Beware Canadians Travelling to Egypt - New Process for Visa

[AllGeo55]

1 hour ago, SparklyPinkCruiser said:

Yes, we spoke to someone on the phone. They said we can go between 10am-noon Monday to Friday. We can either pick up or bring a prepaid envelope to mail back. They also said a spouse can go on behalf of a couple. I wrote a letter to give him permission just in case.

 

I should know within a few hours how it went! He's en route now and hoping to get in line before 10am.

If you are talking to him before he arrives at the consulate/ embassy, will you please ask him to verify that mailed in applications with passports are acceptable? It would be good to get an idea of processing time for mailed applications, as well.

We live in Alberta and though I hate to mail in our passports, we may choose that option if verified acceptable.

 

i, too, have tried phoning to no avail. I did get the answering machine once (yeah!) but, alas, no return call to my questions. 

 

Thanks.

[AllGeo55]

If  message reaches the eyes of someone going in person to the Embassy / Consulate, would you please ask the following and let me know?

 

1. Will the $150 pp fee I have seen posted here cover multiple entries for that time period? (We have flights to Cairo and plan to stay a week but then leave and re- enter for 2 days on a cruise ship a week later…want to be sure we are covered.)

 

2. are mailed in application forms / passports definitely acceptable to secure a visa? (Return stamped envelope, I know)

 

3. any estimate of the turnaround time period for mailed in visa applications?

 

Many thanks. 

[SparklyPinkCruiser]

Hello all! Sorry, I just saw the extra questions now.

 

They have said that that turnaround time now is one week for tourist visa, faster than before. They offered us a pick-up time of next Thursday. But instead we gave them an Expresspost Envelope, and they said it would go in the mail by next Friday.

 

Mailed in applications are fine and acceptable, with one week turnaround once received. Pictures should be 2x2. 

 

Husband arrived at 9:30, they opened early at 9:45 and he was out by 10:10, on his way home now.

 

 

[tmli]

Has anyone gone in person to the Consulate in Montreal to drop off their Visa Application? We are driving there tomorrow, it’s 9.5 hours one way to Montreal. Ottawa adds a couple more hours. 

[travelordie]

3 minutes ago, tmli said:

Has anyone gone in person to the Consulate in Montreal to drop off their Visa Application? We are driving there tomorrow, it’s 9.5 hours one way to Montreal. Ottawa adds a couple more hours. 

It would be great if the Consulate had a shorter processing time than the one week required by the Egyptian Embassy.  Please post the Montreal processing time once you determine what it is.

[AllGeo55]

15 minutes ago, tmli said:

Has anyone gone in person to the Consulate in Montreal to drop off their Visa Application? We are driving there tomorrow, it’s 9.5 hours one way to Montreal. Ottawa adds a couple more hours. 

Would you also please ask if the fee is $150 per person for 2 entries to Egypt? The time period is within just a 2 week span. Since the price has gone up considerably, I am hoping that $150 will be sufficient. Thanks. 

[SparklyPinkCruiser]

21 minutes ago, travelordie said:

It would be great if the Consulate had a shorter processing time than the one week required by the Egyptian Embassy.  Please post the Montreal processing time once you determine what it is.

So far I have seen that Montreal seems to be a turnaround of a few days. But that's just stuff I've read, I'm not 100% certain.

[raincity_sue]

52 minutes ago, SparklyPinkCruiser said:

Hello all! Sorry, I just saw the extra questions now.

 

They have said that that turnaround time now is one week for tourist visa, faster than before. They offered us a pick-up time of next Thursday. But instead we gave them an Expresspost Envelope, and they said it would go in the mail by next Friday.

 

Mailed in applications are fine and acceptable, with one week turnaround once received. Pictures should be 2x2. 

 

Husband arrived at 9:30, they opened early at 9:45 and he was out by 10:10, on his way home now.

 

 

Thank you for reporting back!  I'm glad to hear it went so smoothly.  We will go with mailing in our application.

[tmli]

51 minutes ago, SparklyPinkCruiser said:

Hello all! Sorry, I just saw the extra questions now.

 

They have said that that turnaround time now is one week for tourist visa, faster than before. They offered us a pick-up time of next Thursday. But instead we gave them an Expresspost Envelope, and they said it would go in the mail by next Friday.

 

Mailed in applications are fine and acceptable, with one week turnaround once received. Pictures should be 2x2. 

