Visa to Sharm El Sheikh for Russians. How to enter Sharm el-Sheikh 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.

Despite rumors about the abolition of the visa regime between Egypt and the Russian Federation, the old rules are still in effect - a visa to Egypt is needed, and the applicant is given a visa stamp at the border control. The territory of the country is conditionally divided into several parts, each of which has its own immigration rules. Thus, to visit Hurghada, Alexandria or Cairo, a visa is required.

Moreover, in 2018, Russian citizens do not need to obtain a preliminary visa to Egypt if the purpose of the trip is tourism. The document is issued immediately after arrival at the airport. For the city of Sharm El-Sheikh and visiting South Sinai, a visa stamp is affixed free of charge, while for the rest of the state you will need to pay a consular fee.

Territory with visa-free regime

Sinai stamp

If a visitor flies to the Sinai Peninsula through the airports of Tabu, Dahab or Sharm El-Sheikh, a visa-free regime applies; a special Sinai stamp is affixed at the border. This decision imposes restrictions on movement around the country, which can be inconvenient for many independent tourists. For example, with a Sinai stamp you will not be able to visit the Ras Mohammed nature reserve or go diving in Thistelgorm.

This feature of visiting the state is associated with military relations between Israel and Egypt. Previously, the Sinai Peninsula belonged to Egypt, but after the war, Israel captured part of this territory, and Egypt was forced to come to terms with this. Now, in order to limit the mass entry of Israeli citizens into their country, the Egyptian authorities have created separate visa legislation for this territory.

According to the Sinai stamp, one is allowed to stay on the territory of the peninsula for no more than two weeks, and attempts to travel beyond the borders of resort towns are stopped by border guards. Therefore, you will not be able to enter the rest of Egypt without a visa.

Experienced travelers said that upon arrival in Sharm El Sheikh, immigration officers try to force travelers to pay a fee, which actually means issuing a visa, like in Hurghada. By law, Russian citizens have the right to count on a visa-free stamp, but in practice, everyone decides for themselves what to do in this situation.

Visa regime for Hurghada

Russians can apply for a visa to Hurghada in 2018 directly upon arrival in Egypt after presenting the required list of documents. If the trip is limited to tourism purposes, there is no need to obtain permission in advance. Similar rules exist in Alexandria, Cairo, Luxor and other territories.

Documents for tourist visa

To obtain a visa at the airport you will need to collect the following documents:

• a valid foreign passport;
• confirmation of hotel reservation or rental housing;
• return ticket.

How to apply for a visa to Egypt?

There are standard rules for everyone entering Egypt that must be followed. You need to go through a simple procedure before applying for a visa to Hurghada and other cities. The algorithm of actions is as follows:

• Filling out the migration card according to all standards.
• Passing visa control with a map and passport.
• Obtaining a visa stamp.

There are no strict inspections at the border, so the process of obtaining a visa to Hurghada is quite quick.

How much does a visa to Egypt cost?

The current cost of a visa to Egypt in 2018 is presented below.

Egyptian visa validity period

The current validity periods for the two types of tourist visas are shown in the table.

Visa type	Permitted length of stay in Egypt
Tourist stamp	30 days
Sinai stamp (SINAI ONLY)	15 days

Possible problems when obtaining a visa to Egypt

The aircraft crew can provide assistance in filling out the application for a visa to Egypt. If you were unable to fill out the form on the plane, you can do so immediately upon arrival, using the sample provided.

Tourist visa extension

If your stay in Egypt needs to be extended, you should contact the special passport office. There is no additional charge for this.

Important: If the document was extended for more than 30 days, departure from Egypt should only be carried out on a regular and not a charter flight.

To extend a tourist visa, you must provide the following list of documents:

• 4 photocopies of a civil passport from the main page and registration data;
• 2 photocopies of the visa stamp that was affixed upon entry;
• 2 photocopies of supporting documents regarding rental housing or hotel reservations with the address;
• one color photograph measuring 3.5x4.5 cm;
• filled

Russian citizens aged 60 years or over have the right not to renew their visa. Egypt allows them to stay on its territory for an unlimited amount of time if they can prove a stable income.

If the flight was not on time and the documents were expired, then at the border the authorities will require you to pay a fine of 22 US dollars or 150 local pounds.

