Traveling To Egypt--Questions

[hoping4happiness 1]

Ok, so I'm gonna be traveling to Egypt, to visit a female friend of mine. But in preparation, I have some basic questions on getting started:

1. They have changed the procedure for traveling to Egypt. It used to be that an American could get their Egyptian Visa at the Cairo airport when they landed there. But now you have to get it at the Egyptian embassy before you go there.

---Has anyone traveled to Egypt since this security measure began?

---What’s the procedure for getting the visa at an Egyptian embassy here in the U.S.?

---What’s the cost?

---The waiting time?

2. Money! Say you have nothing but American money. Like a bank/debit card, or cash.

---Once you get to Egypt, how do you spend it? I mean can you just use your same American bank/debit card there?

---Do you have to get all your American cash switched over to Egyptian currency? If so, where / how do you do this?

[EAbbas 213]

idk about all your questions about the visa etc but I will tell you what I did about money when i went to Pakistan...

• I carried about 40 dollars on me for airport etc
  
• i used my debit card in the airport terminals in jfk charlotte and abu dhabi (I had to let my bank know i would be using my card in abu dhabi and possibly karachi pakistan so they wouldn't block it)
  
• I sent my husband about 100 dollars western union so he could obtain it there and I would have spending money when I got there so I wouldnt have to keep loads of cash or worry about the currency
  

This just seemed to work for me.... good luck and have a safe trip

[Om&Abo Malik 12]

Ok, so I'm gonna be traveling to Egypt, to visit a female friend of mine. But in preparation, I have some basic questions on getting started:

1. They have changed the procedure for traveling to Egypt. It used to be that an American could get their Egyptian Visa at the Cairo airport when they landed there. But now you have to get it at the Egyptian embassy before you go there.

---Has anyone traveled to Egypt since this security measure began?

---What’s the procedure for getting the visa at an Egyptian embassy here in the U.S.?

---What’s the cost?

---The waiting time?

2. Money! Say you have nothing but American money. Like a bank/debit card, or cash.

---Once you get to Egypt, how do you spend it? I mean can you just use your same American bank/debit card there?

---Do you have to get all your American cash switched over to Egyptian currency? If so, where / how do you do this?

I don't know the answer to question 1 but i have lived here so i can answer you on the last one. There are atms here where you can pull cash but bank fees can get high. There is also places here that exchange money too. I don't know where your going though. If it's cairo, alex and other mid to large governates they probably have one also. You might can ask your friend. exchange rate i think now is 5.96 so you can multiply how much dollars by that to know how many pounds you should get.

enjoy your travels and keep safe(especially with petty theft here among foreigners)i had a bag stolen at the beginning of my stay and the police found my bag in a moment, luckily my money was on me but my pp was in the bag but they didn't take it but my credit cards was and had to cancel. That was a fun experience!!

[together4evr 360]

Ok, so I'm gonna be traveling to Egypt, to visit a female friend of mine. But in preparation, I have some basic questions on getting started:

1. They have changed the procedure for traveling to Egypt. It used to be that an American could get their Egyptian Visa at the Cairo airport when they landed there. But now you have to get it at the Egyptian embassy before you go there.

---Has anyone traveled to Egypt since this security measure began?

---What’s the procedure for getting the visa at an Egyptian embassy here in the U.S.?

---What’s the cost?

---The waiting time?

2. Money! Say you have nothing but American money. Like a bank/debit card, or cash.

---Once you get to Egypt, how do you spend it? I mean can you just use your same American bank/debit card there?

---Do you have to get all your American cash switched over to Egyptian currency? If so, where / how do you do this?

You can get a visa at the Cairo airport. The started to change the rule but then they decided it would hurt EGyptian economy. So you can still get the visa at the airport. I think 15 dollars is the cost. Might have increased to 20.

Money....most things are cash only in Egypt. I used my credit cards for hotels and nicer resturants but most of my money I converted at the airport but be careful and look at the exchange rate. One place in cairo will only give you 5.2 pounds per dollar but look for the ones that give you 5.95 or higher. I do not know the exact current exchange rate is but it is close to 6 or 5.98 when i was there in August. Also banks will exchange your money but the wait in lines is awful everywhere even the banks. So, exchange alot at the airport.

You will need to make sure they give you Bakshesh! This is small money for tips which is asked for everywhere I go to in Egypt. So, when they exchange your money make sure the bills are not large. Smaller is better in Egypt. Alot of people use change to tip...less than a pound.

Good luck and have a great time.

Edited October 29, 2011 by togetherforever13

[hoping4happiness 1]

togetherforever13--- Oh wow, they changed it back? You can get the visa at the Cairo airport again? I will be going to the Cairo airport, so its good I will be able to get the visa there. The closest Egyptian embassy to me here in the USA is way down in San Francisco, and that's a 6 1/2 hour drive away. So not very convenient, as you can imagine, lol.

Thanks for the tips, everyone. Any others are very much welcome

[Mithra 1,185]

You can mail your passport to the nearest Egyptian consulate with a check for the fees and the visa will get stamped inside (call the consulate for complete instructions). It takes a couple weeks to process. But yeah I did hear they changed the rules back.

You can withdraw money from any ATM and get the most up to date exchange rate. Bank fees aren't all that bad...not much different than you'd pay here.

[FormerlyKnownAs 17]

I was just there earlier this month and I can also confirm that you can get your visa at the airport. I got mine through the consulate here, got a 6 month multi-entry visa since I'll be going back again really soon. Mine was processed in 2 days, but I called ahead and made sure they'd do it for me.

