GETTING A VISA EXTENSION
We live in El Kawser, and the
Ministry of Interior, Department of Passports, Immigration and Nationality is
in El Dahar. It is a journey of 6½ miles (10.7 kms) and takes about half an
hour. Typing “Passport Office Hurghada” will find it on Google Maps.
We used the microbuses to get
there, from near our flat to the roundabout we know as Dahar central. This is
our name for it and is where the microbus routes end if coming from Skala, Sheraton Road
The fare was 1LE each and we were deposited on the main road outside the cluster of buildings that are “government central” five minutes later. A huge and impressively sparkling new and at the time of our visit, empty building marks the area where the visa office is located. Facing this architectural leviathan we walked down the road to its right, and turned right at end of the short street. Past the centre for Physical Disability on our left is an office building marked only with Arabic script. The entrance to the visa office compound is opposite. The office itself is tucked away to the left behind some trees, the first sign we saw as we approached read “Supermarket.” Above the doors though another notice confirmed we were in the right place. The office is just inside on the ground floor.
The fare was 1LE each and we were deposited on the main road outside the cluster of buildings that are “government central” five minutes later. A huge and impressively sparkling new and at the time of our visit, empty building marks the area where the visa office is located. Facing this architectural leviathan we walked down the road to its right, and turned right at end of the short street. Past the centre for Physical Disability on our left is an office building marked only with Arabic script. The entrance to the visa office compound is opposite. The office itself is tucked away to the left behind some trees, the first sign we saw as we approached read “Supermarket.” Above the doors though another notice confirmed we were in the right place. The office is just inside on the ground floor.
As we walked in we spotted a sign
that read “No Photos”. It was at this moment we both realised it was right, we
had no photos. They were still in the drawer at home. We arrived at 09:45 on a
Tuesday morning and the office wasn’t busy. We obtained the necessary forms and
handed over our passport photocopies we had remembered to bring. Two copies
each of the photo page and two of the visa page. Liz had charge of the company
pen so it was my job to go get our ID photos. Outside one of Hurghada’s billion
taxis was waiting. The round trip took 45 minutes and the total cost was 50LE. Later, calculations proved that the cab had attained near light speeds.
From then on it was simple, hand
over the paperwork, our passports, one photo each and pay 83LE each for a one year extension. We were told to
come back at two. This sounded slightly alarming as our information suggested
the office shut at that time. We decided to return at 1:30.
As things worked out we were back
in the building at one o’clock and our passports were ready. Job done. Simples.
Our visit was in June 2013. Here are some of the charges posted on the wall. In certain cirumstances they can be higher, but not by more than roughly 10%.
Tourist visa for less than 6 months 3.10 LE
Multiple Entry Visa 61.10 LE
Tourist/residency
Visa 6 months to 1 year 83.10 LE
Overstay fine 153.10 LE
(There is a 2 week leeway for renewing the documentation)
3 Year visa 143.10 LE
THE GOVERMENT STORE
is a sort of department store that sells electrical things like washing
machines and grills, gas cookers and clothing, bedding and mattresses. It isn't
anything like the sort of establishment we are used to in the west, and we haven't
bought anything there. Its two darkened floors of products, interspersed by
desks, behind which sit clerks with invoice pads at the ready. I have only
heard about it, I know nothing about how it works, its prices or the quality of
its merchandise.
I travel into Dahar Central every day for work from El Kawser. You paid too much for the micro bus and taxi. The micro bus is 1.5LE one way and a taxi should only cost you 15LE one way.... make sure you negotiate with the taxi driver.
ReplyDeleteAlso if you are just travelling as far as Sakala Square or just into Sheraton St the bus is 1LE and a taxi 10LE
Thanks for that, It takes a while to figure these things out, but I’ve now realised we’re overpaying. Our dive centre has had a few problems with its minibus and has been using taxis instead. To get us from the far side of the marina to the MacDonald’s on Village Road (we weren’t going to the MacDonald’s, I feel I need to add, but a bar a few doors down), they gave the driver 20LE. To get from El Kawser to somewhere near the Titanic Hotel, the one that’s looks nothing like a sinking luxury liner, they paid 15LE.
ReplyDeleteI must admit I thought we were pretty close with the microbus fare from El Kawser to El Dahar, but it seems we are paying 1LE too much. This equates of course to 10 English pennies, which isn’t a fortune. I don’t mind playing the dumb foreigner and overpaying a little. In a country where the monthly wage is £100 (GBP) and most people have at least two jobs, getting nowty over 10 pence feels a tad nescient.
