Qatari nationals will no longer be able to obtain Egyptian visas on arrival at Cairo airport starting Thursday (July 20th), Egypt's Ahram Online reported.
Diplomats from the Gulf state will also have to obtain visas in advance from Egyptian missions abroad, according to state news agency MENA.
Exceptions to the new procedures include wives, husbands and children of Egyptian nationals, as well as Qatari nationals who are studying at Egyptian public universities.
Those in the exempted groups will be given three-month tourist visas and will be asked to legalise their status inside the country with the Passports Authority.
Qataris wishing to enter Egypt were previously able to obtain an on-arrival visa at their port of entry. However, a recent spike in tensions between Egypt and Qatar has led to a change in visa rules.
On June 5th, four Arab states--Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt-- severed diplomatic relations and transportation links with Qatar, accusing it of supporting Islamist militants and Iran, charges that Doha has denied.
A number of other Arab and Muslim countries have followed suit.
Egypt has delegated the Greek embassy in Doha to take on the diplomatic representation of Egypt in Qatar.
