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There is exciting news out of Egypt for travelers looking to stay long-term. Certain tourists will now be able to receive a 5-year visa at a very affordable cost. 

In times of an ever-evolving landscape of work requirements, remote workers will be first in line to apply for this new visa program.

Aimed at boosting tourism, this new visa option should aid Egypt’s goal of boosting overall tourism by up to 30 percent in the coming years. 

The end goal is to welcome 30 million visitors by 2028 to make up for lost time during the COVID-19 pandemic.

How To Get The New 5-Year Visa In Egypt

This is the first time Egypt has offered a visa with a validity lasting longer than a year. 

One might be wondering, “what’s the catch?”. This is no pyramid scheme, so the catch is very simple. There is no gotcha moment waiting to happen. 

As long as those who apply are from the list of 180 approved countries, then it should be a relatively smooth process to receive the new visa when it goes into effect.

What is known at this time is that tourists aged 16 and up will be able to take possession of their visa online through the E-Visa portal.

The Visa will be valid for 5 years and allow multiple entries into the country.

At this time, there is no definitive date set in place. “Soon” was the answer given by the Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, Ahmed Issa.

Even though there is no date set just yet, the price of the 5-year visa has been confirmed at $700.

In addition to the 5-year visa, the same nationalities can also receive a 30-day visa on arrival for just $25.

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Why Now?

Egypt is evolving and wants to become a more attractive destination to travelers. 

While the pyramids are a marvelous attraction to get people here, Egypt believes there is more than meets the eye.

That’s why they have set the bar high for tourism expectations this decade. Like many countries, tourism was obliterated during the pandemic. 

Add in an unexpected war between Russia and Ukraine, and there is a trickle-down effect seen worldwide, including in Egypt.

The goal is to double the number of hotel rooms available, increase the number of flights and invest in the tourist’s overall experience, not just sightseeing around the world-famous pyramids.

“The ministry has begun implementing a national strategy for the advancement of the sector, which relied on three axes,” said Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, Ahmed Issa. He continued, “The ministry aims to double spending on museums and antiquities, to improve the tourism experience, and to reach 30 million tourists annually by 2028.”

Egypt wants to challenge the traditional tourist to look beyond their main attraction of the Pyramids of Giza.

This amazing North African nation is home to thousands of more jaw-dropping archeological sites, including 6 UNESCO world heritage sites and an underrated coastline for beachgoers. 

Gaining tourists should be no problem for many years to come.

Remote Workers In Egypt

With all that Egypt has to offer, this could make it all the more appealing to remote workers too. 

This is a key reason to promote a 5-year stay to travelers to lure them in and hopes to make a lasting impression.

Digital nomad tourism has been off the charts! Many countries across the globe have come up with new ways to stand out to attract these types of visitors.

Egypt is no different in that sense by coming up with a creative way to bring in digital nomads.

There is no time like the present, so it’s not surprising Egypt would want to take advantage of the trendy work-from-home environment that has taken over.

Whether staying in a major bustling city like Cairo or overlooking the beautiful blue waters of Sharm El-Sheikh, those who work from their laptops will find their place.

Egypt is banking on it.

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This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com