If though you are living and working in a foreign country and being paid local rates, as we were in Thailand and Malta the dynamics change. Local wages means you expect to and have to, to keep body and soul together, pay local prices. It all depends on your circumstances.
Hi thanks for your info I am in Cairo and the gawazette will only give 3 months so they are charging double the cost of a 6 month extension GGRRrrr Im living here 7 years(some years in Upper Egypt as well) and never have I got less than 6 months but I want a year to 3 do you know if it is guaranteed to get at least a one year and did you ask for 1 year? I am considerig to fly there to get my next visa in the next week :-)Thanks for your help in advance :-)
ReplyDeleteHello,
DeleteThe Visa office blog is a report on what happened to us on the day we went....... We did ask for a one year extension..... my understanding of the official position is that the length of the extension that will granted is at the discretion of the issuing officer and nothing is guaranteed.. our visit was also before the recent non-coup, that also isn’t a revolution, and whether this will affect how things work and if it does whether it has/will increase or decrease leniency is in the lap of the gods. My view, for what it s worth, is that it’s too soon for edicts for such things to have come down from on high and anyway who knows….
All I can say we had 90 day entry visas issued in London, and at our first renewal we asked for and got one year extensions….. I have been told that the person who actually decides these things never sees the applicant and so ones demeanour and appearance have no bearing on what happens, but I like to think it had something to do with the quality of my jokes. More seriously, we are an older couple, my wife is 61 and I am 55, this makes her a pensioner and therefore apparently she doesn’t need a visa. They didn’t tell us that at the visa office, but they are not expensive and we really don’t mind paying....... We are also British which again I like to think may have some bearing on things………. May I ask what nationality you are?
You obviously have considerably more experience of thing Egyptian and bureaucratic than I do, but it all comes down, it seems to me on which direction the wind is blowing and the phase of the moon … you can only try, perhaps you should bring some lucky eyes and a clump of four leaf clover….
By the way what is the gawazette???
Don’t suppose this helps much but I’m always willing to waffle on if giving a cue.. just ask…
Peter
EU nationals over the age of 60 do NOT need to renew any visa. They can enter with a tourist visa and just stay in Egypt indefinitely.
DeleteHi thanks for your quick response. I have decided to go to Luxor where I have gotten my visa for the past 7 years I know the general there just Luxor never gives more than 6 months. Was the gawazette(immigration office) busy at the times you went? Omg I was in Tahir Square at the gawazette there and so many people from Syria and Africa south and it was body to body packed I was getting panic attack finally at the right window and 1 hour waiting in a so called line of pushers then they say only 3 months,,,,well not before leaving I snatched my papers and gave them a piece of my mind including "Look at my papers, have you ever seen a 3 month visa in there"!!?? Then man answered no,,,then I said "and you wont either"! and I left after a few more choice words lolzz Im here a long time and just when I think I cant experiance anything else sureal,,,,"I do" lmao I had heard Hurgada gives 1 yr and Luxor gives 6 months and Cairo 3 months but I thought since I had already had 6 month visas they would honor it and the man said I could speak to someone about a longer one but that means giving bakshesh(tip)and climb through that crowd again as he wouldnt have the man come to the window I was at grrr I am American I live in Upper Egypt 5 years( for research and writing my books) and 2 years here in Cairo. I am head of programs and events at Victory College American Dept Ma'adi,,,along with teaching World History and Humanities I also developed a environmental program for schools and this school made history for having this program as it is the first ever in schools(grades K-G to 12)in Egypt to do it. I was interviewed at a protest(on the environment)an preapproved by admin,,I organised at the school :-) by national tv and news papers. I teach all those grades this program lolz My goal is all schools once I perfect it at this school. Im on the second year of it next year and should be able to move on to other schools then :-)I have 3 interested to do it in the future. So thats my story,,,as I so enjoyed yours I thought I would share mine. If your ever in Cairo give me a call or if anything I can help you with here just let me know also :-)
ReplyDeletebtw I also write a travel page on Facebook "Traveled Hot Spots and Tips" if your on Facebook I hope you look at it and "like" it I can also be found at facebook under the name Desiree Hanan if you want to friend me there I use it alot for messaging etc...just reference this conversation in a message to me to I can add you quicker :-)
ReplyDeletePrepay visa present playing carte visa are usually cheap money having a plastic-type zippy card towards the limit on the value which the supervisor or maybe a father or mother wish to spend on a present to a young child, or even extra, offers, remissions with regards to workers.
ReplyDelete