Unlike European Union (EU) countries, Egypt requires that passports have more remaining validity time, and this rule catches some people by surprise – there are even those who lose their holidays altogether because of it, writes “The Sun”.
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To enter Egypt, travelers are subject to two very important requirements.
The first – the passport must be valid for at least 6 months from the day of arrival in Egypt.
The second – the passport must have at least one blank page where the arrival stamp can be placed.
Most countries require that the passport be valid for at least 3 months after arrival, so it is not surprising that some people experience unpleasant surprises in Egypt due to the rules.
Lost a holiday costing 7,600 euros
British Victoria Vigors was preparing for a two-week “dream holiday” with her family, but they were stopped before boarding the plane.
When her nine-year-old daughter Roxie’s passport data was scanned, it turned out that the girl’s passport did not meet Egypt’s requirements – it did not have enough validity time left for the trip.
Roxie’s passport was technically valid until January 4, 2027, but Egypt requires that the passport have at least six months of validity remaining, so it was not considered suitable for travel.
Speaking to the website “creatorzine.com”, Victoria said: “I didn’t know about these rules. People who don’t travel often, especially when it was the first trip with children, are not aware of such things.”
“I thought that when I entered her passport details during check-in, the system would notify me that it was invalid,” the British woman added. “It would be a very simple system that could help avoid such pain and disappointment.”
The family is now trying to obtain an emergency passport so they can at least enjoy the trip they have already paid for in the last days, as they were unable to get a refund.
Travelers are also advised to check visa requirements, as they depend on the specific travel destination.
For example, if you stay in Sharm El Sheikh for less than 15 days, you do not need a visa.
However, a visa is required when traveling to Hurghada – it can be obtained online or upon arrival in the country.
If the visa is requested online, the electronic application must be submitted at least 7 days before the trip.
Another country whose entry rules are worth knowing is Turkey – there, the passport must be valid for at least 150 days from the date of arrival.
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