Visa to Egypt for Italians
The white sand desert and beautiful beaches of the African country Egypt attract travellers worldwide. Egypt has wonderful ancient temples, one-of-a-kind ancient man-made monuments, the Giza Pyramids, a cruise ride along the Nile River and water and desert adventure activities that gear up the excitement of travellers. Every aspect of the country makes it a must-visit destination if planning an international trip.
The important aspect of travel is to get a valid visa which allows travellers to enter the country. The same goes with Egypt, but the nationality of the travellers is a key factor that determines the traveller’s eligibility for obtaining an Egypt visa. Travellers of certain countries are eligible for an Egypt e-visa or Egypt visa on arrival category whereas nationals of a specific country can get an Egypt visa only by applying through the Egypt embassy or consulate. On the other hand, citizens of particular countries can enter Egypt without getting a visa. Italy is not included under Egypt visa-exempt country list, so Italian citizens must have a valid Egypt visa. From the different Egypt visa categories Italian citizens can opt for the visa that favours their Egypt travel.
Egypt Visa for Italian Citizens
The citizens of Italy who are travelling to Egypt for long or short stays must have a valid visa. Depending on their travel requirement they must have a suitable Egypt visa to enter Egypt. Italian citizens will be denied entry at the Egyptian port if they fail to obtain a right Egypt visa. The process of choosing the right Egypt visa from the available categories might be difficult. The Egypt visas are categorized according to the traveller’s reason for visiting Egypt. Egypt visa entitles travellers to enter and stay in Egypt for a particular period. Based on their travel motive and length of stay in Egypt, travellers must choose their Egypt visa.
Egypt Visas Available for Italian Citizens
Egypt e-visa will be the right choice for Italian citizens if they are travelling to Egypt for business or tourism activities. The visa process is much easier in Egypt e-visa as it can be availed without stepping into the Egypt embassy or consulate. The Egypt e-visa allows the Italian citizens to stay in Egypt for up to 30 continuous days. It requires submission of the application form at least 5-6 days before the travel date.
Italian citizens planning a sudden trip to Egypt might not have sufficient time to apply for an Egypt e-visa prior to their travel date. In such instances, citizens of Italy can get an Egypt visa after their arrival at an Egypt border crossing or airport. However, travellers must wait in line for their turn to get the application form and cannot proceed to the immigration check or leave the airport until the visa is approved. The Egypt visa issued at the airport for Italian citizens can be used only for tourism activities.
If the Egypt e-visa and visa-on-arrival do not suit the travel requirement, travellers must look for other Egypt visas, such as a traditional tourist visa or business visa. Such Egypt visas are valid only for that particular purpose, such as an Egypt business visa permits only business conferences, workshops and related meetings and an Egypt tourist visa facilitates only leisure and related activities. Italian citizens must understand that obtaining an Egypt visa from the embassy or consulate requires a lot of additional documents and the visa process might take more than three weeks.
Italian citizens travelling to Egypt to continue their education must get an Egypt student visa. Students must submit a letter from the education organisation in Egypt and other related documents at the Egypt embassy or consulate to get the Egypt student visa. The validity depends on the period required to complete the educational course. Nationals of Italy travelling to Egypt to work in the country must have a work permit or visa and a residence permit (which is mandatory to stay and work in Egypt for more than 90 days). Securing a valid job is mandatory to apply for an Egypt work permit and mostly, the process will be managed by the employer.
The Egypt transit visa is a mandatory requirement for Italian citizens who use Egypt airport for transit purposes. Italian citizens can skip the visa if the layover or transit time is less than 48 hours. However, the transit visa only permits the travellers to stay inside the Egypt airport for 48-50 hours and travellers cannot leave the airport. Italian citizens are also eligible to apply for Egypt medical visa, diplomatic visa or visiting relatives or friends visa according to travel notions. An important rule to follow before applying for any type of Egypt visa is to check the latest updates.
Documents Needed for Egypt Visa
Applying for an Egypt visa surely requires visa-related documents. All the supporting or travel documents are the key factors that determine the approval of the Egypt visa application. However, each Egypt visa type requires a different set of documents. The following list comprises the general documents required for an Egypt visa.
- A valid passport (validity at least five to six months and 2 blank pages)
- Detailed Egypt travel itinerary (can add the schedule breakdown, activities ticket, backup plans, etc.)
- Accommodation proof (hotel address and booking details)
- Two or three photographs (should meet the visa requirements, such as a white background, etc.)
- Financial statement or related proof
- Passport photocopy
- Return flight tickets
Italian citizens applying through the Egypt embassy or consulate should provide a few additional documents like a cover letter and income tax return document (for the past three years). An invitation, cover letter or other valid business-related documents are necessary to use the Egypt e-visa for business purposes or to get a business visa from the Egypt embassy. Travellers planning to stay with friends, relatives or family in Egypt must provide an invitation letter from the host as accommodation proof. Mostly, travellers applying for an Egypt visa must provide specific documents to support their travel purpose, so after choosing the Egypt visa, check the documents related to the specific Egypt visa.
