Cairo is a major centre
for acquiring visas, and
travellers embarking on
trans-African or Middle
Eastern journeys, or
long-distance flights,
would do well to sort
things out here. Most
embassies and consulates
are in Garden City,
Zamalek, Dokki or
Mohandiseen. Since
everyday business is
handled by consulates
rather than embassies,
we've listed the former
only if there are two
separate addresses.
For those applying
for foreign visas
, some countries require
you to provide a
letter of recommendation
- which basically
approves your visa
application - from your
own embassy. For some
nationalities they're
free, while others have
to pay through the nose
for them.
Lost or stolen
passports should be
reported to the police
as soon as possible.
You'll receive a slip of
paper indicating the
police file number; take
this and two photos plus
any personal ID to your
consulate to apply for a
new passport. Then bring
this and the police
report to the Mugamma
for verification of
entry. You'll also need
to obtain a new Egyptian
visa.
Algeria , 14
Sharia Brazil, Zamalek (tel
341-8527, fax 341-4158).
You need 4 photos, a
letter of recommendation
and hard cash to get a
visa - £E150 for one
month and £E180 for
three months. Mon, Wed &
Sat 9am-2.30pm, Thurs
9am-1pm.
Australia ,
11th floor, World Trade
Centre, 1191 Corniche
el-Nil, Bulaq; 200m
north of the 26th July
Bridge (tel 575-0444,
fax 341-4158). Letters
of recommendation A$15.
Mon-Wed & Sun
9am-12.30pm & 1-4pm,
Thurs 8am-1.30pm.
Canada , 3rd
floor, 5 Sharia Saraya
al-Kubra, Garden City
(tel & fax 354-3110).
Letters of
recommendation £E24.
Daily except Fri
8.30am-4.30pm.
C.A.R. , 41
Sharia Mahmoud Aziza,
off Sharia Ahmed Orabi
(tel 349-0865). Two
photos but no letter of
recommendation required;
24-48hr to issue
(roughly FF300). Mon-Fri
9am-2pm.
Cyprus , 23a
Sharia Ismail Mohammed,
Zamalek (tel 341-1288,
fax 341-7299). Visas
dealt with Mon & Fri
only, but most
nationalities don't need
them. Mon-Fri
8am-3.30pm.
Denmark , 12
Sharia Hassan Sabri,
Zamalek (tel 340-2502 or
340-7411, fax 341-1780).
Letters of
recommendation £E75.
Mon-Thurs & Sun 9am-2pm.
Eritrea , 13
Sharia Mohammed Shafi,
Mohandiseen (tel
303-0517, fax 303-0516).
Two photos and letter of
recommendation required,
and usually an onward
ticket. Visas £E135.
Daily except Fri
8am-2pm.
Ethiopia , 6
Sharia Rahman Hussein,
Dokki (tel 335-3696, fax
335-3699). One photo, a
letter of recommendation
and an onward ticket (or
at least a booking,
which you can cancel)
are required. Visas
(US$63, though US
citizens pay US$70) are
issued in 24-48hr, or
same day if you get
there before 10am.
Mon-Thurs & Sat 8am-2pm.
Germany , 8b
Sharia Aziz Abaza,
Zamalek (tel 341-0015,
fax 341-0530, visa
section tel 340-1076).
Letters of
recommendation DM20.
Mon-Fri 8am-2pm.
India , 2nd
floor, 37 Talaat Harb
(tel 393-9152, fax
393-6702). Two photos
and letter of
recommendation required;
visas (£E102 for 6
months) issued within
2-3 days. Special
permits for places like
Sikkim not issued.
Mon-Thurs & Sun
9.30am-12.30pm.
Ireland , 7th
floor, Abu el-Feda
Tower, just north of the
Zamalek Bridge, Zamalek
(tel 340-8264, fax
341-2863). Free letters
of recommendation.
Mon-Thurs & Sun
9am-noon.
Israel , 6
Sharia Ibn Malek, Giza;
near the El-Gama'a
Bridge (tel 361-0380,
fax 361-0414). Look for
the security guards at
the entrance or the
Israeli flag flying
aloft. Most foreigners
can, in fact, obtain
tourist visas at the
border. Mon-Thurs & Sun
10.30am-12.30pm.
Jordan , 6
Sharia Gohini, Dokki, 2
blocks west of the
Sheraton (tel
349-9912, fax 360-1027).
No letter of
recommendation needed;
visas issued same day if
you apply before noon -
bring along one photo.
Free for Australians,
but not Brits and other
EU citizens (£E63), US
citizens (£E231) or
Canadians (£E91).
Mon-Thurs & Sun
9am-noon.
Kenya , 7
Sharia Muhandes Galal,
off Sharia Libnan,
Mohandiseen (tel
345-3628, fax 344-3400).
One-month single-entry
visas (usually free)
issued in 24hr (use in 3
months); two photos and
correct change required
- for a two-month visa
they'll ask for £E178.
Winter Mon-Fri
8.30am-2.30pm, summer
8am-2pm; closed Egyptian
and Kenyan public
holidays.
