Egypt Travel Alert

Based on an assessment of the security situation in Egypt, the Department of State lifted the ordered
departure status for U.S. Embassy personnel on November 6, 2013. The State Department
lifted ordered departure status for U.S. Consulate General Alexandria on December 16, 2013.
However, Consulate General personnel are based out of the U.S. Embassy in Cairo while required
facility security upgrades are made.
Political unrest, which intensified after the July 2013 change of government, is likely to continue in
the near future. Demonstrations have on numerous occasions resulted in violent clashes between
security forces and protesters and between protesters supporting rival factions, some of which have
resulted in deaths and injuries to those involved and in property damage. Participants have
generally thrown rocks, and Molotov cocktails, with security forces responding with tear gas.
However, police on occasion have used live ammunition as a crowd control measure and in response
to live ammunition used by demonstrators against police. Most violent protests have occurred in
major metropolitan areas, including Cairo and its suburbs, Alexandria, and Port Said. Gender-
based violence in and around protest areas, where women have been the targets of sexual assault,
poses an ongoing concern. There has been a recent and notable increase in the use of explosive
devices to target police or other government institutions or individuals, which have resulted in
casualties and damage to infrastructure. Additionally, police officers have frequently been the
targets of drive-by shootings that endanger bystanders as well.
The security situation in Sinai, particularly in the north and including the major east-west coastal
highway and the towns of El Arish, Shaykh Zuwayd, El Gorah and Rafah, has been marked by
ongoing violent attacks on Egyptian security personnel and by continuing, and frequently intense,
security operations against the sources of violence. The Rafah gate from Egypt into Gaza is
frequently closed, stranding travelers on both sides of the border. On February 16, 2014 a bomb
was detonated on a tourist bus, killing four persons in Taba, a Sinai resort near the Israeli
border. The U.S. Department of State strongly urges U.S. citizens to avoid travel to North Sinai
and to carefully monitor local security developments and Department guidance when planning travel
to anywhere in the Sinai Peninsula or to other major tourist sites on the Red Sea or in the Nile
Valley.
The U.S. Department of State strongly urges U.S. citizens to avoid all demonstrations in Egypt, as
even peaceful ones can quickly become violent, and a foreigner could become a target of harassment
or worse. On June 28, 2013, a U.S. citizen was killed during a demonstration in Alexandria.
U.S. citizens have also been arrested and deported for proximity to demonstrations and for taking
pictures of demonstrations, police and military. Foreign journalists, credentialed or not, have
also been increasingly targeted by both security forces and Egyptian citizens while attempting to
cover demonstrations or gain access to restricted areas. Several have been detained for
prolonged periods as a result of their activities, and others have been subjected to verbal or physical
assault by citizens suspicious about the reason for their presence.
Because of the proximity of the U.S. Embassy to Tahrir Square and other demonstration locations in
Cairo, the U.S. Embassy has sometimes been closed to the public on short notice due to violent
protests. The Embassy will notify U.S. citizens as quickly as possible of any closing and the
types of emergency consular services that will be available. Should security forces block off the
area around the U.S. Embassy during demonstrations, U.S. citizens should contact the American
Citizens Services section before attempting to come to the U.S. Embassy during that time. U.S.
citizens are urged to remain alert to local security developments and to carry identification and, if
moving about alone, a cell phone or other means of communication that works in Egypt.
The U.S. Embassy restricts its employees and their family members from traveling to specific areas
listed in the Country Specific Information Sheet, and advises all U.S. citizens to do the same.
Depending on the current security situation, the U.S. Embassy may also restrict the movements of
its employees and their families within Cairo itself. We continue to urge U.S. citizens to stay
current with media coverage of local events and be aware of their surroundings at all times.
Please check our Country Specific Information Sheet for further security guidance. Remain alert to
local security developments and be vigilant regarding your personal security; know the locations of
police and fire stations, hospitals, and the U.S. Embassy.
Unless otherwise indicated in a public announcement, the U.S. Embassy is open for all routine
American Citizens Services by appointment. U.S. citizens needing emergency assistance do not
need an appointment. Visit the Embassy website to check the latest changes to Embassy hours
or services. U.S. citizens with routine phone inquiries may call the Embassy's American Citizens
Services section at 2797-2301, Sunday to Thursday from 9:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. For emergencies
after business hours and on weekends and holidays, U.S. citizens can contact the Embassy Duty
Officer via the Embassy switchboard on 2797-3300. The U.S. Embassy is closed on U.S. federal
holidays. U.S. citizens in Egypt are encouraged to enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment
Program (STEP). By enrolling, U.S. citizens make it easier for the Embassy to contact them in
case of emergency.
For the latest security information, U.S. citizens traveling abroad should regularly monitor the
Department of State's Internet website where the Worldwide Caution, Country Specific Information
for Egypt, Travel Warnings, and Travel Alerts can be found. Follow us on Twitter and the
Bureau of Consular Affairs page on Facebook as well.
Up-to-date information on security can also be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll free in the
United States and Canada, or, for callers outside the United States and Canada, a regular toll line at
1-202-501-4444. These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time,
Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).
The U.S. Embassy in Egypt is located at 5 Tawfik Diab Street (formerly known as Latin America
Street), Garden City, Cairo. For emergencies after business hours and on weekends and
holidays, U.S. citizens can contact the Embassy Duty Officer via the Embassy switchboard on 2797-
3300.