when applying for an e-visa is from 8 months after the end of the trip.

Price

The cost of registration depends on the type of visa received. Tourist ones are the cheapest.

Validity

Type	Period
Sinai stamp	Up to 15 days
Visa stamp at the airport	Up to 30 days
Educational	Varies
Working	6 – 12 months
Resident	3 months, 1 year, 3 years, 5 years
Marriage	Six months

Non-tourist visas are issued in the Russian Federation before entry/in Egypt after entry on a tourist visa, visa-free regime.

Prolongation (extension)

Visas are renewed at the passport office in Egypt. Necessary documents for extending a tourist visa:

• Photocopies of the international passport. Quantity – 4 copies.
• Photocopies of the visa stamp. Quantity – 2 copies.
• Color photograph. Size 35x45 mm.
• Confirmation of residence with address: photocopy of hotel room reservation, rental agreement.
• Application form. The form is issued at the passport office.

There is no renewal fee. You can extend it for up to 30 days.

Important! Those renewing for a month must fly out of Egypt and then re-enter.

Russian citizens over 60 years of age - pensioners - are allowed to stay on the territory of the state without visa extension. Pensioners are required to confirm their solvency and the presence of a stable income.

Refusal to receive

Rules, document requirements, and the cost of obtaining an entry permit to Egypt change frequently. It is advisable to clarify all the nuances at the Embassy before entering and submitting an application for registration.

Common reasons for refusal:

• Past visa violations.

Important! If your visa has expired, you are allowed to freely fly out of the country by paying a fine using a standard flight in Cairo. The capture of an illegal immigrant threatens him with deportation at his own expense. Both cases are fraught with bans on re-entry.

• Bad visa history.
• Providing an incomplete package of documents.
• Failure to pay the visa fee.
• Providing false documents or false information.

Customs regulations

It is prohibited to import into the country:

• Movies;
• Drugs;
• Printed publications (books, newspapers, magazines);
• Cotton products;
• Video recordings;
• Frozen poultry meat;
• Live birds.

Important! It is allowed to import entertaining films and printed publications for personal use. They must be packed in luggage. Condition – the content should not contradict the legislation of the country or the Islamic religion.

Export prohibited:

• Corals;
• Antiques;
• Ivory products.

Duty-free import/export restrictions:

If exceeded, you must fill out a declaration and pay a fee.