 

Husband arrived at 9:30, they opened early at 9:45 and he was out by 10:10, on his way home now.

 

 

Can I ask how you had your paperwork organized? Was a picture attached to your application? In addition to passport, application, the fee and photos did you need anything else? I’ve read something about copies of your information page. 

[Cruisy Guy]

22 minutes ago, tmli said:

Can I ask how you had your paperwork organized? Was a picture attached to your application? In addition to passport, application, the fee and photos did you need anything else? I’ve read something about copies of your information page. 

We have decided to drive to Ottawa and also need to know exactly what we will need.

Still don't like the idea of having to leave our passports there.

[SparklyPinkCruiser]

So this is what we brought in person to the embassy and it was all accepted:

 

- our itinerary (gave a copy of our confirmation from Celebrity, highlighted the Egypt sections for clarity)

- hotel info, if applicable (we are staying overnight in Egypt)

- 2 pictures each, 2 X 2 inches (went to a local picture place in town), dated

- our passports

- two forms filled in and signed (one for each of us), I've attached the form here

- $300 cash ($150 each)

- a prepaid return envelope. We used Expresspost regional overnight, but you can use any... Fedex, UPS, etc. We paid $25, we're in Ontario. 

 

They only need one person in the travelling party to come. As mentioned, you can also mail everything in.

 

Address is: 

454 Laurier Ave E

Ottawa, ON   K1N 6R3

 

They are saying one week turnaround, either pick-up or mailed.

 

I will come back here and report back if/when I get them back!

 

Entry-Visa-Application-Form.pdf

[mr_cruiser8]

Thank you so much for reporting back Laura.

 

300 cash? Do they accept credit cards?

And the address is 454 Laurier Ave, and not 150 Metcalfe Ave, which is the Embassy address I see on the websites?

[SparklyPinkCruiser]

2 minutes ago, mr_cruiser8 said:

Thank you so much for reporting back Laura.

 

300 cash? Do they accept credit cards?

And the address is 454 Laurier Ave, and not 150 Metcalfe Ave, which is the Embassy address I see on the websites?

Yes, the correct address is the Laurier address. The Metcalfe address I believe is previous address.

 

They accept only cash or money order. I'm not sure who to make the money order to though.

 

Also, parking was a bit tricky but he found a spot on a side street.

[ALD18]

THANK YOU SO MUCH for your update and glad too hear everything fell into place.  Huge load off of your minds I'm sure.  Eagerly awaiting some official updates from governments and travel industry on any possible streamlining process such as online applications.  Now get back to being excited about your trip😃

[Cruisy Guy]

Just found the Visa Application Forms for the Ottawa embassy as well as the Montreal embassy.

The Ottawa embassy form is longer and the PDF is a bit fuzzy.

 

Ottawa Form

https://drive.google.com/.../1Vn76UjjAki0i5Y6U353.../view...

 

Montreal Form (Choose 2-visa-form)

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1q9Ovlbc-QaoqEyaB1-g6TFkoZ-ieFiP6?fbclid=IwAR25VVZ0kCmYcEbzH-9LBVoY5KIqTOTmtCkEBhsahJ_bl02oor2il7wetuU

[travelordie]

Goway Travel's Moira Smith, vice-president, Africa and Asia, told PAX on Wednesday that there is "still a lot of confusion" surrounded Egypt's new visa process. 

"We’ve been trying to get clarity from the Embassy or Consulate unsuccessfully," Smith wrote PAX in an email. "Both have consistent busy signals. Also both their sites are down." 

She said Goway's partners in Egypt have been in touch with the Minister of Tourism and Foreign Affairs.  

"I believe there is an official meeting being held today around this issue," she said. "Hopefully we will have a better understanding tomorrow. It will significantly impact tourism to Egypt if customers have to present themselves in person. Best outcome will be if Canadian travellers to Egypt can apply for a visa through the Egyptian visa e-portal.""

 

Source:   https://news.paxeditions.com/news/tour-operator/blow-agents-operators-g-adventures-responds-egypt-visa-debacle

[SparklyPinkCruiser]

2 hours ago, ALD18 said:

THANK YOU SO MUCH for your update and glad too hear everything fell into place.  Huge load off of your minds I'm sure.  Eagerly awaiting some official updates from governments and travel industry on any possible streamlining process such as online applications.  Now get back to being excited about your trip😃

I hope this all goes away. We were just in a time crunch, so wanted to get on top of it.

