The ugly destructive face of media ... An insight on the visa situation

In the past couple of days rumours started to spread on internet sites (only 2 sites) stating that the Egyptian authority is not renewing visas to foreigners. Those sites based their reports on personal story of maximum of 4 individuals and to make it look important and big exposure that no other media source but them managed to find that fact, they used fancy expressions like “Cracking down on visas” or “simply cut [the expat community] off is kind of worrisome”. The stories created undesirable disturbance between ex-pats. Such articles as it couldn’t be called news. News means something happened but when it is a case of few individuals and the editors didn’t even try to get to the source or the responsible official to check if that information is true or not. In one of the articles they ask someone in ministry of tourism who said all those irresponsible statements and it is even has nothing to do with ministry of tourism when it comes to issuing visas to foreigners.
Such articles only aim at increasing hits on web sites and not considering what mess and damages it could create. Freedom of press comes with responsibility and requires maintaining a high level of integrity otherwise the media will lose its creditability.

To clarify the confusion about the tourist visa situation which was created out of nowhere, here you are the EXACT situation at the moment and if it will be changed at anytime so there will be an official announcement.
1- The tourist visa is valid between 15 days up to 12 months.
2- Each visa application case is handled individually.
3- Not breaking the laws of the Arab Republic of Egypt is your best way to stay on the safe side. This including: Not working without a work permit or trading without a license.
4- You could pay a visit to the nearest Passport Office to check if the information is correct or just rumors. (The place you go to apply for visa or renewal, not anywhere else even if it was still a government office like Ministry of tourism or so)
Hope this will put an end to all the rumors and if anyone is still not sure what’s going on or if Luxor Times information is not correct so please pay a visit to the Passport Office and get back to us.

The sword is Not stolen … Neither the dagger … on display at the Museum of Islamic Art

Dr. Mohamed Abd El Maksoud (Secretary General of the SCA) announced that the sword and dagger which were dedicated by Taymour Pasha Family to the Museum of Islamic Art will be on display tomorrow (Sunday 17th July). This movement was to prove that the objects were not stolen as claimed by a journalist. Newspapers and media representatives were invited to witness the fact that the objects are still in the museum and to put an end to the rumors based on misleading information.