Egypt - Applying for a Journalist Visa

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Procedure

In order to apply for a visa and permission to carry out journalism duties in Egypt, journalists, film crews, photographers and other media organisation members travelling to Egypt in a professional capacity must submit a formal application letter on letterhead and signed, stating the following details:

• The purpose of visit and the kind of report the correspondent intends to carry out, locations to be visited including dates and times.
• Details of the travelling journalist(s)/crew members including their full name, nationality, passport number and role.
• For film crews, the letter should also include the title (working title) of the film, a script or synopsis, where you plan to film with dates, and a statement of production costs. Film crews are strongly advised to engage a fixer whose name and contact details must also be included, along with the date they are leaving Egypt and flight details.
• Background of the media organization or individual. If you are travelling as a freelance journalist, you will also need to submit a CV of your work.
• If you have been commissioned by a third party or charity/NGO, you will also be required to submit supporting letters from the company involved, including the company profile, in addition to the list above.
• You must also submit a copy of your kit list, preferably with serial numbers.
• Additional supporting documents may be requested at the Embassys discretion.
• The letter has to be signed by a person authorised by the media organisation and should include should include the full name and contact details of the media organisation and the person who has signed the letter. For film crews, the letter should indicate the name and contact details of their production company and the name of the company/corporation that will broadcast their film.
• If a film crew plans to carry out filming or photography from a plane or helicopter, permission must be sought in advance from the Civil Aviation Authorities.
• Please note that after submitting your application, you will be required to come to the Embassy for a briefing with the Press Office. For film crews, this can be the director. For charities/NGOs taking in a journalist/film crew to Egypt, you will be required to accompany the journalist, director or photographer to the briefing.
• On arrival back from the trip you will be expected to send a copy of the report you have filed to the Press Office. This can be in the form of a news story, an article, film, photos, etc.
• Please also visit the Government Communications Affairs Office website for further information, who licenses all local and foreign crews undertaking filming in the country

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Required Documents

• Scanned Valid National Passport (minimum period validity 6 months at the time of travel)or any acceptable Travel document;
• Printed copy of a completed Online Visa Application Form(with one passport size photograph attached), and a copy of Payment Confirmed page;
• A letter of invitation from local contact(s) in Egypt;
• A letter of introduction from the organization(s) that journalists work for or represent;
• A copy of itinerary while on duty in Egypt;
• List of equipment accompanying applicant(s);
• Scanned copy of your passport's bio data page (the page with your photo).
• Your profession.
• Estimated date of arrival.
• Payment.Visa Fee (cash only)Paid in advance
• Application form
• A valid Passport.
• Two recent passport photos.
• Visa reference number (from Egypt).
• Letter from employer.

Office Locations & Contacts

Ministry of Manpower and Immigration

DR. Nahed ElAshry img

Address 3 Youssief Abaas St Nasr City Cairo

Phone no. 22609366 - 22609368 - 22618019

Fax 22618019

E-mail [email protected]

Website http://www.manpower.gov.eg

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Mr. Nabil Fahmy img

Address Masbero-Kornish El Nile St.Cairo

Phone no. 25749817

Fax 25748822

E-mail [email protected]

Website http://www.mfa.gov.eg

Eligibility

One must be a journalist visiting Egypt on the mission of gathering news or capturing news or Filming sites in Egypt on behalf of the foreign organization. This Visa is granted to the following category of people.

• Professional journalist,
• Columnist, cartoonist/editor,
• Photographer,
• Film producer or director (other than of commercial films),
• A representative of a radio and/or television organisation,
• Travel writer/travel promotion photographer etc or any
• professional journalist/owner working for an association or
• A company engaged in the production or
• Broadcast of audio visual news or
• Current affairs programmes through the print, electronic or any other electronic form or any other mode of mass communication.

Fees

Visa fee of 14 per person, payable in cash, postal order and bankers draft only.

Validity

This journalist visa is valid for 3 months only with a single entry. Regardless of the entry status, it can be renewed upon request.

Documents to Use

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Sample Documents

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Processing Time

Processing time take less than a one month but because of the complexity it can exceed that time. Visas for journalists cannot be fast-tracked and may take longer than five (5) working days to process; 

Related Videos

Videos explaining the procedure or to fill the applications. 
Attach videos using the following tag <&video type="website">video ID|width|height<&/video&> from external websites.
Please remove the "&" inside the tags during implementation.
Website = allocine, blip, dailymotion, facebook, gametrailers, googlevideo, html5, metacafe, myspace, revver, 
sevenload, viddler, vimeo, youku, youtube
width = 560, height = 340, Video ID = Can be obtained from the URL of webpage where the video is displayed.
e.g In the following url "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0US7oR_t3M" Video ID is "Y0US7oR_t3M". 
	

Instructions

• If you intend to visit or film sites in Egypt, then you need to obtain a journalist Visa which include those sites in the list of the sites you intend to film.
• If you secure permission from the Foreign Affairs Media Department for the whole list (as of the above procedure) then you can visit and film in all the sites approved in list.
• It is therefore necessary to include all the sites you intend to visit in the list before you submit it to the Foreign Affairs media Department.

Required Information

• Documents customs clearance for the equipments to be brought into the country.
• A list of all the equipment to be brought into Nigeria.
• A valid passport for less than 6 months to expire.

Need for the Document

Journalist visa is issued to professional journalists and photographers for up to three months stay in Egypt. Some countries require for people in that journalist occupation when traveling for their respective filming and news organizations. Countries which insist on this include but not limited to Libya , Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, the United States (I-visa) and Zimbabwe. Journalist Visitors to Egypt must obtain a journalist visa from one of the Egypt's diplomatic missions unless they come from one of the visa exempt countries.

Information which might help

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Other uses of the Document/Certificate

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e.g. Birth Certificate can be used as proof of identity.

External Links

http://www.ustraveldocs.com/eg/eg-niv-typei.asp

http://modernegypt.info/online-newsroom/info-for-visiting-media/

Others

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