[Cruisy Guy]

3 hours ago, SparklyPinkCruiser said:

So this is what we brought in person to the embassy and it was all accepted:

 

- our itinerary (gave a copy of our confirmation from Celebrity, highlighted the Egypt sections for clarity)

- hotel info, if applicable (we are staying overnight in Egypt)

- 2 pictures each, 2 X 2 inches (went to a local picture place in town), dated

- our passports

- two forms filled in and signed (one for each of us), I've attached the form here

- $300 cash ($150 each)

- a prepaid return envelope. We used Expresspost regional overnight, but you can use any... Fedex, UPS, etc. We paid $25, we're in Ontario. 

 

They only need one person in the travelling party to come. As mentioned, you can also mail everything in.

 

Address is: 

454 Laurier Ave E

Ottawa, ON   K1N 6R3

 

They are saying one week turnaround, either pick-up or mailed.

 

I will come back here and report back if/when I get them back!

 

Entry-Visa-Application-Form.pdfUnavailable

The PDF form was not accepted as an attachment. Can you possibly send it to me.

My email is   rlaychuk@hotmail.com   That would be wonderful if you could. If nothing happens in the next few days, we will be going to Ottawa on Sunday and stay with friends there before visiting the embassy Monday.

[SparklyPinkCruiser]

52 minutes ago, Cruisy Guy said:

The PDF form was not accepted as an attachment. Can you possibly send it to me.

My email is   rlaychuk@hotmail.com   That would be wonderful if you could. If nothing happens in the next few days, we will be going to Ottawa on Sunday and stay with friends there before visiting the embassy Monday.

Sent!

[AllGeo55]

I am looking for the exact name to be used to address the money order.

 

The closest I can come is the following - can someone who has been successful in getting this information confirmed please advise? 

 

Is it this for the money order?

Embassy of the Arab Republic of Egypt - Ottawa (or Montreal?) 

[oceanlovertoo]

So after much search and frustration I finally had a call back from the Embassy. !!! Nice lady told me that Ontario and east sends applications to MOntreal consulate . West to Ottawa embassy.

The fee is C$150/person. Money order only if mailing. She was v kind in emailing me the application form which is exactly like the one for US on th eembassy page, insert Canada  and bottom right side hs a link. yes it says Washington on it but..So its:

-Passport original,

-2 copies of name pages,

-2 application forms,

-2 -2"x2" pix, one stapled to applic page then the copy has the pix on it., second pix i just clipped it , -money order C$150/pers, multiple entries. Addressed to Egyptian Consulate/Egyptian Embassy Canada.

-trip page from the cruise showing ref nr.

just because I attached a copy of my evisa.

Also an explanatory cover letter.( read begging)

 

This is what i UPSed to Montreal. to

1800 McGill College Ave,

Montreal, QC H3A 3J6

ATTENTION this is the address as per Consulate facebook page not the address on the embassy page. Also Travelweek had same address but they said $110 not $150. I guess there is a premium for expediting.

 

Hope is acceptable in the mixed format and mainly that we have decent processing and visas by the time we need them.

[Cruisy Guy]

Here is the perfect visa application form. It is in fallible PDF form so you can fill it out on your computer and just print it out. Exactly the same as form required by Ottawa embassy.

 

https://embassyofegypt.se/onewebmedia/Visa Application Form (updated).pdf

 

[SparklyPinkCruiser]

22 minutes ago, Cruisy Guy said:

Here is the perfect visa application form. It is in fallible PDF form so you can fill it out on your computer and just print it out. Exactly the same as form required by Ottawa embassy.

 

https://embassyofegypt.se/onewebmedia/Visa Application Form (updated).pdf

 

That's perfect! I went with the fuzzy version that the Embassy pointed me towards.

[Dismomx5]

Thanks for all of the information. My mind is still staggered by the $150 fee for Canadians. Everyone else in the world pays $25 US for their visitors visa. Our government really needs to get this fixed for us. 😡

[SparklyPinkCruiser]

17 minutes ago, Dismomx5 said:

Thanks for all of the information. My mind is still staggered by the $150 fee for Canadians. Everyone else in the world pays $25 US for their visitors visa. Our government really needs to get this fixed for us. 😡

Yes, it certainly seems like a money grab.