EgyptResidence

Egypt residence permit: types, fees and how to renew

Temporary residence permit for tourism purposes, and Egypt’s residence permit classes

In short

Foreigners who want to stay in Egypt longer than their visa allows apply inside the country to the Passports, Emigration & Nationality Administration. Without a specific purpose, the option is the temporary residence for tourism, visits or medical treatment, valid for up to one year and renewable; work, study, family and property each lead to their own non-tourism, three-year or five-year permits.

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

Key facts

Maximum stay
Tourist residence: up to one year per permit, renewable.
Validity
Tourism: up to 1 year. Non-tourism: 1 year. Three-year and five-year permits for listed groups.
Fee
EGP 503.10Tourist residence for less than one year. Other Ministry of Interior fees: one-year non-tourism EGP 533.10, three-year EGP 1,593.10, five-year EGP 2,653.10.
Work
Not on a tourist residence; work needs a work permit.
Family
Each family member holds a permit; most non-tourism permits extend to the holder’s wife and children.
Path to permanent residence
Long residence opens longer permits: persons over 50 who have lived in Egypt for 5 consecutive years with means of living qualify for one-year non-tourism residence, and persons over 60 with 10 years of residence and means of living for the five-year permit.
Where to apply
In Egypt, in person at the Passports, Emigration & Nationality Administration, with an appointment through the Ministry of Interior system.

The tourist residence

The temporary residence for tourism purposes is granted for tourism, visits or medical treatment, for a maximum of one year at a time, and can be renewed. Renewals are handled by the Passports, Emigration & Nationality Administration. When the permit ends the holder may still leave directly through any port within the next 15 days.

Other residence classes

One-year non-tourism permits cover, among others, employees with a work permit, students, volunteers working at their own expense, parents of students, spouses and relatives of Egyptians, owners of property worth at least USD 100,000, and persons over 50 with 5 years of residence and means of living.

Three-year permits cover groups such as foreign husbands of Egyptian women, public-sector employees, recipients of an Egyptian state pension, elderly people in nursing homes, UNHCR-registered refugees and owners of property worth USD 200,000. Five-year permits cover foreign investors and their families, wives and widows of Egyptians, persons over 60 with 10 years of residence and owners of property worth USD 400,000. The historic ordinary (5-year) and special (10-year) permits are limited to people whose residence in Egypt goes back to before 1952 and their families.

Official fees

The Ministry of Interior publishes these fees: tourist residence under one year EGP 503.10; non-tourism residence EGP 503.10 for under a year and EGP 533.10 for a full year; three-year permit EGP 1,593.10; five-year permit EGP 2,653.10; ordinary residence EGP 2,653.15; special residence EGP 5,303.15. Re-entry visas cost EGP 411.10 (single) and EGP 511.10 (multiple).

Leaving and returning

A tourist-residence holder who travels needs a re-entry visa to come back and continue the same residence without a new visa, and must return while the re-entry visa is valid. Non-tourism residents need none for absences of up to 6 months within the permit’s validity; for 6 months to a year they obtain a re-entry visa before leaving.

Renewal

Apply for renewal before the permit expires at the Passports, Emigration & Nationality Administration. Each renewal needs the same proof that justified the original permit, such as a renewed work permit, a new registration certificate or the property contract.

Documents

Required documents

Identity

  • Passport photos

Travel

  • Valid passport with the current Egyptian visa or residence

Money

  • Fee (EGP 503.10 for a tourist residence of less than one year)

Other

  • Proof of the purpose: hotel or rental contract for tourism, medical reports for treatment

Supporting documents (where they apply)

Money

  • Proof of means of living for the over-50 and over-60 categories

How to apply, step by step

  1. Decide which class fits your purpose: tourism, work, study, family, property or investment.
  2. Book an appointment through the Ministry of Interior residence appointment system.
  3. Prepare your passport, photos and the documents proving the purpose of stay.
  4. Attend the Passports, Emigration & Nationality Administration office in person and pay the fee.
  5. Collect the residence and keep it with your passport.
  6. If you will travel, get a re-entry visa where your class requires it, and renew before expiry.

Frequently asked questions

Can I live in Egypt on a tourist residence for several years?

The tourist residence is granted for up to one year at a time and the Ministry of Interior allows it to be renewed. Each renewal is a new decision by the authority.

Is there a retirement visa in Egypt?

There is no retirement visa as such. Retirees use the tourist residence, a property-based residence, or, after long residence, the over-50 (5 years in Egypt) or over-60 (10 years in Egypt) categories, which require means of living.

What happens when my residence expires?

You may leave Egypt directly through any port within 15 days after the end of the permit. To stay, renew before expiry.

Does Egypt have permanent residence?

There is no general permanent residence. The longest permits are the five-year permit for listed groups and the historic ordinary and special permits for long-established residents, all renewable.

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

  • Family reunification visa Validity: Follows the sponsor’s permit: one, three or five years.
  • 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