Egypt is one of the oldest civilizations in the world, with unified kingdoms dating back as far as year 3000 BC, the time of the Pharaohs. The country links northeast Africa with the Middle East and houses thousand-year-old monuments, such as Giza’s enormous Pyramids (one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World), the Sphinx, and the ancient tombs filled with hieroglyphs.

However, most of the people who want to visit these breathtaking ancient sites will have to apply for an Egypt Visa. Fortunately, for many, the Egyptian government has made the process of obtaining a visa easier.

Do I Need a Visa for Egypt?

Yes, unless you are from one of the countries listed below, you must have a visa before you enter Egypt. However, many nationals are eligible to get a visa online or on arrival, which makes the process less time-consuming.

Nationals of the following countries are eligible to enter Egypt without a visa for stays of up to 90 days (except where stated otherwise):

• Bahrain
• Hong Kong
• Kuwait
• Lebanon
  • If you’re traveling by a charter flight, you can only enter through Borg El Arab Airport, Hurghada Airport or Sharm el-sheik Airport
• Macao
• Oman
• Saudi Arabia
• United Arab Emirates
• Malaysia (for stays of up to 14 days)

Other Egypt visa-exemptions

You may also be exempt from an Egypt visa if you are from one of the following countries and you fulfill certain conditions:

• Afghanistan – only if you are 50 years of age and over or 16 years of age and under
• Algeria – only if you are under 14 years of age
• China – only if you have a return or onward flight ticker as well as a reservation in a 4 or 5-star hotel and USD 2000 (or the equivalent in another currency).
• Libya – only if you are a woman or a resident of the Butnan District on Sundays and Mondays
• Jordan – if you have an ordinary 5-year passport which is not stamped by the Jordanian Registration Office on the back cover
• Lebanon – only if you are 50 years of age and over or 16 years of age and under (for Alexandria and South Sinai all ages can enter visa-free)
• Morocco – only if you are 14 years of age and under
• Sudan – only if you are 50 years of age and over or 16 years of age and under or you are a female national
• South Sudan – only if you are 50 years of age and over or 16 years of age and under or you are a female national
• Tunisia – only if you are 14 years of age and under
• Yemen – only if you are 50 years of age and over or 16 years of age and under or you are traveling for medical purposes
• Palestine – you have a travel document issued by Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, or Syria and you are over 40 years of age or under 18 years of age

Additionally, you are also exempt from an Egypt visa if you:

• Are traveling as part of a tourist group consisting of at least 5 people, have a return ticket, reserved accommodation, and a signed letter of guarantee from a travel agency and you are from one of the following countries:
  • Azerbaijan
  • Barbados
  • Belize
  • China
  • Costa Rica
  • El Salvador
  • Guatemala
  • Honduras
  • India
  • Jordan
  • Kazakhstan
  • Lebanon
  • Moldova (excluding women between the ages of 15 and 35)
  • Nicaragua
  • Russia
  • Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  • Turkey
• You are the child of an Egyptian father (unless you are from Syria, Iraq, Yemen, or Qatar)
• You are the child of an Egyptian mother born after 25 July 2004 (unless you are from Syria, Iraq, Yemen, or Qatar)
• You are a woman married to an Egyptian man (unless you are from Syria, Iraq, Yemen, or Qatar)

Countries who need pre-clearance to apply for an Egypt visa

If you are from one of the countries listed below, before you can apply for an Egypt visa at a consulate, you must receive pre-clearance from the Egyptian State Security Authorities:

• Iran
• Iraq
• Kazakhstan
• Kosovo
• Lebanon
• Mauritania
• Somalia
• Sri Lanka
• Syria
• Yemen

Egypt Tourist Visa

The Egypt tourist visa is a type of Egypt visa issued for short-term purposes – up to 90 days maximum. Nationals of the countries listed above are exempt from applying for an Egypt tourist visa prior to travel, but they still have to obtain a visa if they want to stay long-term.

