Egypt to waive prior-entry visa requirement for Canadian travelers soon: Foreign ministry

CAIRO – 25 September 2024: Minister of Foreign Affairs Badr Abdelatty announced that Egypt will soon cancel the prior-entry visa requirement for Canadians traveling to the country, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry stated on Tuesday.

Abdelatty disclosed these plans during his meeting with Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs Mélanie Joly at the 79th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA 79) in New York.

Abdelatty welcomed the step to abolish advance visas for Canadians visiting Egypt, emphasizing that an official announcement regarding this change will be made shortly as part of efforts to bolster Egyptian-Canadian relations.

Both ministers underscored the importance of implementing measures to streamline movement and visa processes between Egypt and Canada to promote travel, commerce, and tourism between the two nations.

In a joint readout, Joly expressed gratitude to Abdelatty for this promising development, viewing it as a testament to the enduring friendship between Egypt and Canada and the strength of their bilateral partnership, particularly as both countries celebrate 70 years of diplomatic ties in 2024.

This decision aligns with Egypt's ongoing efforts to revitalize its tourism sector, a crucial source of foreign currency that has faced significant disruptions due to various global challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Egypt has set an ambitious target of attracting 30 million tourists by 2028, building on the momentum of welcoming a record 14.9 million visitors in 2023.

Since 2022, Egypt has permitted travelers from numerous countries worldwide to obtain emergency tourist visas upon arrival at Egyptian ports or through online channels.

As of October 1, 2023, Egypt discontinued the provision for Canadians to acquire visas upon arrival at Egyptian entry points, requiring them instead to apply for entry visas through Egyptian embassies or consulates abroad.