Canada says Egypt will soon stop requiring cumbersome visas for Canadian tourists nearly a year after Cairo imposed the measure on Canadian passport holders.
Last October, Egypt suspended the ability of Canadians to obtain a visa online or on arrival in Egypt, which costs about $35 per person.
Since then Canadians have been paying $150 and sending in an application form, passport and visa itinerary.
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Egyptian officials told the media that it had imposed a more difficult process after Canada made it difficult for Egyptian citizens to obtain visas, although the Canadian Press could not confirm these reports.
Global Affairs Canada says Egypt’s foreign minister Badr Abdelatty told Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly at a meeting Monday that Canadians will soon be able to use the simplified system again.
The Egyptian embassy in Ottawa did not immediately respond to a request to confirm the change and when it would take effect.
Canada’s reading of Monday’s meeting says the two ministers discussed “the possibility of waiving the requirement for entry visas for Canadian citizens traveling to Egypt.”
“Minister Abdellatty agreed that Egypt will take this step soon, and it will be announced at the right time,” the report said.
© 2024 The Canadian Press