Additionally, nationals from several other countries are eligible to obtain an Egypt Tourist Visa upon arrival to Egypt or online.

Note: Those who are eligible to get an Egypt Tourist Visa On Arrival or Online still have to apply at an Egyptian embassy or consulate if they want to stay in Egypt long-term.

Who is Eligible for an Egypt Visa On Arrival?

Citizens of all countries except the ones listed below can get an Egypt Visa On Arrival:

Additionally:

• Turkey passport holders can get an Egypt Visa On Arrival if they are 45 years of age and above or 18 years of age and below
• Sudan passport holder can get an Egypt Visa On Arrival if they have a residence permit issued by Australia, Canada, USA, or an EU Member State
• Resident Permit holders issued by a GCC Member State can get an Egypt Visa On Arrival if they have at least six more months left on the residence permit

Applying for an Egypt Visa On Arrival

If you are from one of the countries eligible for an Egypt Visa On Arrival, you have to obtain the visa after you arrive in Egypt, but before you pass through immigration. You can get a Visa On Arrival at one of the visa-issuing counters at Egyptian entry ports.  You must pay the Egypt visa fee in exact change.

However, many of the travelers who are eligible for a Visa On Arrival still choose to obtain the Egypt visa before they travel. That’s because all of the nationals who are eligible for the VOA are also eligible to apply for an Egypt visa online, and the online process offers more security due to the fact you know that your visa has been approved before you make any travel plans.

Who can get an Egypt Visa Online?

You can get an Egypt Visa Online before you travel if you are from one of the following countries:

The Egypt government launched the Egypt eVisa in 2017, as a way of allowing foreigners to obtain a visa in an easier way before they travel to Egypt.

Applying for an Egypt Visa Online (e-Visa)

You have to apply for an Egypt e-Visa at least seven days before you intend to travel. You must apply through this website, which operates under the Egyptian Ministry of Interior.

• Create an account. You will receive a confirmation code on your email address.
• Enter the traveling information (visa type, arrival and departure dates, etc)
• Attach the scanned copy of your passport
• Pay the Egypt eVisa fee through a credit or debit card
• Wait for the visa to be processed

If your Egypt eVisa is approved, you will receive an electronic visa which you must print and show it at the entry point in Egypt.

When you travel to Egypt, you must also have the following with you:

• Your passport, which is valid for at least six more months
• The printed Egypt e-Visa
• A travel itinerary
• Hotel reservation or a tour agenda, if you’re traveling as a tourist
• A letter of invitation from a host or company/organization in Egypt (if applicable)

Applying for an Egypt Visa at an Embassy or Consulate

Anyone who is not exempt from Egypt visa requirements and who is not eligible to receive an Egypt Visa On Arrival or online has to apply through an Egyptian embassy or consulate in their country or a neighboring country.

The exact application changes depending on which country’s embassy or consulate you have submitted your visa application. However, an outline of the Egypt visa application process is as follows:

• Contact the Egyptian embassy or consulate to set up an appointment
• Complete the Egypt Visa Application Form. You can get the application form at the embassy/consulate offices
• Gather the required documents
• Pay the Egypt visa fee*
• Submit the documents and application at the Egyptian embassy/consulate. Check with them regarding the submission process, since some offices require you to submit the documents in person, whereas others also allow submissions through the mail.
• Wait for the visa to be processed
• Pick up your passport (or have it mailed back to you) with the visa affixed, if the application is approved.

*Regarding payment of the visa fee, you may have to pay it prior to applying through bank transfer or at the actual visa counter at the embassy/consulate in cash. Check with the Egyptian embassy or consulate for the specific visa fee requirements. See the list of Egypt visa fees below.

The consulate/embassy may also require an interview if they see fit.

Note: You also have to apply for your Egypt visa at an Egyptian embassy or consulate if you are from a visa-exempt country, or you are eligible for the e-Visa or VOA, and you want to stay in Egypt long-term.

