STORY: Tourist yachts now granted visa within 30 mins at Egyptian ports: Transport Ministry
DATELINE: July 23, 2023
LENGTH: 00:01:04
LOCATION: Cairo
CATEGORY: SOCIETY
 
SHOTLIST:
1. Transport Ministry
2. various shots of several yachts
 
STORYLINE:
 
Egypt's Ministry of Transport announced on Saturday that foreign tourist yachts can now apply electronically for tourist port visas via an online portal, receiving them within 30 minutes, instead of a 15 - 30 day waiting time for approvals.
 
The online portal lets applicants upload documents like yacht/passenger info, arrival time, chosen port/marina, and the tourist program, the ministry added.
 
Visas will be paid in U.S. dollars, the ministry affirmed.
 
The procedure comes within the framework of the ministry's promotional campaign to attract and optimize yacht tourism in Egypt, in addition to speeding up the steps.
 
Unlike before, yachts can now leave from any tourist port, not just where they arrived, granting greater flexibility in planning their itineraries.
 
The portal also provides links to Egypt's Ministry of Interior's Passports, Immigration, and Nationality Administration, allowing applicants to quickly secure electronic tourist visas for their passengers, further expediting the entry process.
 
If the foreign yacht's itinerary includes crossing the international navigational course of the Suez Canal, the online portal provides a link to the Suez Canal Authority (SCA) website to facilitate the necessary procedures.
 
To prevent any inconsistencies, the Ministry of Transport has established a uniform tariff for toll fees at all berths, passenger stations, and tourist ports under its jurisdiction.
 
Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Cairo.
(XHTV)