The world is changing and the Middle East is fast becoming one of the top places to visit for most independent travelers and explorers. South Sinai is the border-crossing with Israel via the Taba border, Jordan from the Nuweiba to Aqaba via ferry and Egypt through the Suez Canal tunnel. South Sinai offers cheap cost of living, great reefs to enjoy, stunning nature, warm and hospitable people and a calming atmosphere where you can just breath and the world is fine.THERE ARE TWO SEPARATE VISAS TO THE AREA: ONE FOR MAINLAND EGYPT AND ONE FOR THE SINAI PENINSULA. HERE YOU’LL FIND OUT WHAT REQUIREMENTS AND METHODS ARE NEEDED TO APPLY DEPENDING ON YOUR ENTRY POINT TO SINAI. Entry Points to Sinai:Taba Border: From Eilat, Israel to the south of Sinai by land. It’s a very easy crossing and cheap to reach the border, all you need to do is to arrive at the border and cross for a cost of 120 LE (Egyptian pound) entrance fee. Nuweiba Port: From the Gulf of Aqaba via the ferry from Jordan’s Aqaba Port. It takes just two hours on the ferry but it is advisable to check the weather before booking as its timing can be affected by sea conditions. Sharm El-Sheikh International Airport: Entry to South Sinai from anywhere in the world, visa on arrival or you might have to pre-apply from the Egyptian embassy in your native country, depending on your passport. Sharm El-Sheikh Port: From Hurghada in the south of Egypt. It runs twice a week so check for schedules and weather conditions. Gulf of Suez Canal Tunnel: Overland from mainland Egypt. There are buses leaving Cairo daily. At the canal, you’ll be subjected to a search by security forces. Everyone is – local and international visitors so keep in mind that this delay could be up to half an hour or more, depending how many vehicles arrive at the same time. Types of Visas:Sinai Only: Free, renewable on arrival 14-day visa when entering from Taba, Nuweiba or Sharm El-Sheikh. Ideal for visitors planning to stay in Sinai for the aforementioned period of time or less. Please note that Sinai only Visa will allow to visit or pass by Taba, Nuweiba, St. Catherine, Dahab and Sharm El-sheikh only. Renewal will only be granted at the entry point you entered from. Egypt Visa: $25 USD renewable 30-day Tourist Visa that covers all of Egypt and Sinai. Depending on your passport you may have to apply at your nearest Egyptian Embassy. Some passports will allow you to receive one on arrival or while in Sinai. Please note that if you are arriving through any entry point outside of Sinai you will have to get the Egyptian Visa. Different ways to apply for the Egyptian Visa: Egypt is a very welcoming country. Individual travelers can find many ways to obtain an Egyptian Visa before or on arrival. You’ll find below all the available methods but first, make sure that your country is listed. If you’re not sure, check on this link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visa_policy_of_EgyptE-Visa: The easiest and most practical way to apply for the Egyptian Visa prior to your arrival or while in Sinai, valid for 3 months starting from the date of issue. Takes about 7 working days to be processed. Apply for the E-Visa via this link: https://www.egyptvisa.com/
“Not recommended at the time being service delays”Egypt Embassy: Find your nearest embassy and check for visa application times. The process takes 2 working days so make sure to plan for your visa process before planning your trip. Visa On Arrival: Depending on your passport, you’ll be able to get the $25 USD Visa sticker at all border entry points. The Taba border can be complicated sometimes with the Egyptian Visa as many travelers have mentioned. Usually, you can get the Egyptian Visa at the Taba border, but sometimes they run out of stickers or they just like to make things complicated due to the border with Israel. But you can always get the Sinai Visa stamp and then sort out the Egyptian Visa while in Sinai. Don’t panic when this happens, you can apply online while enjoying your time on the beaches and mountains in Sinai or via a registered tour agency in South Sinai if you’re in a hurry which will take a couple of hours via any entry point to the peninsula.