Almost all travelers require a visa to enter Egypt, but fortunately, the process is pretty simple. A little advanced planning goes a long way. This guide will walk you through the entry requirements for visiting the land of pyramids on a tourist visa.
Who needs to apply for a visa to visit Egypt?
Most nationalities can obtain a visa on arrival at Egypt’s international airports. If you prefer to skip the airport queues and dive straight into exploring, you can apply for your visa online seven days in advance via the Egyptian Government’s official e-Visa portal. All you have to do is fill out the online application form and pay.
Citizens of Bahrain, Hong Kong, Kuwait, Macau, Oman, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates can enter Egypt visa-free for up to 90 days. Citizens of Malaysia can enter for up to 14 days.
Getting an Egyptian visa requires heading to your local embassy or consulate and applying in person for some nationalities. Those countries include: Afghanistan, Algeria, Bangladesh, Burundi, Chad, Comoros, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Kosovo, Lebanon, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Moldova, Morocco, Myanmar, Niger, Nigeria, Tunisia, Pakistan, Palestine, Philippines, Rwanda, Sierra Leone and Somalia. The visa process may take several weeks.
Applying for an e-Visa
Egypt’s e-Visa can be single or multiple entry. The single-entry visa allows visitors one entry where you can stay for up to 30 days. The multiple-entry visa allows visitors enter the country an unlimited number of times over a period of 180 days and for up to 30 days at a time. Apply for a multi-entry visa at least seven days before the trip.
Citizens of these 74 countries are eligible for Egypt’s e-Visa and can apply through the official government online portal. Passports must be valid for at least six months before the intended date of arrival.
The process is pretty simple: sign up, sign in, fill the form and pay the USD$25 online. You’ll receive email notifications as the application is processed.
If you’re issued a visa, you’ll be emailed a link to your e-Visa to download, print and present to the Egyptian border patrol with your passport. Have a copy of your accommodation details or tour bookings in case you’re asked to present them at the airport.
Obtaining a visa on arrival in Egypt
If you don’t have time to apply for an e-Visa, you can still get a visa upon arrival at the airport if you’re eligible. Visas are available for purchase ($25) through a bank kiosk at the arrival hall located before the immigration counters.
Have the correct amount in cash to avoid any unnecessary delays. The visa comes in the form of a stamp that you’ll need to put into your passport to present at the immigration counters and passport control.
If you opt for a visa on arrival, you’ll need a passport that’s valid for at least six months from your arrival date, a travel itinerary and documentation to prove accommodation or any booked tours.
Visa on arrival is available at any of Egypt’s international airports. The only downside is you can only be issued a single entry visa – that, and the lines at the airport can be quite long. You’ll also need to have all the necessary supporting documents on your person in case you’re asked to present them.
It’s important to note that if anything is missing or there’s any problem processing your visa, you may be denied entry and unfortunately may have to return home. Instead, your best option is to apply for an e-Visa through the online portal.
Visa renewal
The process of renewing your tourist visa is very simple. You have to fill in the e-Visa application, answer a few security questions, choose between a single or multiple-entry visa, upload a recent passport-size photo, and pay the required fee.