Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi issued Law No. 16 of 2024 on Thursday, amending certain provisions of the Passport Law. The amendment raises the maximum fee for obtaining a passport to 1,000 Egyptian pounds. It authorizes the Minister of Interior, with the approval of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, to issue a decision specifying the format, specifications, and fees for the passport, not exceeding 1,000 pounds, in addition to the fees established by other laws.
Following President El-Sisi's decision, Minister of Interior Major General Mahmoud Tawfik issued Ministerial Resolution No. 470 of 2024, setting the new fees. The fee for first-time passport issuance is 450 pounds, while the fee for issuing a replacement for a lost or damaged passport is 900 pounds, with additional fees mandated by other laws.
The law aims to adjust the passport issuance fee in light of commitments under international treaties and agreements, which specify how travel documents should be secured, necessitating periodic amendments to the passport security features to ensure greater protection.
The amendment changes the fee stated in Article 8 of the law from 250 pounds to 1,000 pounds. Members of the National Defense and Security Committee in the House of Representatives praised this increase. Committee Chairman Ahmed El-Awadhi and committee member Ahmed Saleh stated that it contributes to achieving financial protection for the state budget by reducing losses resulting from exchange rate fluctuations for issuing electronic passports, aligning with new global standards while providing better security measures and enhancing effectiveness in combating passport fraud.
The first paragraph of Article 8 of the Passport Law, after amendment, states: "The form, validity period, specifications, and fee for the passport shall be determined by a decision from the Minister of Interior, with the approval of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, not exceeding 1,000 pounds, in addition to the fees established by other laws."
