20 June 2023; MEMO: Egypt's Interior Ministry announced on Sunday the introduction of a new five-year multiple-entry visa scheme for foreigner visitors. This will allow holders to stay in the country for up to 90 days per trip for a fee of $700.
The ministry added that fees for other types of visas will remain unchanged. According to Al-Ahram, the Egyptian authorities have recently relaxed visa requirements for tourists from various nationalities, as part of the efforts to boost the country's tourism industry.
In March, the government eased tourist visa requirements for visitors from China, Iran, India, Turkiye, Morocco, Algeria and Israel, and also announced initial plans for the multi-entry visa scheme.
In a separate announcement, the Foreign Ministry said on Saturday that a new visa entry system has been launched for Sudanese citizens wishing to enter the country, amid a surge in the number of people fleeing the ongoing conflict in Egypt's southern neighbour. The ministry's spokesman, Abu Zeid, was quoted as explaining that the measures "are not intended to prevent or limit the number of Sudanese citizens entering Egypt," and will provide an organisational framework.
Last year more than 11.7 million tourists visited Egypt, representing an increase of 66.2 per cent compared with the year before, according to figures released by the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities. The number of visitors is expected to grow by 28 per cent this year to 15 million.
