In February 2016, Egyptian Streets reported on the apparent news that Egyptians could now travel to Colombia without obtaining a pre-arrival visa. While this was welcomed by many who expressed their wishes on social media to visit the South American country, one Egyptian and his German wife discovered that it was not so easy after all. Ali Al Sayed and his wife decided to visit Colombia for their honeymoon, but Ali was refused entry to the country once landing in Colombia for lacking a visa. Ali’s friend, Yehia Darwish, who contacted Egyptian Streets, said that Ali was “kept like an animal without a hotel room nor his passport”. Prior to arrival, Ali and his wife checked with Colombia’s Honorary Consulate in Stuttgart whether Egyptians would require a pre-arrival visa. The Honorary Consulate responded, stating that “Egyptian citizens do not need a tourist visa to travel to Colombia”. Meanwhile, Turkish Airlines, which allowed Ali and his wife to board the plane despite an apparent lack of a visa, responded to a complaint by Ali’s wife, stating that “problems sometimes occur in the airline industry, too.” Airlines have a responsibility to check, prior to boarding,…
Egyptians Traveling to Colombia: Beware, It Turns Out You Do Need a Pre-Arrival Visa
May 6, 2016
