Egypt, Sudan reach agreement over citizens’ residency in both countries
Have we ended our spat with Sudan? Egypt and Sudan have reached an agreement regarding their citizens’ residency, freedom of movement, and visa costs, according to Ahram Online. The agreement included Egypt agreeing to return confiscated property to Sudanese miners who were arrested in March 2015, then pardoned by President Abdel Fattah El Sisi in August 2015. Egyptian officials also stressed during the meeting that “any Sudanese person who has been living in Egypt since before 1995 is treated here like an Egyptian citizen.” The agreement also maintains visa exemptions for diplomatic and special passport holders. Meanwhile, “visa exemptions will cover Egyptian and Sudanese citizens who have valid residency in the Gulf, US, Canada, European countries and Australia.” Ahram Online adds that “both sides agreed to provide six-month visas free of charge to male, regular passport holders, which can be renewed for another six months.” Women received a visa exemption. Both sides also agreed to “consider cancelling retroactive fees for people currently residing in either country who have overstayed their visas.”