Egypt Visa Processing Time
Being mindful of the application processing time is important. Italian citizens can check the processing time of the opted Egypt visa online and the time will vary for each Egypt visa. Mostly, the visa application will be processed within the given time, but sometimes, the process might take extra hours or days. The reasons for delaying the application process include incomplete details, mismatched information, submitting the application late, etc. The Egypt e-visa application is much faster than a traditional Egypt visa. The visa application process time of the Egypt embassy or consulate usually takes 15-20 days or even more, but it is only 3-7 days for Egypt e-visa.
Egypt Consulate or Embassy Visa Application Procedure for Italian Citizens
One important step to follow before the application process is to have all the documents and check if they are valid. Obtaining an Egypt visa through an embassy is an offline process, and Italian citizens must visit the Egyptian embassy or consulate office in Italy to apply for a visa. Prior to reaching the embassy check the Egypt visa category and choose an Egypt visa that aligns with travel motive and requirements. Visit the embassy office to get the Egypt visa application form. Give it a glance and start entering the details in the respective entry field.
The application form usually has an entry field for the applicant's personal and passport details and Egypt travel-related information. Check the application form. Make sure that the information is aligned with the supporting documents. Attach the visa-required documents and stick the photograph. The visa photograph has a separate requirement that should not be overlooked. If the current photo does not meet the requirement, get a new photo that matches all the Egypt visa requirements. The final step is to select the visa process and move to paying the Egypt visa processing fee. Get the fee receipt and attach it to the supporting document. Submit the application form. Sometimes, applicants must book an appointment to submit the document and visa application form.
Italian citizens can contact the Egypt embassy to check on their application status, but it is advisable to wait till the processing time. Applicants will receive updates from the embassy regarding the visa application and usually the process takes around 15-20 days.
Egypt e-visa Application for the Nationals of Italy
Applying online is a much easier and more convenient option. The application process is also simple and effortless, just follow the below steps
- Visit the Egypt e-visa online platform
- Get to the e-visa application form
- Enter all the information and check everything once
- Select the Egypt e-visa type
- Upload the passport copy and photo
- Proofread the entire application form (check if the uploaded documents are valid)
- Submit the application form
- Choose any of the available payment options for paying the e-visa fee
Italian citizens can use the application number to check the Egypt e-visa application status online. However, the date of birth or passport number can also be used to check the application status. Upon rejection or denial of the Egypt e-visa, learn the reason behind it and consider re-applying after addressing the issue. The application process of re-application will again take 3-7 days, so make sure that it does not hinder the planned travel date.
Procedures for Getting an Egypt Visa at the Airport
Italian citizens can get an Egypt visa after arriving at an Egypt airport. Prepare all the Egypt visa on arrival documents before starting the journey. The Egypt visa issued at an airport can be used only for single entry because it is a single-entry visa and travellers can stay for 30 days which is the validity of the visa.
After arriving at Egypt airport, walk to the visa bank, which is mostly situated in the arrival hall. If there is a line already, wait for it and meanwhile, get all the documents ready. Get the Egypt visa application form and enter the required information. Stick the photo and attach the supporting documents. Double-check the documents and information. The last step is to submit the documents and visa application form at the counter and pay the processing fee. Travellers must pay the fee in cash and the acceptable currencies are British pounds, US dollars and euros. The visa processing mostly takes a few minutes, but it might also extend to a few hours.
Travellers can leave the arrival hall only after the approval of their Egypt visa. After approval, Italian citizens must collect the Egypt visa stamp and proceed to the immigration check. The officials will verify the passport and documents. They will stick the visa and stamp the traveller’s passport with the arrival date. With that, the Egypt visa on arrival process is over and travellers can continue with their travel itinerary. If the visa is denied at the airport, then Italian citizens should fly back home.
Choosing the Best Egypt Visa
Egypt e-visa would be the best choice for Italian citizens rather than a traditional visa or visa on arrival. Egypt e-visa offer pre-approval which assures a worry-free travel and visa issued at Egypt airport lack pre-approval facility. The approval process is quick in Egypt e-visa compared with the traditional Egypt visa (applying at the Egypt consulate or embassy).
The Egypt e-visa offers two different categories. The single-entry visa facilitates only single entry with a validity of 90 days. Italian citizens can enjoy a 30 days stay in Egypt within the visa validity. The multiple-entry Egypt e-visa permits visa holders to multiple entries and exits. The e-visa validity is 180 days. The best facility of the multiple-entry visa is that it permits a 30 days stay for each entry within its validity period. The Egypt e-visa is the best choice for short stays and frequent visits to Egypt and it is valid for business and tourism.
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Defects in the Egypt visa request form are the most prevalent causes for Egypt e-Visa requests being denied. Any incorrect or partial information may result in visa refusal. Learn more at What Are the Causes for Egypt Visa Denial.
Check your eligibility for Online Egypt Visa and apply for Egypt e-Visa 5 (five) days in advance of your flight. Citizens of many countries including Portuguese citizens, British citizens, Croatian citizens, Paraguayan citizens and Italian citizens can apply online for Egypt e-Visa.