Lebanon , 5
Sharia Ahmed Nassim,
Giza (entrance on
Corniche; tel 361-0623,
fax 361-0463). Letter of
recommendation, a photo
and 3 passport
photocopies required;
takes 3 days. Mon-Fri
9.30am-12.30pm.
Libya , 7
Sharia Saleh el-Ayoub,
Zamalek (tel 340-1865,
fax 340-0072). Visas
generally only issued to
Egyptian residents, but
they may be open to
persuasion if you have
an invitation from
someone in Libya.
Americans are forbidden
to visit Libya by the US
State Department. Two
photos, a letter of
recommendation and a
stamp in your passport
giving its details in
Arabic are required;
most embassies supply
one free, except Britain
(£E25). Daily except Fri
9am-2pm.
Netherlands ,
18 Sharia Hassan Sabry,
Zamalek (tel 340-1936,
fax 341-5249). Letters
of recommendation £E12.
New Zealand ,
"represented' in Cairo
by the UK. Mon-Thurs &
Sun 8am-3.30pm.
Norway , 8
Sharia al-Gezira,
Zamalek (tel 341-3955,
fax 342-0709). Letters
of recommendation free.
Mon-Thurs & Sun
8.30am-3.30pm.
Saudi Arabia ,
2 Sharia Ahmed Nessim,
Giza (tel 349-0775, fax
349-4590). Transit visas
issued the same day
provided you already
have a visa for your
next destination (for
example, Yemen) plus a
letter of recommendation
from your embassy.
Mon-Wed, Sat & Sun
8.30-11.30am.
South Africa ,
18th floor, 21-23 Giza
(tel 571-7238 or
571-7239, fax 571-7241).
Mon-Thurs & Sun
9am-noon. Letter of
recommendation free.
Spain , 41
Sharia Ismail Mohamed,
Zamalek (tel 340-6397,
fax 340-3685). Mon-Fri
9am-3pm.
Sudan , 1
Sharia Mohammed Fahmi
el-Sayed, Garden City
(tel 354-9661, fax
354-2693). Five photos
and a letter of
recommendation needed;
visas (US$50 cash only)
take between 14 days and
a month to process: it
may be possible
to get 2-week transit
visas faster, but you
have to ask specially.
Daily except Fri
9am-1pm.
Sweden , 13
Sharia Mohammed Mazhar,
Zamalek (tel 341-4132,
fax 340-4357). Charges
£E55 for a letter of
recommendation. Mon,
Wed, Thurs & Sun 9-11am.
Syria , 3
Sharia el-Ibrahimi (tel
337-7020, fax 335-8232).
Prices and requirements
for visitors vary: high
for Brits (£E198) and
Americans (£E136), but
no letter of
recommendation needed;
cheaper for Australians
(£E20) and free for
Canadians, but letters
of recommendation
required. Two photos
needed for all. Visas
take 1-3 days to issue.
Daily except Fri 9am-2pm
(Ramadan 9am-1pm).
Tunisia , 26
Sharia Gezira, Zamalek
(tel 341-8962, fax
341-2479). Passport
photocopy, 2 photos and
a letter of
recommendation required:
visas (£E23) take 15
days, but can be
obtained routinely at
the border by those
Western nationals who
need them. Daily except
Fri 10am-1pm.
Turkey , 25
Sharia Falaki, Bab
al-Luq (tel 356-3318,
fax 355-8110). Most
Western nationals apart
from Australians don't
require visas; British
and Irish citizens can
obtain them routinely on
arrival. Mon-Fri 9-11am.
Uganda , 9
Midan al-Misaha, Dokki
(tel 348-5544, fax
348-5980). Mon-Fri
8.30am-2.30pm (Ramadan
8.30am-1.30pm). Ask for
latest requirements;
visa currently £E100.
UK , 7 Sharia
Ahmed Ragheb, Garden
City (tel 354-0852, fax
354-0859). Really only
interested in helping
business people. Charges
£25 sterling for each
letter of
recommendation. Also
grudgingly "looks after"
New Zealand nationals.
Mon-Wed & Sun
8.30am-1.30pm.
United States
, 5 Sharia Amerika
Latina, Garden City (tel
355-7371, fax 357-2300).
Lost or stolen passports
replaced overnight for
£E216; limited passports
issued for travel to
Israel on request.
Letters of
recommendation free.
Mon-Thurs & Sun
8am-noon.
Yemen , 28
Sharia Amin Bey
al-Rafi'i, off Midan
al-Misaha, Dokki (tel
361-4224, fax 360-4815).
Letter of recommendation
and 2 photos required;
visas (£E130) issued in
24hr if applied for
early. Mon-Thurs & Sun
9am-1pm (Ramadan
10am-1.30pm).
Zaire , 5
Sharisa Mansur Mohammed,
Zamalek (tel 340-3662 or
341-1069, fax 340-4342).
Visas cost £E300 for a
1-month single entry -
enquire at consulate for
longer stays. Two photos
and a letter of
recommendation required.
Mon-Fri 10am-1pm.
