From the US to Egypt: A world of differences

Living in the US and then coming to Egypt feels like moving between two completely different worlds – almost like night and day.

One of those differences is the visa. In most countries, visas are extremely important. If your visa situation isn’t sorted out, in many cases, you have no choice but to return to your home country immediately. But here in Egypt, it’s not such a big deal if your visa expires a little late. (At least for Koreans)

It seems that many Koreans here stay on a one-month tourist visa and just a penalty at the airport when they leave. But a few months ago, word started going around that visa checks were getting stricter, and everyone was told to make sure to extend their visas.

Leave Egypt with an expired visa

When I first came to Egypt, I was on a one-month tourist visa. I ended up staying an extra day and was super nervous and worried about it. But I heard that the visa extension process is so slow that they usually don’t mind if you overstay by about 15days. I managed to leave Egypt without any problems.

Back then, the slow visa process worked in my favor, but now I have to go through it…

The journey to the immigration office

Anyway, I headed to the immigration office to extend my visa. We planned to leave early since they open at 8am, but we ended up leaving the house at 8 instead.

The area around the office had that typical local Cairo vibe, but once inside the building, it was surprisingly modern and spacious.

Navigating the visa extension process

To extend your visa, you need to go to window number 5 on the second floor. It’s really confusing, but you have to line up at the window to get the application form and a ticket number. And let me tell you, people here don’t really “line up” – there’s a lot of cutting in line.

After filling out the form, I went to the bank corner to exchange $200 into Egyptian pounds and got a receipt. Then I returned to the same window to show the receipt and get a ticket number. Or was it the other way around? Honestly, I don’t remember it well.

After that, I waited for my number to be called. When it was finally my turn, the window clerk told me to go back to the bank and pay the visa fee in pounds. Since I had overstayed by a month, I also had to pay a penalty.

Two people with me had overstayed by more than two months, so they had to pay even higher penalties. Altogether, our six-month visas and penalties come to around 20,640 pounds.

Waiting… and more waiting

There was another long line at the bank, but when I returned to the window, our number hadn’t moved at all.

From this point on, the actual visa extension process started. The clerk checked our forms, stamped them, took our photos, and scanned our fingerprints.

Today’s Thursday, and they told us to come back next Wednesday. Honestly, I never want to come back here again.

It’s so noisy and chaotic, and waiting feels like such a waste of time.

A quick summary of the steps

To sum it up:

1. Go to window 5 on the second floor to get the application form and fill it out.
2. Go to the bank to exchange dollars into pounds.
   (I exchanged $200 – though not all of this goes toward the visa fee)
3. Return to the same window to show the receipt and get a ticket number.
   (I can’t remember if I got the ticket in step 1 or step 3)
4. Wait for your number to be called.
5. When your turn comes, submit your passport and application form. The clerk will then send you back to the bank to pay the visa fee.
6. Go to the bank and pay the visa fee in pounds.
7. Return to the same window to submit the receipt, take your photo, and scan your fingerprints.

What I learned

I thought I’d have to come back to pick up my passport (since that’s how it’s done for the Philippines visa and the US visa), but they gave it back right away. I just need to pick up the visa next week.

Honestly, it feels like such a waste of time, and I never want to experience that noise and waiting again.

What’s strange is that, from what I can tell, window 5 on the second floor is the only place issuing six-month tourist visas. So, what are all these other people here for? The building seems to have more than five floors and it was full of people.

The air conditioning kept things comfortable inside, but when I left, I saw hundreds of people sitting outside on rows of chairs, waiting.

I also found out that, at first, they only issue a single-entry 6-month visa (no other options). After that, you can apply for a re-entry visa, but it only allows you to re-enter once during its validity period.