Dear Editor,
Why? I really would love to have an answer to that question. We talk about one strong united Arab community and then you face an incident which makes you wonder “what Arab union are you talking about? You must be kidding! And you ask yourself the question why.
I work in a multinational company and have to travel a lot outside the country, once/twice a month, mainly to Europe and North Africa. When I travel to Switzerland I have no problems getting the visa. It takes maybe two or three days and they give it to you with a smile. It is sometimes valid for a year, sometimes for six months and lately for three months.
The last Schengen visa I got from the French Embassy was a multiple entry visa valid for two years.
Now to our brothers, cousins and sisters – our so-called Arab neighbors. As Egyptians we need a visa for nearly every single Arab country we need to enter. Exceptions are Libya, Jordan, Sudan and Syria. Why do I need a visa for the rest? I will speak specifically about Tunisia because that’s where my incident took place.
I’ve been traveling to Tunisia regularly, two-three times a year for the past four to five years for work. I’ve been there twice already in 2008, most recently in April. Every time I go I need a visa and every time I’m refused a multiple entry visa.
But the story doesn’t end there.
I submitted my passport at the embassy two weeks to be able to travel on a business trip yesterday evening. I gave them all the requested documents, invitation and even my old passport which shows how many times I have been to their country. I packed my bag and was getting dressed when I got a call a few hours before my plane takes off saying that my passport is still not ready. Why? They didn’t get the green light from Tunisia to issue the visa. “We’ll do our best to get it for you the tomorrow, I was told.
I tried to talk to them to explain but all in vain. I cancelled my flight, re-booked for the following day in the evening and here I am waiting.
Will someone explain to me why the French Embassy would give me a two-year valid visa and Tunisia would refuse to grant me a single-entry visa. I was going to attend a fair for a couple of days and back. What does Tunisia have that France or any other country in the European Union doesn’t and which will make me not want to return to Egypt. Why do we treat each other that way but at the same time they allow all European citizens to enter their country without a visa.
And then we talk about one Arab nation . it’s the biggest joke ever.
To make a long story short, I was finally able to get my visa on time but only through “connections. I don’t know if I should be happy because I have connections or sad about how badly we Arabs treat each other.
