VISA to dive Ras Mohammed sites

[Crowley]

to confirm - Jetty police are checking all passports at both Travco and Naama bay for Visas, although it is a little haphazard at Travco (most dive centres leave from here, Camel, Red Sea College, Emperor, Sinai Divers and a couple of others leave from Naama)

The reason is that actually, the Sinai Peninsular is part of Asia, the Gulf of Suez is part of Africa, so by passing round the corner you are sort of changing continents (ish)

At the moment, no visa or forgetting your passport means you don't get to go out that day.

If you don't buy one at the airport, your hotel rep can usually arrange for a Visa on your behalf which will be 15 bucks plus some baksheesh.

Cheers

C.

 

[String]

Its typically a 100LE bribe at sharm airport to get yourself back airside to buy a visa and takes over an hour. Best to buy one legally when you arrive

Some guides can tell people without a visa to "forget" their passport and just give the coastguard some money "for his trouble" and get you through but again don't rely on it. For $15 its simply not worth the hassle.

 

[Crowley]

Some guides can tell people without a visa to "forget" their passport and just give the coastguard some money "for his trouble" and get you through but again don't rely on it. For $15 its simply not worth the hassle.

Not working at Naama bay Jetty at the moment. No passport/no visa = no diving in Ras Mohamed. Interestingly I have been through Travco a few times in the last couple of weeks for Thistlegorm trips and they are not checking *anything*

Consistency. Not exactly a buzzword of the local police people at the moment!!

C.

 

[String]

Im through travco a lot more than Naama so maybe that's why. If you go through international port on something like Sky K to Thistlegorm they WILL check 100% of the time. I dont recall ever being checked for Ras Mo or T'gorm going from "normal" travco side this year though.

 

[Crowley]

They always check at the international Jetty which is where Sky K leaves from - actually in the last few weeks I have been to Travco a few times and they haven't checked anything - probably because it's still too early in the morning!

For info - I've been to Ras Mohamed from Naama Bay every other day for the last two weeks and they only checked visas once. The new police general has made his impression and now he's not at the jetty every morning they don't bother

Welcome to Egypt, have a nice day!!

C.

 

[String]

That said even though they check 100% of time at international ive personally seen people get through having been told to "forget" their passports with no visa and some just smuggled in by walking inbetween 2 people with visas. Security isnt exactly class A anyway

 

[Crowley]

Security isnt exactly class A anyway

Now that has to go down as one of the understatements of the year!!

Last 4 days in Ras Mo - nothing checked at all....