# Visa policy of Egypt

Visitors to Egypt must obtain a visa from one of the Egyptian diplomatic missions unless they come from one of the visa exempt countries or countries that are eligible for visa on arrival.
Visitors must hold passports that are valid for at least 6 months from the date of arrival to Egypt.

## Visa exemption

Nationals of the following countries and territories may visit Egypt without a visa, for a stay up to the duration listed below:
| Bahrain  Kuwait  Oman | Saudi Arabia  United Arab Emirates |
* Hong Kong
* Jordan$^#$
* Macao
$_{#-Mustholdanormal5-yearpassportthatdoesnotcontainastampfromthe"JordanianRegistrationOffice"onthereversesidecoverofthepassportonpage60.Holdersof"T-series"passportsarenoteligibleforvisaexemption,andmustobtainavisabeforeenteringEgypt.}$
* In addition, holders of a United Nations passport do not require a valid visa for up to 90 days.
* In addition, holders of an Interpol passport do not require a valid visa for up to 90 days.

### Conditional visa-free access

In addition, nationals of the following countries in certain age groups and genders may also enter Egypt without a visa, for a stay up to the duration listed below:
* Palestine$^1$
| Libya$^1$ $^2$  South Sudan$^1$ $^3$ | Sudan$^1$ $^3$  Yemen$^4$ |
| Afghanistan$^4$  Algeria$^6$  Lebanon$^5$ | Morocco$^6$  Tunisia$^6$ |
* Palestine$^7$
$_{1-Visaexemptionforfemalenationals.}$ $_{2-Visaexemptionformalenationalsagedbelow18orabove45yearsold.}$ $_{3-Visaexemptionformalenationalsagedbelow16orabove50yearsold.}$ $_{4-Visaexemptionforallnationalsagedbelow16orabove50yearsold.}$ $_{5-Visaexemptionforallnationalsagedbelow16orabove50yearsold.}$ $_{6-Visaexemptionforallnationalsagedbelow14yearsold.}$ $_{7-Visaexemptionformalenationalsagedabove40yearsold.}$

### Sinai resorts visa waiver

According to the Egyptian Consulate General in the United Kingdom citizens of all European Union countries, the United States, and Israel (only through Taba Border Crossing) do not require a visa prior to travelling as a free entry permission stamp will be granted upon arrival if they are travelling to Sharm El Sheikh, Dahab, Nuweiba and Taba resorts only without leaving them and for a maximum of 14 days:
According to Timatic, citizens of all countries may enter Egypt without a visa at Sharm el-Sheikh, Saint Catherine or Taba airports, for a maximum stay of 15 days. This does not apply to citizens of the following 76 countries and territories: Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Benin, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, DR Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kenya, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, St. Kitts and Nevis, Sudan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

### Other visa-free waivers

Furthermore, visa exemption also applies to nationals of the following countries under limited circumstances:
* Israel - 14 days in the Sinai Peninsula if entering through Taba Border Crossing or Sharm El Sheikh International Airport.
* Lebanon - if travelling to Alexandria and South Sinai; and if arriving at Borg El Arab Airport, Hurghada Airport or Sharm el Sheikh Airport on a charter flight.
* Libya - for male nationals who are husbands or children of female Egyptians; for all nationals who hold an "Investment Authority approval" for those entering Egypt for business; and for Libyan students who hold an accreditation certificate or valid Egyptian University ID card for the current academic year.
* Palestine - for male nationals in transit to the Gaza Strip via Rafah Border Crossing if the border crossing at Rafah is confirmed to be open; for male nationals who hold an official invitation issued to participants of international and regional conferences; and for male nationals who hold an "Investment Authority approval" for those entering Egypt for business related to companies or projects in Egypt.
* Qatar - Egypt suspended unconditional visa waivers for Qatari citizens in July 2017. Nevertheless, according to Timatic, Qatari citizens who have received prior approval from the Ministry of Interior of Egypt can enter Egypt without a visa for a maximum stay of 6 months.
* Yemen - for nationals who are husbands, wives or children of Egyptians; and for nationals entering Egypt for medical reasons, provided they hold original supporting documents issued by an accredited Egyptian government hospital and are arriving directly from Yemen.
If travelling as part of an organised tour group that consists of at least 2 people, nationals of Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia who hold a signed guarantee letter from a travel agency, do not require a visa to enter Egypt.
Visa exemption also applies to nationals of Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Myanmar, Pakistan, Philippines and Thailand who are spouses and children of Egyptians. To qualify, a copy of a birth certificate, passport or national ID card of the relative must be presented to prove the relationship.
Visa exemption also applies to sons and daughters born to an Egyptian father (except nationals of Iraq, Syria and Yemen), to an Egyptian mother if born after 25 July 2004 (except nationals of Iraq, Syria and Yemen), and to wives of Egyptian nationals (except nationals of Iraq, Morocco, and Syria). To qualify for these visa exemptions, a copy of a birth certificate, passport or national ID card of the relative must be presented to prove the relationship.