I usually don't need cash money when I'm there (fiance pays for everything once I'm there), but you can get it from the ATMs there. Be sure to call your bank or card issuer to make sure they know you're going to be out of the country or this could cause issues. They can lock your account if there is unusual activity and that's a giant pain.

I usually carry a handful of pounds (coins) in my pocket or I make sure I get a few pounds from my fiance when I have to run to the restroom if I don't have any Egyptian currency on me. There is a lot of tipping going on there. There's usually a bathroom attendant and I'll give her 2-3 pounds... I have food delivered a LOT, tip those guys... Cab rides, needs cash for those.

Have a great trip!

[~PalmTreeGurl~ 154]

I was just there earlier this month and I can also confirm that you can get your visa at the airport. I got mine through the consulate here, got a 6 month multi-entry visa since I'll be going back again really soon. Mine was processed in 2 days, but I called ahead and made sure they'd do it for me.

I usually don't need cash money when I'm there (fiance pays for everything once I'm there), but you can get it from the ATMs there. Be sure to call your bank or card issuer to make sure they know you're going to be out of the country or this could cause issues. They can lock your account if there is unusual activity and that's a giant pain.

I usually carry a handful of pounds (coins) in my pocket or I make sure I get a few pounds from my fiance when I have to run to the restroom if I don't have any Egyptian currency on me. There is a lot of tipping going on there. There's usually a bathroom attendant and I'll give her 2-3 pounds... I have food delivered a LOT, tip those guys... Cab rides, needs cash for those.

Have a great trip!

Off Topic, but I remember in 2007 when I was at the Cairo airport about to leave, it was my first time to use the hole in the ground. I had to go bad! The older woman held the roll of toliet paper & handed me like one square, then she wanted a tip. I gave her 50piasters. I told her I needed more, she gave another sheet & wanted another tip. I took the whole roll from her. I think her eyes were HUGE! lol it was hilarious, but I was serious!

Edited November 1, 2011 by ~PalmTreeGurl~

[Mithra 1,185]

Rofl that you took the whole roll of tp! Totally ot but the American embassy has outstanding restrooms. Mcdonalds has pretty decent ones, too. Good restrooms are hard to find in egypt. Someone should make a zagat's style guide to egyptian restrooms.

[Angel Eyes Yuseef 5]

I had no problems finding good bathrooms in cairo, just had a problem figuring out which button or knob went to flush it or turn on the water to clean your bum....lol

Rofl that you took the whole roll of tp! Totally ot but the American embassy has outstanding restrooms. Mcdonalds has pretty decent ones, too. Good restrooms are hard to find in egypt. Someone should make a zagat's style guide to egyptian restrooms.

[~PalmTreeGurl~ 154]

I had no problems finding good bathrooms in cairo, just had a problem figuring out which button or knob went to flush it or turn on the water to clean your bum....lol

Well on my wedding day at the Ministry of Justice & the KFC in Alex -the restrooms were gross! I had to use the mens restroom on my wedding day @the Ministry of Justice bcz the womens was totally broken down. That mens restroom could not have been cleaned in FOREVER. Seriously gross! & KFCs restroom = eww! The only one that I can honestly say was clean was at his grandparents house where I stayed. Every other one had never been cleaned in ages.

Edited November 7, 2011 by ~PalmTreeGurl~

[Angel Eyes Yuseef 5]

I did not ever have that problem of nasty dirty bathrooms. And we was all over. Now in Morocco that is a different story. And there, there should be a guide to find the more american type bathrooms instead of that dreaded hole. I hate the hole.

Well on my wedding day at the Ministry of Justice & the KFC in Alex -the restrooms were gross! I had to use the mens restroom on my wedding day @the Ministry of Justice bcz the womens was totally broken down. That mens restroom could not have been cleaned in FOREVER. Seriously gross! & KFCs restroom = eww! The only one that I can honestly say was clean was at his grandparents house where I stayed. Every other one had never been cleaned in ages.

[FormerlyKnownAs 17]

I've been extremely fortunate on my trips. I've never encountered "the hole", thank goodness. The restroom in the airport was super clean, but the attendant was all over me. The only restrooms I had to use in Alex were the one in the library and one in a nice seafood restaurant. All the ones in Cairo that I've been in have been clean too, especially the one at the Golden Stars VIP cinema! That one was first class. I just make sure if I'm going to be at the market (Khan al Khalili, I jokingly call it LiLi Market since I get made fun of for my pronunciation), I use the restroom before I head down there. Lord knows any restroom I find down there is going to be questionable!

[Angel Eyes Yuseef 5]

lol the hole. Your lucky you have not faced it..The only one i seen in Egypt was when we was in Old Cairo in our cousins workshop. Old building there, my hubby asked me if i needed to use it and I looked at him and said your really funny. He knows how i feel about the hole. But every where i went the bathrooms was clean even when we went to al jerza park.

I've been extremely fortunate on my trips. I've never encountered "the hole", thank goodness. The restroom in the airport was super clean, but the attendant was all over me. The only restrooms I had to use in Alex were the one in the library and one in a nice seafood restaurant. All the ones in Cairo that I've been in have been clean too, especially the one at the Golden Stars VIP cinema! That one was first class. I just make sure if I'm going to be at the market (Khan al Khalili, I jokingly call it LiLi Market since I get made fun of for my pronunciation), I use the restroom before I head down there. Lord knows any restroom I find down there is going to be questionable!

[Ihavequestions 419]

Travel tip: Keep wet wipes in your bag (pharmacies sell them).