Quote:
Originally Posted by Georgina
Quote from page 1:
Driving your own Car:
If you’re living here on a long term tourist visa, you can legally drive on a valid international driver’s license for (1) month. If you intend to live here for an extended period of time or have a resident visa, you need an Egyptian driver’s license. To obtain this, you must go to a license office and bring:
Your passport and a valid visa
Your (4) photos – passport size.
A note from both a medical and eye doctor certifying your good health.
A lab report stating your blood type.
A statement from your Embassy confirming your place of residence in Egypt (with Arabic translation).
My friend Diana and I are planning a big trip to Siwa Oasis here N29 12.466 E25 26.098 in her car and I want to get my Egyptian Driving Licence sorted. I am going to the hospital today to get the medical and eye certificates and lap report sorted. Not sure about the statement from the Embassy bit. Has any European tried to get their Egyptian licence in Hurghada recently? My doctor said there is a guy working at the hospital that is a trained lawyer and would be useful to take along to ease the process?
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The story so far.........
Went to the hospital, which by the way was on fire, but plenty of guys running around with buckets of water and the arrival of the fire brigade soon had that under control. (Note smokers: distinguish cigarettes before throwing in bin!.) Had my blood group test done in ten minutes. OK but it is different to what I thought it should be? He said he did it twice and went off to do it again. Same result! Later contacted the Blood Donor people in UK to confirm my group and yes it is different to what they say here. Will get a third opinion!
Had the medical done LE45 no probs. Had the eye test LE45 and he recommended I need glasses for the distance now as well as just for reading. Off to the optician and ordered vari-focal, anti-glare, Italian frames with the progressive sunglass bit when you go in the sun. LE1,454 and they will be ready in about a week.
Met up with a 'lawyer' Friday night in Tamr Henna square for a tea to discuss the paperwork I need to take. Now his English was as good as my Arabic but I think even with perfect English he would have still tried to be as confusing as possible. He said I have to live in a registered property to be able to get a driving license?!? But he still asked for a copy of my contract for my property?!? And the price for this fake piece of paper saying I live in a registered property and everything else for this license will be? Maybe LE500, LE600, Le700, not more than LE1,000! Hmmmmmm. And we have to go at 9am the next morning to spend five hours in Hurghada to get this registered property paper?!? One hour later and still confused as hell and this 'lawyer' with a constant unnerving smile I decided to give up!
Off to the marina party and bumped into an Egyptian friend and told him the tale. He said he had helped another European to get his license and I don't need this registered property paper and he would come with me to the Traffic Police.
So off we went yesterday in my friend Diana's car together with Ahmed. The office is really chaotic with many Egyptians queuing at all the windows outside, well no queuing is the wrong word but squashed in a huddle all trying to get served at the same time and me somewhere in the middle. We then moved inside and were dealt with by a nice lady who took my passport and British driving license. She kept a copy of the passport and my annual tourist visa stamp. She also looked at my contract for my property. We then had to wait a long time to see the 'Chief' who asked Ahmed a few questions about me and requested a copy of my property contract and told us to come back in 2-3 weeks!
To be continued...................................