Other categories of Egyptian visas

To travel to Egypt for the purpose of finding a job, enrolling in training, meeting relatives or on a business visit, you will need to apply for a visa. To do this, you must contact the Egyptian Embassy in Moscow or obtain permission directly at the Egyptian airport after arrival.

Work Visa

This type of entry document for cooperation with employers is canceled after moving to another place of work.

student visa

This type of visa will be required for citizens wishing to study in Egypt. The student category of visa can be approved even for a minor, provided that he is accompanied by his parents or guardians, for whom the visa is also issued.

Bride's visa

For women wishing to enter into an official marriage with Egyptian citizens, there is a separate fiancé visa. It is drawn up on the basis of an ORFI document - a temporary marriage contract, which will need to be legalized in the future.

Girls who visited the state under this document must get married at the specified time, otherwise the visa will be cancelled.

Resident visa

This type of permit gives its holder the right to stay in the country for a long time, but prohibits taking up work or carrying out commercial activities. Only two categories of Russians can receive it: relatives of Egyptian citizens or owners of property on the territory of the state.

Cost of non-tourist visas

The cost of an Egypt visa in 2018 is much higher than a standard tourist stamp. Prices are shown in the table below.

To calculate the exact cost of a visa to Egypt in 2018 for brides and students, you need to know in advance the list of required procedures to complete. The officially established amount is usually minimal. To comfortably go through all the bureaucratic barriers when applying for a visa upon arrival, you can pay a tip (baksheesh).

Validity periods of non-tourist visas

Hello, my friend! Here's Chris and I'm glad to welcome you to my blog. Today's post is dedicated to the visa regime in Egypt. To be more precise, I will tell you in which case you do not need to pay $25 for a visa, what the “Sinai Only” stamp is and why, after a two-week vacation, they may ask you for some money at the border.

Save $25

If you are planning to vacation in South Sinai: Sharm El-Sheikh, Taba, Nuweiba, then upon arrival at the airport you do not have to buy a visa. You need to take a migration card from the customs officer, fill it out, write “Sinai only” on the back, and go through the border.

You will be given a stamp that gives you the right to stay on the eastern part of the peninsula for 14 days.

If you plan to stay only on the hotel premises and attend only local excursions, then this is the most suitable option. But if you are going to the pyramids in Cairo or Luxor, then this option will not suit you - you need a visa.

By the way, if you plan to vacation for more than 14 days, then you also have the option of not buying it, but for this you will have to go on excursions to Jerusalem or Petra in order to break up the total period of stay in Sinai.

Departure fines for ignorant tourists

Cost of fines and visa extensions 2018

More than once I have seen people standing at customs with bulging eyes, completely not understanding why they are demanding round sums of money in local currency upon departure. The fact is that visa rules in Egypt have recently changed. The cost of visas and fines for overstaying them have also increased. For example, previously the fine for delays of up to six months was 153Le, but now, for a minute, from 1 day to 3 months it is 1655Le (almost $100). In the old days, they could turn a blind eye to your extra 1-2 days in the country, but now even one “caught” tourist is a considerable addition to the treasury.

Therefore, when going on vacation, carefully count the days of your stay in the country, because one extra 15th day for a family of 3 people will cost you almost 300 bucks, which will need to be paid in local currency.

Another possible option: you bought a visa, rested for, say, 21 days, and upon departure they demand a fine from you. This unpleasant situation can arise when, upon entering Egypt, the customs officer stamped you not on the visa you purchased, but next to it or even on a different page of your passport. Unfortunately, this is the practice. I strongly recommend that you check for the presence of a stamp on the stamp, and, if it is missing, ask for it to be duplicated on the sticker.

Another “disadvantage” of the stamp

If you planned to take a vacation for 14 days, but had a desire to stay longer, and for Dahab this is a common practice, then these are unnecessary difficulties with the extension. You need to go to the airport, buy a stamp, then go to the visa office. But if you initially had a $25 stamp, in addition to 30 days, you have another 14, during which you can leave Egypt without any fines.

It seemed to be quite complete. Anyone who needs more detailed information is redirected to the article. I look forward to your questions in the comments to the article.

With respect and love from sunny Dahab

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 border 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 you can also 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