### Non-ordinary passports

Holders of the following diplomatic, official, service or special passports do not require a visa for Egypt:
| Albania$^D$ $^S$  Algeria$^D$ $^O$ $^S$  Angola$^D$ $^S$ $^{Sp}$  Argentina$^D$ $^O$ $^S$ $^{Sp}$  Armenia$^D$  Austria$^D$ $^S$  Azerbaijan$^D$ $^S$  Belarus$^D$ $^O$  Bolivia$^D$ $^O$ $^S$  Bosnia and Herzegovina$^D$ $^S$  Brazil$^D$ $^O$  Chile$^D$ $^O$  China$^D$ $^S$  Colombia$^D$ $^O$ $^S$  Croatia$^D$ $^S$  Cuba$^D$ $^O$ $^S$ $^{Sp}$ | Cyprus$^D$ $^S$  Czechia$^D$ $^S$  Denmark$^D$ $^S$  Djibouti$^D$ $^S$  Ecuador$^D$ $^O$ $^{Sp}$  Gabon$^D$ $^S$  Georgia$^D$ $^S$  Greece$^D$  Guatemala$^D$ $^O$  Guinea$^D$ $^S$  Hungary$^D$  India$^D$ $^O$  Indonesia$^D$ $^S$  Italy$^D$ $^S$  Jordan$^D$ $^S$ $^{Sp}$  Kazakhstan$^D$ | Lithuania$^D$  Libya$^D$ $^O$ $^S$ $^{Sp}$  Malaysia$^D$ $^O$  Malta$^D$  Montenegro$^D$ $^S$  Morocco$^D$ $^O$ $^S$ $^{Sp}$  North Macedonia$^D$ $^O$  Pakistan$^D$  Palestine$^{VIP}$  Paraguay$^D$ $^O$ $^{Sp}$  Peru$^D$ $^O$ $^{Sp}$  Philippines$^D$  Portugal$^D$ $^{Sp}$  Romania$^D$ $^S$  Russia$^D$ $^S$  Serbia$^D$ | Singapore$^D$  Slovakia$^D$ $^S$  Slovenia$^D$ $^O$  South Africa$^D$ $^O$  South Korea$^D$ $^O$  South Sudan* $^D$ $^{Sp}$  Spain$^D$ $^O$ $^S$  Sudan* $^D$ $^O$ $^S$ $^{Sp}$  Tunisia$^D$ $^O$ $^S$ $^{Sp}$  Turkey$^D$ $^S$ $^{Sp}$  Ukraine$^D$ $^S$  Uruguay$^D$ $^O$  Venezuela$^D$ $^S$  Vietnam$^D$  Yemen$^D$ $^S$ $^{Sp}$  Zambia$^D$ |
$_{*-Notvisa-exempt,butmayobtainavisaonarrival.}$ $_{D-Diplomaticpassports}$ $_{O-Officialpassports}$ $_{S-Servicepassports}$ $_{Sp-Specialpassports}$ $_{VIP-VIPpassports}$
Visa exemption agreements for holders of diplomatic, service and special passports were signed with Bulgaria and Burundi, but they have not yet entered into force.

## Visa on arrival

According to Timatic, nationals of the following countries may obtain a visa on arrival in Egypt for stays up to the duration listed below, provided the purpose of entering Egypt is for tourism only:
| Albania  Andorra  Antigua and Barbuda  Argentina  Armenia  Australia  Azerbaijan  Bahamas  Barbados  Belize  Benin  Bhutan  Bolivia  Brazil  Brunei  Canada  Cambodia  Chile  China  Colombia  Costa Rica | Cuba  Dominica  Dominican Republic  Ecuador  El Salvador  Fiji  Georgia  Grenada  Guatemala  Guinea  Guyana  Haiti  Honduras  Iceland  Jamaica  Japan  Jordan  Kazakhstan  Kiribati  Laos  Liechtenstein | Maldives  Marshall Islands  Mexico  Micronesia  Monaco  Mongolia  Nauru  Nepal  New Zealand  Nicaragua  North Korea  North Macedonia  Norway  Palau  Panama  Papua New Guinea  Paraguay  Peru  Russia  Saint Lucia  Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | Samoa  San Marino  São Tomé and Príncipe  Saudi Arabia  Serbia  Seychelles  Singapore  Solomon Islands  South Africa  South Korea  South Sudan  Suriname  Taiwan  Timor-Leste  Tonga  Trinidad and Tobago  Turkey$^#$  Tuvalu  Ukraine  United Kingdom  United States | Uruguay  Vanuatu  Vatican City  Venezuela |
| Belarus | Montenegro |

