The Egyptian government has modified visa requirements for Canadians, and in response, G Adventures has issued a statement for agents and their clients.
"We are aware of the proposed change to the entry requirements for Canadian travellers intending to travel to Egypt.
"Although we have received no formal confirmation, it is our understanding that starting from October 1st, Canadian citizens will be required to obtain a visa from the Egyptian embassy / consulate in Ottawa or Montreal before traveling to Egypt. For the month of September, an e-visa option is available.
"We are in the process of seeking official confirmation from Egyptian authorities in Canada, and have notified our travellers departing in September that they will require an e-visa for entry. We will keep travellers updated as and when we have more concrete information to share."
David Green, managing director for G Adventures, says it’s disappointing to have received little warning of these new visa changes.
“This is a blow to both Canadian travel agents trying to support their clients and operators like G Adventures that send thousands of travellers to Egypt each year. Other than the announcement that was made, there have been no details provided around the process to obtain visas. It has also proven impossible to reach the embassy for clarification on the new process.
“An online application form should be the minimum expectation, which doesn’t appear to be available beyond September. We hope common sense will prevail and at the very least the visa changes are delayed until a later date, allowing more notice for travellers and for efficient processes to be established. Failure to do so will lead to thousands of Canadian travellers cancelling their travel plans to Egypt.
“We call on all members of CATO and ACTA to raise this issue with the government, as this new visa rule needs to be reversed or, at the very least, delayed,” says Green.
