Egypt introduces automated visas for Sudanese travelers after forgery cases: Foreign Ministry spox

CAIRO – 10 June 2023: Egypt introduced on Saturday new automate visas for Sudanese travelers after spotting visa forgery activities by some individuals and groups in Sudan, Egyptian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ahmed Abu Zeid has said.

In remarks to reporters, Abu Zeid said some individuals and groups have been forging visas for the Sudanese travelers to Egypt with the aim of profiting, exploiting the needs of the Sudanese citizens and the good intentions of the Egyptian side to accommodate the great flow of refugees.

As a result, Egypt has introduced regulatory procedures that depend on automated visas to confront these crimes, Abu Zeid said, according to a statement by the Foreign Ministry.

The Egyptian consulates in Sudan were provided with the necessary electronic devices to implement the new procedures in an accurate, fast and secure manner in order to ensure the orderly arrival of Sudanese citizens to Egypt, he added.

Egypt’s decision to impose visa regulations on Sudanese citizens coming to Egypt aims to set a regulatory framework for the entry of the Sudanese brothers as 50 days have passed since the start of the crisis in Sudan, the spokesman affirmed.

He stressed that the new regulations do not aim to prevent or limit the number of Sudanese citizens traveling to Egypt.

Since the start of the crisis, Egypt has received more than 200,000 Sudanese people to be added to around 5 million Sudanese citizens that have resided in Egypt since before the crisis, Abu Zeid said.

The responsibility for providing the health, educational and housing infrastructure for all the Sudanese citizens in Egypt rests with the Egyptian government, which is responsible for providing basic services to the Sudanese citizens on its territory, Abu Zeid said.

The entry of Sudanese citizens into Egypt is subject to rules and procedures that are developed and organized through joint consular committees with the Sudanese side, which meet on a regular basis to review and update these procedures, the spokesman added.

Egypt has opened its border with Sudan to receiving Sudanese refugees and nationals of other countries fleeing the deadly conflict that broke out in mid-April, becoming the largest host of refugees from Sudan.

Egypt also hosts around 9 million refugees from different nationalities on its lands, officials said, affirming that they are provided basic services enjoyed by Egyptian citizens, especially with regard to health and education.