The decision that matters most is where you will travel. Staying in the permitted South Sinai resorts is different from adding Cairo, Luxor or a Nile cruise. Egypt’s new digital visa-on-arrival system also uses a different process from the established eVisa application, even though both involve payment.
Which Egypt entry option fits your trip?
Start with your nationality, then match the permission to your whole itinerary, including any departure from and return to Egypt.
| Entry option | Best suited to | Fee or main condition |
|---|---|---|
| Single-entry tourist eVisa | Eligible passport holders making visit | US$30; apply before travel |
| Multiple-entry tourist eVisa | Eligible visitors whose itinerary includes leaving Egypt and returning | US$65; follow the validity and stay limits on the approval |
| Tourist visa on arrival | Eligible visitors obtaining their visa at the entry point | Cairo’s digital route is listed at US$36, including a US$6 service fee; see the rollout note below |
| South Sinai resort entry permission | Qualifying short visits limited to the named resort areas | Free; maximum 15 days under Egyptian consular guidance |
| Embassy or consulate visa | Visitors needing advance permission or a route unavailable for their passport | Requirements, processing and fees depend on the applicant and visa type |
Fees and entry arrangements checked on 28 September 2026. The eVisa prices are the government portal’s fees; third-party application services can add their own charges.
If your passport qualifies and you have enough time, applying for an eVisa before departure gives you an approval document to carry and avoids having to purchase that visa after landing. Immigration checks still take place on arrival.
Who can use an eVisa or visa on arrival?
The eVisa eligibility list includes the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, alongside countries such as France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Poland and Japan. Check your exact nationality in the official Egypt eVisa eligibility list, particularly if you hold a travel document or a passport category other than an ordinary national passport.
Visa-on-arrival eligibility is a separate question. Egyptian consular guidance lists UK, EU, US, Canadian, Australian and New Zealand nationals among those eligible, but the application list should not be used as a substitute for the arrival-visa rules.
Residence and nationality are also different. Living in London or holding a US residence permit does not turn your passport into a British or American. Conditional routes may exist, but their supporting documents must be assessed for your circumstances.
If your route is unclear, contact the Egyptian consulate responsible for your place of residence before booking around visa-on-arrival access. Some applicants require advance clearance, which can take substantially longer than a routine tourist application.
How to apply for an Egypt eVisa
Submit your application at least seven days before departure, as required by the official portal. Allowing that interval is not a promise that every application will be approved within seven days.
The application follows a straightforward sequence:
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Create and confirm your account on the government portal.
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Select the visa type and complete the requested passport and trip information.
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Review the details carefully, then pay using an accepted card.
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Wait for the decision, then download and print the approved eVisa.
Use the same passport for the application and your journey. Check names, passport numbers and travel details before paying; a confirmation that payment succeeded is not the approval document.
Single entry suits a holiday that stays within Egypt. Moving between Cairo, Luxor and Hurghada does not create another international entry. Leaving for Jordan and returning to Egypt does, so that itinerary needs permission covering the return.
Read the entry-validity dates and permitted stay separately on your issued document. A window during which you may enter Egypt is not permission to remain for that entire window. Multiple entry describes how you may cross the border; it does not provide unrestricted residence.
Visa on arrival: understand the new QR system
Egypt’s digital visa-on-arrival process lets eligible visitors obtain a QR code through an service, mobile app or airport self-service machine, then present it to immigration. The official visa-on-arrival service is separate from the advance eVisa portal.
Cairo’s digital option began operating in August 2026. UK travel guidance lists the total at US$36, paid by card, including a US$6 digital service fee. Standard tourist visas on arrival permit stays of up to 30 days.
The rollout information is not fully consistent across official sources. Egypt’s Washington embassy gives 1 September 2026 as the date of the nationwide change from airport stickers to QR codes. UK and US travel guidance still describes Cairo’s digital process alongside a US$30 physical visa route elsewhere. If arriving outside Cairo, confirm the current issuing and payment process for that airport before relying on cash or card alone.
Your approved eVisa is an alternative to purchasing a visa on arrival. Present that approval to the appropriate staff rather than buying another visa simply because other passengers are using a QR kiosk.
Use official channels and distinguish the government fee from any optional assistance charge. You do not need an airport agent simply to buy a visa. Our guide to common tourist scams in Egypt covers the wider problem of unsolicited help and unexpected charges.
Can you visit Sharm El Sheikh without a paid visa?
Some visitors can receive a free entry stamp for a short stay limited to Sharm El Sheikh, Dahab, Nuweiba and Taba. Egyptian consular guidance explicitly includes UK, EU and US nationals and sets a maximum of 15 days for this resort-only arrangement. Other passport holders should establish their eligibility before relying on it.
