This comes almost two weeks after the government announcedtighter visa rules requiring lone travelers to apply for visas at embassiesinstead of on arrival at Egyptian ports of entry, a move that critics saidwould make it more difficult to revive the country's battered tourism industry.
Officials said in mid- March that the system remainsunchanged for tour groups, which can still purchase visas at the airports.Individual foreign tourists would be required to obtain prior visas at Egyptianconsulates abroad, a move officials say is meant at bolstering border security.
The changes were supposed to take effect on May 15, butforeign affairs ministry spokesman Badr Abdel Atty said the date has beendelayed until an electronic system for issuing the visas is set up.
The measure "aims to organize the process of foreignersentering the country within a framework that respects national sovereignty andconsiders national security, without affecting tourism flow rates," theministry said in a statement.
The ministry spokesman said work is underway on the"technical sides" of the electronic visa system, without giving aspecific time frame.
The new regulations had sparked criticism from local and international tour operators and travelers who have longconsidered the visa requirement reasonable.
Reconstruction andDevelopment will visit projects co-financed by loans with the Ministry of CivilAviation during their visit to Egypt in the period from April 26thtill the 30th 2015, including Terminal 2, which is being implementedand its planned for a trial operation before the end of this year which shallbe accommodating 7.5 million passengers annually.