Egypt, Romania agree on exempting diplomats from entry visas

CAIRO - 17 May 2018: The official Gazette published Thursday the decree no. 563/2017 of President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi approving a memorandum of understanding signed between the Egyptian and Romanian governments to scrap visa requirements for diplomats.

The agreement was signed in Bucharest on August 29, 2017, during the visit of Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry.

On April 15, 2018, Cairo International Airport authorities refused to allow an American diplomat into the country for lack of visa.

The U.S. diplomat, coming from Dubai, was carrying a diplomatic passport but did not have an entry visa and therefore was denied entry in conformity with the rules and equal treatment principle.

The equal treatment principle has been applied by Egypt since 2010. Diplomats carrying diplomatic passports or on a special mission should obtain an entry visa before reaching the country, the airport authorities said.