6 February 2008….

Spokesman of the Foreign Ministry, Hassam Zaki, stated that the experimental project for issuing electronic visas for foreigners travelling to Egypt has been launched, in order to ensure the ultimate level of security against counterfeiting, and have accurate statistics on the number of those acquiring entry visas to Egypt and following the visas demands electronically through all the entrances to the Republic.

The Spokesman added that this experimental project, for which Foreign Minister, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, gave his directives, comes within the framework of modernizing  work in the Egyptian missions abroad. It has already been applied in the Egyptian consulate in London, which issues the largest number of visas annually. The Foreign Minister indicated that these measures are to be generalized in all the Egyptian embassies as soon as the London experiment is assessed.

The Spokesman affirmed that the new highly ensured visa, will replace the old system of visas, which was based on the traditional seal, which was easy to forge, whereas the new system has been chosen to provide the ultimate level of security, matching the efficiency of the visas issued by the Western countries water mark and light and can be read electronically through special equipment, to be generalized in all the entry points of the republic.

The Spokesman outlined that the procedure corresponds with President Mubarak's directives to launch the process of issuing  of the new Egyptian electronic passport, at  the ceremony  of celebrating the 25^th Anniversary of Police forces on 25 January.