Egypt visa on arrival: fees, eligibility and the South Sinai permit

The Ministry of Interior groups its visa rules by region. For Asian nationalities, visas may generally be granted at ports of entry, except for nationals of Iran, Israel, Afghanistan, China, Mongolia, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, India, Pakistan, Indonesia, Bangladesh and Myanmar, who must obtain an advance visa from an Egyptian mission.

For European nationalities the Ministry says visas are obtained from Egyptian consulates and that emergency visas may be issued at the port of arrival, except for nationals of Belarus, Moldova, Armenia, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan, and Bosnians of Egyptian descent, who need an advance visa. Almost all African nationalities need an advance visa (Guinea is exempt). Most Arab League nationals need no visa, except a listed group of countries that must apply in advance.

The regional pages of the Ministry of Interior decide whether your nationality may receive a visa at the port. Some entries carry extra conditions: the Asian page, for example, adds a sentence tying visas for Türkiye to applicants aged 18 to 45 without describing the procedure, and the Egyptian consulate in Washington publishes a list of nationalities that need prior security approval, with a minimum wait of 6 to 8 weeks.

If your nationality must apply in advance or needs security approval, obtain the visa before travel from an Egyptian embassy or consulate. If it appears on the e-Visa list of visa2egypt.gov.eg, the e-Visa is an alternative issued before departure. Where the official wording is unclear for your nationality, confirm with the mission or your airline before flying without a visa.

The Ministry of Interior publishes USD 25 for a single-entry visa and USD 60 for a multiple-entry visa for Asian, African and European nationalities. Visas for Arab League nationals who need one are issued free of charge. The fee is paid at the port, so carry the amount; the Ministry page does not list accepted payment methods.

Foreigners arriving through Taba border crossing, Taba International Airport, Sharm El Sheikh International Airport, Sharm El Sheikh sea port, Nuweiba port or St Catherine International Airport to visit the Gulf of Aqaba coast, St Catherine and Taba may enter without a visa and receive a 15-day permit for those areas only. The facility does not apply to nationalities that must obtain an advance visa.

A holder who later wants to travel to Cairo, Luxor or anywhere else in Egypt can convert the permit at any passport office in the South Sinai ports by applying and paying the normal visa fee.

A visitor who wants to remain beyond the period granted at entry applies to the Passports, Emigration & Nationality Administration for a temporary residence permit for tourism, valid for up to one year and renewable. The Ministry lists a fee of EGP 503.10 for a permit of less than one year. After a residence permit expires, the holder may still leave through any port within the following 15 days.