Egypt Visa Guide

Key takeaways

Egypt visa options at a glance

Egypt offers two main routes for tourist entry: visa on arrival and e-Visa. Both grant the same 30-day stay and conditions — the difference is when and how you apply. A small number of nationalities require a full embassy visa in advance.

Visa on arrival

Citizens of most European, North American, Australian and many other countries can obtain a tourist visa on arrival at Cairo International Airport (Terminals 1 and 2), Hurghada International Airport and Sharm el-Sheikh International Airport.

The process: on arrival, proceed to the bank counter in the arrivals hall before reaching passport control. Pay USD 25 per person in cash (euros and GBP are accepted at variable exchange rates, so USD is cleaner). You receive a visa sticker to paste into your passport, then present it at the immigration desk as normal.

Processing is straightforward and typically takes under 30 minutes. Peak arrival periods — early morning long-haul flights — can add 20–40 minutes to the queue.

e-Visa

Egypt's e-Visa portal allows citizens of eligible countries to apply online before travel. Applications are typically processed within 3–7 business days. The approved e-Visa arrives by email as a PDF — print it and present it alongside your passport at immigration.

The advantage of the e-Visa is having documentation confirmed before departure, which can reduce time at the airport. The cost is similar to the on-arrival fee.

Important: Always use the official government portal for e-Visa applications. Multiple third-party sites mimic the official one and charge unnecessary service fees for the same result.

Eligible nationalities

Visa on arrival is available to citizens of all EU member states, the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, Norway, Switzerland and many others. Some nationalities — including Jordanians and certain Gulf GCC nationals — may enter visa-free.

Nationalities not covered by on-arrival or e-Visa must apply at the Egyptian embassy or consulate in their country. Allow at least two to four weeks for processing.

Entry at land borders

Visa on arrival is generally not available at land border crossings. Travellers entering from Israel (Taba border), Libya or Sudan should confirm current entry procedures with the Egyptian embassy well before travel — conditions at these crossings change separately from airports.

Extending your stay

A standard 30-day tourist visa can be extended to a maximum of six months at the Mogamma building on Tahrir Square in Cairo, or at regional passport offices in Luxor, Aswan and Alexandria. Apply before your current visa expires. Bring your passport, a passport photograph and, at some offices, a letter from your hotel confirming your accommodation.