EgyptFamily

Egypt family residence for dependants of foreign residents

Residence for family members of foreign residents

In short

Egypt has no separate family reunification visa; instead, the residence permits of foreign workers, investors, property owners and long-term residents extend to their spouses and children, who apply at the Passports, Emigration & Nationality Administration. The family member’s permit follows the length of the sponsor’s own permit class.

Apply on Ministry of Interior — residence permit appointments checked 23 October 2026

Key facts

Validity
Follows the sponsor’s permit: one, three or five years.
Fee
EGP 533.10One-year non-tourism permit; EGP 1,593.10 for three years and EGP 2,653.10 for five years.
Work
A family residence does not include work; a family member who wants to work needs their own work permit.
Family
Wives and children of workers, investors and property owners; husbands and minor children of foreign women with their own residence; parents of students and investors.
Where to apply
In Egypt, after entering on a visa.

Which relatives can be included

The Ministry of Interior names these groups: wives and children of private and investment-sector employees with a work permit and of public-sector employees; wives and children of real estate owners; wives and children of foreign investors and other five-year residents; wives of foreigners with ordinary residence; wives and children of three-year residents; husbands and minor children of foreign women who hold temporary residence in their own capacity; parents of children studying in Egypt; and parents of investors.

Adult children

Children who reach adulthood can stay in some cases: adult children of three-year, ordinary and special residents if means of living are provided, and adult children holding their own work permit. Otherwise an adult child needs a permit in their own right, such as a study or work residence.

Fees

Each permit is charged at the Ministry of Interior rate for its length: EGP 533.10 for one year, EGP 1,593.10 for three years and EGP 2,653.10 for five years.

How to apply

Family members enter Egypt on a visa suited to their nationality, from the port of entry, the e-Visa portal or an Egyptian mission. The sponsor then books a residence appointment and the family attends the Passports, Emigration & Nationality Administration with the passports, the sponsor’s residence, and the marriage and birth certificates proving the relationship.

  1. Make sure the sponsor holds a valid residence permit in one of the qualifying classes.
  2. Have marriage and birth certificates issued and legalised for use in Egypt.
  3. Family members obtain entry visas and travel to Egypt.
  4. Book a residence appointment through the Ministry of Interior system.
  5. Attend the passport office with all documents and pay the fees.
  6. Renew the family permits each time the sponsor’s permit is renewed.

Renewal

Family permits are renewed together with the sponsor’s permit. If the sponsor’s work permit, investment or property ends, the family’s basis for residence ends too.

Documents

Required documents

Identity

  • Passport photos

Travel

  • Valid passports of all family members with entry visas

Money

  • Residence fee for each person

Family

  • Marriage certificate (legalised if issued abroad)
  • Birth certificates of the children

Other

  • Copy of the sponsor’s residence permit and its basis (work permit, property contract or GAFI recommendation)

Frequently asked questions

Is there a family reunification visa for Egypt?

Not as a separate visa. Relatives enter on an ordinary visa and are then added to the sponsor’s residence class inside Egypt.

Can a foreign woman working in Egypt bring her husband?

Yes. Husbands and minor children of foreign women who hold temporary residence in their own right can be granted residence.

Can my parents join me in Egypt?

Only in specific cases: parents of children studying in Egypt and parents of investors with the five-year residence. Others need their own permit, such as a tourist residence.

Can my spouse work on a family residence?

No. A spouse who wants to work needs a work permit from the Ministry of Labour.

Official sources

Summarised from the official sources above. Rules, fees and processing times change: confirm with the embassy or the official portal before you apply.

Other visa types for Egypt

Visits and short stays

  • Tourist visa Processing time: Set by each mission. The Egyptian consulate in Washington allows at least 10 business days, and 6 to 8 weeks for nationalities needing prior security approval.

Business and self-employment

  • Business visa Processing time: Set by each mission; the Washington consulate allows at least 10 business days, longer where security approval is required.
  • Investor visa Validity: Five years, renewable. During company set-up: one year, renewable for six months or a year through GAFI.

Study and training

  • Student visa Validity: One year, renewed each year of study.

Work

  • Work visa Validity: Residence permit for work: one year, renewable together with the work permit.

Family

  • Spouse and partner visa Validity: Wives and widows of Egyptians: five years. Foreign husbands of Egyptian women: three years, or one year under the wife’s sponsorship. All renewable.

Residence

Online travel permits

  • Visa on arrival Maximum stay: South Sinai permit: 15 days, limited to the designated areas. For the port-of-entry visa the stay is set at entry; the Ministry page does not publish a fixed number of days.
  • e-Visa Processing time: No fixed time is published; the portal asks you to apply at least 7 days before departure and emails you when a decision is made.

Protection

  • Asylum and international protection Validity: UNHCR white certificate: 6 months; yellow asylum-seeker card: 18 months; blue refugee card: 3 years. UNHCR-registered refugees are listed for the three-year residence permit.

Egypt visa guide