Think of this as permission for a particular resort itinerary. It does not cover a trip across Egypt.
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Sharm El Sheikh resort holiday: the free arrangement may fit if your nationality, arrival route and stay qualify.
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Sharm plus Cairo or Luxor: obtain the appropriate Egyptian visa for the wider journey.
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Hurghada holiday: Hurghada is outside the South Sinai resort arrangement.
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Stay beyond the permit’s limit: arrange the appropriate visa rather than planning around the free stamp.
Check the permission and departure date recorded at entry. If a sightseeing excursion takes you outside the named resort areas, resolve the visa requirement before buying the excursion. An operator’s willingness to sell a tour does not establish immigration permission.
Passport and documents to prepare
Your passport must remain valid for at least six months from arrival under the standard tourist routes covered here. Keep at least blank page available for entry formalities.
Carry your documents together in your hand luggage:
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The passport used for the visa application.
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Your printed, approved eVisa, if entering through that route.
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Accommodation details and your travel itinerary.
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Your return or booking, ready to show if requested.
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Any additional approval or supporting document required for your nationality or visit.
Children travelling on their own passports need their own appropriate entry permission. Special cases involving Egyptian dual nationality, non-standard travel documents or travel without a parent may require additional preparation.
Save bookings and transfer details offline before departure. you arrive, a compatible phone with a Roafly Egypt eSIM can provide mobile data for accessing reservations and contacting your accommodation. Keep the required visa printout even if you also save a digital copy.
Health certificates depend on your route
Yellow fever vaccination proof is required for travellers over nine months old arriving from a country with yellow fever transmission risk, including qualifying airport transits longer than 12 hours. Polio vaccination documentation may also apply to some arrivals. These are route-dependent entry requirements, separate from routine travel vaccination recommendations.
Immigration permission and baggage clearance are separate procedures. Check Egypt’s customs rules for what you plan to carry, especially equipment, medicines or declarable goods.
Transit flights, land borders and ferry arrivals
Remaining in an international transit area and entering Egypt are different situations. Leaving the airport for a hotel or sightseeing requires permission to enter; whether you can remain airside depends on your passport and actual flight arrangements.
Before relying on an airside connection, establish whether your baggage is checked through, whether you must collect it, and whether the transfer involves immigration. Separate tickets can change the practical transfer process.
EGYPTAIR has offered a free transit-visa scheme for qualifying connections and nationalities. Have the airline confirm availability for your booking before building a Cairo stopover around it; a long connection alone does not establish eligibility.
Taba land entry and ferry arrivals from Jordan have their own procedures and possible additional charges. A visa fee quoted for an airport is not necessarily the total border cost. Some journeys from Taba also require supporting arrangements through a travel agency.
Entry permission is part of choosing a border route. Review regional travel advice for Egypt before planning travel near restricted or higher-risk areas.
Extending your stay and avoiding an overstay
If your plans change, approach the Egyptian Passport and Immigration Offices about an extension before your current permission expires. Do not assume that an application automatically grants extra time.
Keep the permitted stay recorded at entry separate from any longer validity printed on your visa. Overstaying can lead to fines and departure difficulties, so resolve an extension through immigration rather than treating an airport fine as a planned way to stay longer.
Before you fly
Make final check that your passport, visa and itinerary agree. Include the date you leave Egypt, any return entry and any excursion beyond the South Sinai resort area.
Keep the approval, accommodation address and travel details accessible without an internet connection. If you are still deciding between airport Wi-Fi, a local SIM and an eSIM, compare the internet options in Egypt before departure.
If you have already decided on an eSIM, our best eSIMs for Egypt comparison helps you compare providers, plans and networks. That is a separate arrival-preparation decision from securing your entry permission.
Frequently asked questions
Do US and UK passport holders need a visa for Egypt?
They normally need a visa for a trip beyond the qualifying South Sinai resort arrangement. Eligible ordinary passport holders can use an advance eVisa or visa-on-arrival route; a short resort-only visit may qualify for the free entry stamp described above.
Can Canadian passport holders apply for an eVisa?
Yes. Canada appears on the official eVisa eligibility list. Use the current portal and the passport you will travel with, rather than relying on older guides describing previous restrictions.
Can I use the free Sharm stamp for a day trip to the pyramids?
No. Cairo and Giza are outside the permitted resort areas. Arrange the appropriate Egyptian visa before making that trip.
Is the visa-on-arrival QR code the same as an eVisa?
No. They use separate systems. The eVisa is an application submitted for approval before travel; the digital arrival route produces the QR code used in the visa-on-arrival process. Both still involve immigration inspection.
Does having a visa guarantee entry?
No. Egyptian border authorities make the final admission decision. Carry the passport and supporting documents relevant to your visa and itinerary.