Egypt Visa Requirements

When you apply for an Egypt visa, you need several documents to support your application, such as:

• The Egypt Visa application form (two copies)
• Two passport-size pictures of yourself (2inch x 2inch, white background, taken recently)
• Your passport, valid for at least six more months from the date of entry in Egypt and with at least two blank pages
• Two photocopies of the personal information page of your passport
• If you are not a citizen of the country from which you’re applying: Your residence permit or other proof of legal residence
• Proof of a return or onward travel ticket
• Proof of accommodation in Egypt
• If you’re traveling for business: A Letter of Invitation from the company which is hosting you
• Proof of payment of the visa fee
• If you apply by mail, also include a self-addressed and prepaid envelope so that the Egyptian embassy/consulate can return your passport and documents

Please note: This is not a complete list of documents you may have to provide for an Egypt visa application. The exact required documents depend on the purpose of your travel as well as the embassy or consulate in which you apply.

Egypt visa processing time

The processing time for an Egypt visa changes depending on the method of application. If you apply for the Visa On Arrival, you will receive it (or have your application be rejected, as it is) right there.

The Egypt e-Visa is processed in about seven days, which is why it is advisable to apply at least seven days before you intend to travel.

If you’re applying through an embassy or consulate, the processing time changes depending on the specific office. In most cases, it takes at least 10 working days, so make sure to apply well before you intend to travel, but no earlier than three months.

If you apply by mail, also take into consideration the time it will need for the documents to be mailed back and forth.

Duration of an Egypt Visa

The duration of an Egypt visa depends on the number of entries it allows. As such:

• Egypt Visa On Arrival and e-Visa are valid for 90 days from the date of issue. They’re valid for one single entry and allow you to remain in Egypt for a maximum of 30 days.
• Single-entry Egypt tourist visas are valid for 6 months and allow you to stay in Egypt for a maximum of 60 days
• Multiple-entry Egypt tourist visas are valid for 6 months and allow you to stay in Egypt for a maximum of 90 collective days

Can you extend an Egypt Tourist Visa?

You may be able to extend an Egypt tourist visa (short-term visa) for an additional 90 days at the Egypt Passport and Immigration Administration.  You need a copy of your passport, your Egypt visa, and enough money to pay for the processing fee.

Do I need an Egypt Transit Visa?

Whether you need an Egypt Transit visa depends on the duration of your transit. As such:

• If your transit is less than six hours: You do not need a transit visa, but you are not allowed to leave the airport
• If your transit is 6 – 48 hours, you may leave the airport and visit the surrounding areas. You must show your valid passport and proof of onward travel.
• If your transit will be longer than 48 hours, you have to get the relevant visa

Submitting an Egypt Visa application from the UK

As a UK national, you are eligible to apply for an Egypt visa online or get it upon arrival. You can also get an Egypt visa if you apply through one of the consulates of Egypt in the UK.

You can apply online through this website at least seven days before you intend to travel. If you opt for getting the Egypt visa upon arrival, you have to line up at one of the visa-issuing counters at the Egyptian airport before you clear immigration.

If you want to travel to Egypt for long-term purposes, you have to get a visa at the embassy or consulate.

See a more detailed explanation of the application for an Egypt e-Visa or Visa On Arrival above.

Do US citizens need a visa for Egypt?

Yes, US citizens do need to have a visa if they want to enter Egypt. However, as a US citizen, you are eligible to apply for an Egypt visa online or on arrival at the port of entry in Egypt without having to visit an embassy or consulate.

Please see the application process for an Egypt Visa On Arrival and e-Visa detailed above.

Egypt Visa fees

For the eVisa and Visa On Arrival, which are issued for tourism purposes, the fees are as follows:

• Single-entry visa: 25$
• Multiple-entry visa: 60$

When applying at an Egypt embassy or consulate, the Egypt visa fee costs are as follows:

Holders of diplomatic or official passports and UN Laissez-Passer do not have to pay an Egypt visa fee.

Note: Fees may change depending on the consulate or embassy, so it is advisable to check with them first.

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