Red Sea first timer

[Red Sea Shadow]

What Arthur Said.

If you're diving Ras Mohamed, then you need a full Egyptian visa (cost is 15 USD). It's the only thing you can get anywhere outside Sinai.

 

[diverLux]

I have been diving R.M. and Tiran without visa. There is no passport control at the marina nor at the harbour so how do they control this. I would assume the dive boat captain would not let anybody on-board without it. My dive centre asked me for the dive-licence but did not check whether I had a visa or not nor did they ask me to bring my passport.
Going to the R.M. National Park from the land side there is passport/visa control at the gate and they charge an entrance fee.
Can some one shed light on this ?

 

[Tigerman]

If you go by dive boat, the entrance fee is included in the price you pay to the dive op and they (should) pass that on to the park. If you end up being checked by the rangers/police and dont have a visa I dont know what could happen, but I dont intend on finding that out either. Bet it would involve lots of baksheesh at best..

 

[Red Sea Shadow]

Tiran and Sharm local sites are OK without visa.

Ras Mohamed, Dunraven or Thistlegorm need a full Egyptian visa. You were lucky no body checked.

 

[diverLux]

Tigerman, thank you for your prompt reply. I checked the invoice from my dive operator and indeed the have charged me € 5 per dive day to R.M. I see there is no charge for the Tiran dive day.
So I should be clear, surely the Rangers/Police can't stop me now ?
(Oh, I know how baksheesh work ! )

 

[diverLux]

R S S,
.... check me where, if at the gate, OK i don't go. On-board the dive boat, why nobody has told me to take a passport nor to buy a visa !

 

[Red Sea Shadow]

R S S,
.... check me where, if at the gate, OK i don't go. On-board the dive boat, why nobody has told me to take a passport nor to buy a visa !

Why nobody has told you neither to take a passport nor to buy a visa is the issue of your dive op. I can't answer for them

The Sinai free stamp is not enough for visiting Ras Mohamed. A full Egyptian visa is required. It's evident. Any dive op working in the area will tell you so.

 

[diverLux]

OK thanks, I will rest the case but I am not convinced, they could easily control this like they do at the land gate.

 

[Tigerman]

OK thanks, I will rest the case but I am not convinced, they could easily control this like they do at the land gate.

Depending on the mood of the police guards at the jetty, they will
Sometimes they just send you off, sometimes theire in a mood and check everyones passports. Most of the times theive just sent me off after finding my name in the manifest.

 

[Red Sea Shadow]

OK thanks, I will rest the case but I am not convinced, they could easily control this like they do at the land gate.

The land gate receives like 50 ~ 100 car per day. The jetty hosts around 750 boats going to different destinations, some of which require visa and some don't. It's not as easy