About the Australian Embassy in Egypt
Dr Axel Wabenhorst, Ambassador to Egypt, Sudan and Eritrea
Ambassador Wabenhorst is a senior career officer with extensive experience in the Middle East.
Before being appointed as Ambassador to Egypt, Sudan and Eritrea, Ambassador Wabenhorst was Chargé d’Affaires in Kabul (2021) and Australia’s first resident Ambassador to Qatar (July 2016 – July 2019). He has previously served as Deputy Head of Mission in Tehran, with earlier postings to Riyadh and Baghdad.
In Canberra, Ambassador Wabenhorst has served as Director in the Afghanistan and Regional Branch; Director in the Arms Control and Counter-Proliferation Branch; the DFAT Liaison Officer at the Australian Headquarters Joint Operations Command; and Director, UN Security Council Taskforce.
Ambassador Wabenhorst holds a BSc (Hons) majoring in Pure Mathematics from Monash University and a DPhil in Computer Science from Oxford University. He speaks Arabic, German and Farsi.
Embassy Contact Information
Address: World Trade Centre 11th Floor, 1191 Corniche El Nil, Boulaq, Cairo
Tel: +202 2770 6600
Fax: +202 2770 6650
Email: [email protected]
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Opening Hours
The Embassy is open from 8:00am to 4:30pm Sunday to Wednesday and from 8:00am to 1:30pm on Thursday. The Embassy is closed on public holidays (see below).
The Embassy works on an appointment basis for all notarial services and passport applications. Click on the link below to book your own appointment: Book Appointment
Consular Assistance
If you are an Australian citizen requiring urgent consular assistance please call our 24 hour emergency centre on +61 2 6261 3305, SMS +61 421 269 080 or call 1300 555 135 (from within Australia).
Public Holidays
In 2025 the Embassy will be closed on the following days:
1 January (Wednesday) New Years Day
7 January (Tuesday) Coptic Christmas
30 March (Sunday) Eid El Fitr
31 March (Monday) Eid El Fitr1 April (Tuesday) Eid El Fitr
20 April (Sunday) Coptic Easter Sunday
21 April (Monday) Sham El Nessim**
8 June (Sunday) Eid Al Adha
9 June (Monday) Eid Al Adha
3 July (Thursday) in lieu of 30 June Revolution Day
24 July (Thursday) in lieu of 23 July Revolution Day
4 September (Thursday) Prophet Mohammed’s Birthday
9 October (Thursday) In lieu of Armed Forces Day**
25 December (Thursday) Christmas Day
** These days, could be changed based on the Prime Minister’s decree number 1249 for year 2020
N.B Islamic feasts and prayers for both Eid El Fitr and Eid El Adha are calculated astronomically based on sighting of the moon.
In 2026 the Embassy will be closed on the following days:
1 January (Thursday) New Year Day
7 January (Wednesday) Coptic Christmas
25 January (Sunday) National Police Day**
22 March (Sunday) Eid El Fitr
12 April (Sunday) Coptic Easter Sunday
13 April (Monday) Sham El Nessim**
26 May (Tuesday) Eid Al Adha Eve
27 May (Wednesday) Eid Al Adha
28 May (Thursday) Eid Al Adha
16 June (Tuesday) Hijri New Year
30 June (Tuesday) 30 June Revolution Day**
23 July (Thursday) Revolution Day**
25 August (Tuesday) Prophet Mohammed’s Birthday
6 October (Tuesday) Armed Forces Day**
** These days, could be changed based on the Prime Minister’s decree number 1249 for year 2020
N.B Islamic feasts and prayers for both Eid El Fitr and Eid El Adha are calculated astronomically based on sighting of the moon.
Vacancies
Senior Consular and Passports Officer Vacancy
The Australian Embassy in Cairo is looking to recruit an energetic a pro-active individual on a fixed term (non-ongoing) contract to work as a Senior Consular and Passports Officer within the Consular and Passports Services section of the Embassy.
The successful candidate will have demonstrated ability and experience in providing client services, coupled with excellent written and oral communication skills in Arabic and English and an ability to apply judgement and work in a team environment. The candidate will possess excellent interpersonal skills and can work under pressure with limited supervision and meet deadlines quickly and accurately.
Recruitment decisions are merit-based. The Australian Embassy does not discriminate against applicants on the grounds of gender, age, race, ethnicity, religion, or disability.
Gross monthly salary: EGP 61,428.98.
Key responsibilities of the position include but are not limited to:
- Provide consular services to Australians in Egypt and other countries of accreditation in accordance with the Consular Services Charter, the Australian Privacy Act and other departmental guidelines in circumstances that may include hospitalisation, arrest, imprisonment, death, welfare, whereabouts, or a crisis situation.
- Provide a range of passport services, including client interviews for Australians in Egypt and countries of accreditation in accordance with the Australian Passports Act and departmental guidelines
- Perform a range of notarial services consistent with Australian legislation and guidelines
- Provide timely advice and reporting on consular, notarial, and passport matters, including updates to the Embassy’s Crisis Action Plans and Travel Advisories.
- Supervise and mentor the Consular and Passport Support Officer across the range of consular, passport and notarial services
- Establish, strengthen, and maintain a strong network of key contacts across the region, including with local authorities, including immigration and emergency services organisations, in relation to consular and/or passport matters·
- Manage diplomatic visa requests for officers being posted to Australia from Egypt and countries of accreditation.
- Develop and update consular and passport content for the Embassy website and social media platforms.
- Maintain consular and passport related databases and filing systems. Reconcile passport revenue when required in line with relevant financial management guidelines.
- Provide consular assistance to Papua New Guinea citizens and process visa applications to PNG.
- Provide other administrative and operational support within the Embassy, including outside of regular business hours, as required.
Selection Criteria:
- Demonstrated senior level experience working in client services or a similar area. Prior experience in consular and passport services an advantage
- Ability to communicate professionally and sensitively with clients and authorities, including difficult or distressed clients.
- Demonstrated ability to prioritise to meet deadlines, problem solve, think strategically, and apply judgement and discretion to achieve results.
- Excellent communication skills including fluency in written and oral English and Arabic.
- Ability to apply relevant guidelines, policies, and legislation to complex situations
- Sound knowledge of local laws and customs, government agencies, local authorities, legal and social services in Egypt or the ability to acquire this knowledge including for countries of accreditation
- Demonstrated organisation and time management skills with the ability to manage multiple tasks with limited supervision while maintaining a high level of attention to detail.
- Strong IT skills, including an understanding of social media and other communication platforms.
Applying for the position
Applications should comprise of the following three components:
- a Curriculum Vitae (CV) outlining personal details, relevant work experience, educational qualifications, and skills (maximum two pages)
- contact details for two referees, one of which is recent/current supervisor.
- a pitch of up to 500 words outlining your skills, experience and qualifications makes you the best person for the job.
Complete applications are submitted by emailing the HR Manager at [email protected]
Applications close Sunday 7 December 2025 at 16:30 hrs.