### Conditional visa on arrival

On 17 December 2020, Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities of Egypt announced, on Twitter, that a decree has been activated that allows tourists holding valid visas from Canada, the US, the UK, or Schengen countries to apply for visa on arrival at airports in Egypt.
According to Timatic, such visas are valid for a maximum stay of 30 days, and that nationals of Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Mali, Niger, Sudan and Yemen are not eligible for visas on arrival under this decree.
Nationals of Iraq are instead eligible for a similar policy, in which they must hold a multiple-entry visa from the US, the UK, or Schengen countries, a confirmed return / onward ticket, a hotel reservation confirmation and proof of sufficient funds to be eligible for a visa on arrival, for a maximum stay of 1 month.
Nationals of Yemen are also eligible for a similar policy, in which they must hold a multiple-entry visa from the US, Schengen countries, or a GCC member state to be eligible for a visa on arrival.

#### Tour groups

If travelling as part of an organised tour group that consists of at least 2 people, nationals of India who hold a signed guarantee letter from an authorized Egyptian travel agency can obtain a visa on arrival in Egypt.
If travelling as part of an organised tour group that consists of at least 15 people, nationals of Bangladesh, Indonesia, Myanmar, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka and Thailand who hold a signed guarantee letter from an authorized Egyptian travel agency can obtain a visa on arrival in Egypt.
If travelling as part of an organised tour group (arranged by an Egyptian tourism company certified by the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities) that consists of at least 3 people, nationals of Iraq can obtain a visa on arrival in Egypt, valid for a maximum stay of 1 month.
Nationals of Armenia, Georgia, India and Kyrgyzstan can also obtain a visa on arrival for a maximum stay of 1 month, if they hold a "Letter of Guarantee" issued by a local travel agency.

#### Other visa on arrival conditions

Nationals of Algeria, Libya, Morocco and Tunisia who are husbands or wives of a GCC national can obtain a visa on arrival for a maximum stay of 30 days. To qualify for a visa on arrival, they must hold a marriage certificate and travel into and out of Egypt with their spouses.
Nationals of Iraq aged below 16 or above 60 years old can obtain a visa on arrival for a maximum stay of 1 month.

### Egyptian Consulate General in the UK

According to the Egyptian Consulate General in the United Kingdom, citizens of the following countries can obtain a visa upon arrival at any of the Egyptian ports of entry:
| Australia  Canada  Georgia  Japan  New Zealand | North Macedonia  Norway  South Korea  United Kingdom  United States |

## Electronic visa (e-Visa)

Since 3 December 2017, citizens of 46 countries were eligible to apply for tourist or business visas valid for 30 days online through the e-Visa system. 28 countries more were added from July 1, 2021, with North Korea apparently being removed back in 2018.
| Albania  Argentina  Armenia  Australia  Azerbaijan  Bahrain  Belarus  Bolivia  Bosnia and Herzegovina  Brazil  Canada  Chile | China  Colombia  Ecuador  Georgia  Hong Kong  Iceland  India  Japan  Kazakhstan  Kosovo  Kuwait  Malaysia | Mexico  Moldova  Monaco  Montenegro  New Zealand  North Macedonia  Norway  Oman  Paraguay  Peru  Qatar  Russia | San Marino  Saudi Arabia  Serbia  Singapore  South Africa  South Korea  Switzerland  Taiwan  Ukraine  United Arab Emirates  United Kingdom  United States | Uruguay  Vatican City  Venezuela |

## Authorized visa required

According to the Egyptian Consulate General in the United Kingdom, visitors holding passports of the following countries must apply for a visa in person and a visa approval must be sought for them from the proper authorities in Egypt and takes several weeks to process.
* Afghanistan
* Ethiopia
* Iran
* Israel
* Mali
* Niger
* Palestine

## Transit without a visa

Holders of onward tickets can transit for a maximum time of 48 hours. This is not applicable to nationals of Iran who are required to hold a transit visa. Leaving the airport is permitted for passengers with transit time between 6 and 48 hours.
Passengers with transit time of less than 6 hours may leave the transit area but not the airport. This is not applicable to nationals of Afghanistan, Lebanon, Palestine and Philippines who must remain in the transit area (airside) and must continue by the same or first connecting aircraft.