VISA REQUIREMENTS

Important Notice: Regulations are changing on a regular basis by different governments. As a Traveller, you are responsible for checking the requirements of entry into Egypt. We cannot be a liable for changes in visa regulations, so it is recommended that you check with your government in regards to the Egyptian diplomatic mission, to ensure you have all the required paperwork for travel.

There are 2 types of Egyptian Visa:

Residence Visa: is required for any foreigner arriving in Egypt for purposes other than tourism, e.g., work, study, etc. The possession of a valid entry visa is needed to complete the residence procedure in Egypt.

Tourist Visa: is usually valid for a period not exceeding one month granted on either single or multiple entry bases.

Citizens travelling from approximately 75 countries can obtain an Egypt visa on arrival for a US$ 25 fee for a single entry and US$ 60 for multiple entries (must be paid in cash—British pounds, US dollars, and Euros are accepted).

Tourist visa is simply a stamp (like a mail or postage stamp) that you can buy from the visa office located in the arrival hall, at the port of entry, just before the immigration booth; you can’t really miss it! You just stick in an empty page on your passport. Don’t worry; it’s so easy! Once you have bought your visa you then stand in line to get your passport stamped by the immigration officer.

Egypt Entry Visa is valid only for travel within three months from the date of issue and is valid only for One- month stay in Egypt, beginning on the date of arrival. Also, visas can be obtained from Egyptian consulates located in different countries. If you have a reason to extend your stay, you can do that from the Ministry of Interior Affairs in Egypt after declaring the reasons for that and their acceptance for those reasons.

International checkpoints where you can get a visa on arrival for Egypt:

Cairo International Airport, Cairo

Hurghada International Airport, Hurghada

St Catherine International Airport, St Catherina

Borg El Arab International Airport, Alexandria

Sharm El Sheikh International Airport

Luxor Airport International Airport

Online visa application:

Foreign nationals who are eligible for Entry Visa upon arrival can also get an online (Electronic) Visa. By getting the e-Visa before departure, passengers can travel with greater peace of mind and avoid queues on arrival at the airport. Visas are granted to eligible travelers for tourism. These visas do not correspond to work or student visas. Only single-entry Egypt visas are available on arrival. Travelers who require a multiple-entry visa should apply online.

The E-Visa for Egypt is accepted at air, land, and sea borders. Passengers can head straight to border control at the airport.

Travelers who meet each of these requirements can proceed with the online visa application for Egypt:

• Be a national of an eligible country (See below list)
• Hold a passport valid for at least 6 months beyond the arrival date
• Be visiting Egypt for a maximum of 30 days
• Travel to Egypt for tourism only

International tourists who meet the requirements can apply for an Egypt tourist e-Visa in 3 steps:

• Fill out the electronic visa application form
• Pay E-Visa fees
• Receive the approved visa by email
• Travelers must print the approved Egyptian visa ready to present to immigration officials.

The first step is to fill out the visa application form online. Applicants can complete the E-Visa form from a smartphone, tablet, laptop, or another electronic device from anywhere in the world.

Basic personal details, passport data, and travel information must be completed, including:

• Name, date of birth, nationality
• Passport number, issue date, expiry date
• Contact details, including an email address
• Date of arrival and departure
• Accommodation details in Egypt
• Applicants should check the information carefully before proceeding.
• The only document travelers need to apply for their Egypt e-Visa is a valid passport from an eligible country.

The process is 100% electronic, paperwork does not need to be presented in person at an embassy. Egypt visa processing usually takes 1 to 4 business days, applicants should allow at least a week.

Difference between Egypt e-Visa and Visa on Arrival

The main difference between the tourist visa on arrival and the electronic visa is that e-Visa applicants obtain the permit online, in advance. Travelers who opt for the visa on arrival wait until they arrive in Egypt to apply.

For greater peace of mind, many tourists prefer to arrange their visa before travelling. Foreigners are not guaranteed a visa on arrival.

It is also a convenient choice given that the application can be completed and submitted from home, rather than at the airport.

Both the E-Visa and the visa on arrival allow the holder to stay in Egypt for up to 30 days. Single and multiple-entry online visas are available. Only single-entry visas are issued on arrival.

One other difference is that, as mentioned above, the visa on arrival fee must be paid in cash. Electronic visa applicants pay securely online by card.

Citizens of the following countries are eligible to get entry Visa upon arrival or to apply for an Egypt e-Visa:

Albania – Algeria, Argentina  – Armenia – Australia – Austria – Azerbaijan – Bahrain – Belarus – Belgium – Bolivia – Brazil – Bulgaria – Canada – Chile – Colombia – Croatia – Cyprus – Czech Republic , Denmark – Ecuador – Estonia – Finland – France – Georgia – Germany – Greece – Hong Kong – Hungary – Iceland – Ireland – Italy – Kazakhstan – Japan – Kuwait – Latvia – Lithuania – Luxembourg – Macedonia – Malta – Mexico – Moldova – Monaco – Montenegro – Netherlands – New Zealand – Norway – Oman – Paraguay – Peru – Poland – Portugal – Qatar – Romania – Russia – San Marino – Saudi Arabia – Serbia – Singapore – Slovakia – Slovenia – South Africa – South Korea – Spain – Sweden – Switzerland – Taiwan – The Vatican – Ukraine – United Arab Emirates – United Kingdom – United States – Uruguay – Venezuela.

GCC residents:

Passengers with a valid residence permit issued by a GCC Member State can obtain a visa on arrival (25 USD) valid for a maximum stay of 30 days. The residence permit must be valid for a minimum of 6 months from the arrival date.

Submit Electronic Visa Application from here

Important Notes:

• Tourists from many of the countries listed do not need a visa if travelling to one of the Sinai Red Sea resorts of Sharm El Sheikh, Dahab, Nuweiba or Taba. A free entry permission stamp is issued, allowing a maximum stay of up to 14 days in the area. However, travelers who wish to leave the Sinai resorts and visit the rest of the country need to apply for a visa.

• Visitors entering Egypt at the overland border post at Taba, to visit the Gulf of Aqaba coast and St. Catherine’s, can be exempt from requiring a visa and be granted a free residence permit, valid for fourteen days, to visit the area.

• Those in possession of a residence permit, in Egypt, are not required to obtain an entry visa if they leave the country and return to it within the validity of their residence permit, or within six months, whichever period is less.

I am staying in a resort in the Sinai; can I visit Cairo or Luxor?

Though many nationalities are exempt from requiring a visa for the many Sinai resorts, a full tourist visa is required if you come to any place in Egypt that lies to the west of the Red Sea/Suez Canal.

I am staying in a resort in Hurghada, can I visit Cairo or Luxor?

Though many nationalities are exempt from requiring a visa for staying in Hurghada, once you leave the confines of the town a full tourist visa is required.

I am going to visit Jordan and/or Israel; will I require a visa when coming back to Egypt?

Yes, as soon as you leave Egypt your visa will be stamped and so you will require another one. If you are from a country that can get their visa upon arrival in Egypt, you can get the new one when you re-enter the country, but if you require a pre-entry visa you should apply for 2 of these, using the second one when you re-enter Egypt.

Can my tourist visa be extended to more than one month?

A tourist visa can be extended if required. To do this you have to apply to Mogamma in Tahrir Square, or to the equivalent offices in Alexandria, Luxor or Sharm El-Sheikh