Thursday, November 11, 2010

Acquiring Egyptian Citizenship

Acquiring Egyptian citizenship is relatively easy for a foreign wife of an Egyptian spouse.



The process.

Go to Mogamma , Tahrir Sq, Downtown, Cairo.
Go to Residency Window on the 1st floor above ground floor.
Husband is required to fill in the application form.

Provide photocopies of:
marriage certificate (in Arabic)
husbands id card
applicants passport info page
page holding 3 or 5 year residency visa
3 photo's
(photocopy machines and photo booth are situated at the entrance to Mogamma on the ground floor)

All of this is handed in along with small fee for stamps.
The Mogamma also need to know your current address and YOU need to alert them if you move address.

In two years the Mogamma will send out by courier a letter reminding you of the application and to return to the Mogamma for the husband to declare that you are still husband and wife and living together. He will sign a document stating this.

Two weeks after this you will attend the Mogamma and collect your blue citizenship card.


With this card you can have Egyptian id and passport issued (see here)
Acquiring Egyptian ID and passport

2 comments:

  1. Thanks for the useful information. Just a question, as an expat spouse, what is the benefit or advantage to having Egyptian citizenship? I wonder if it is more beneficial to not take citizenship? Any advice you have would be greatly appreciated.

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  2. If you live in Egypt the id alone saves a lot of hassle when it comes to government issues. If you don't have id then they ask you for so many documents like passport, birth certificate etc.
    You pass through immigration quicker at airport.
    You get Egyptian rates in tourist sites, museums, pyramids and hotels.
    You get to vote.
    If God forbid you are widowed it is much easier to deal with government issues like inheritance, property etc if you are a citizen.
    You get visa free travel to certain countries.
    You can buy property in Sinai and there are no restrictions on buying property.
    You won't need work permits.
    You don't need visa or resident visa. No more Mogamma.
    Those are the ones I can think of off the top of my head : )

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