This is a great opportunity for Indians to plan a hassle-free trip to Egypt. (Representative image: Shutterstock)
Previously, the visa on arrival facility was only open to Schengen visa holders and to tourists from the UK, US, Japan, New Zealand, Australia and Canada.
Egypt has announced it will offer visa on arrival to Indians as the country has changed its rules on multiple entry visas to boost tourism. This was recently announced by Egypt’s tourism minister after the country expanded its list of nationalities eligible for a visa on arrival.
According to the reports, a five-year multiple entry visa would be offered for $700 (Rs 57,688) while a single entry on-arrival visa would be offered for $25 (Rs 2,060) with a validity of 30 days. The new visa policy is accessible to more than 180 nationalities.
The minister confirmed that India and China are also on the list. This would allow tourists from India and China, who hold a residence visa from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), to use the visa on arrival facility. Individual tourists from China could also obtain emergency visas at Egyptian ports.
Changes have also been made to the eligibility criteria for tourists arriving from other countries. Iraqi tourists would only get a visa on arrival if they met the eligibility criteria, while Iranian tourists would get a visa on arrival through a certified agency if they go to South Sinai. Israelis should only be allowed to visit Hurghada in groups through the sponsorship of certified tourism companies. Turkey residents would be given expanded access to visas on arrival to restore ties between Egypt and Turkey.
The changes were made to boost tourism in the country, which has been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and the war between Russia and Ukraine.
Reports have suggested that Egypt received 11.7 million tourists last year and should expect a 25% to 30% increase this year. They also predicted that the number of tourists would reach 30 million by 2028.
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