# Egypt visa European travellers need a visa for Egypt. There are three ways to get one: the e-visa, applied for online at least 7 days before departure (USD 30 single entry); the visa on arrival, replaced at Cairo airport by a QR code paid by card (USD 36); or a visa from a consulate. Flying into Sharm el-Sheikh opens a separate scheme, limited to the coastal resorts of South Sinai. Source : https://sabaro-travel.com/en/guides/egypt-visa/ ## Choosing the right option for your trip Egypt's tourist visa allows a stay of one month. It comes as single entry or multiple entry; the second is for travellers who leave Egypt during the trip and come back, for example after a stop in Jordan. All three ways of obtaining it give the same right of stay: the difference lies in when you deal with it and how you pay. | Option | Price | When and how | |---|---|---| | E-visa, on the official portal visa2egypt.gov.eg | USD 30 single entry, USD 65 multiple entry | Apply at least 7 days before departure, pay by bank card; visa sent by email, to be printed | | Visa on arrival, Cairo airport | USD 36: USD 30 visa plus a USD 6 issuing fee | QR code bought online before departure or at the kiosks in the arrivals hall, paid by card | | Visa on arrival, other international airports | USD 30 single entry, USD 60 multiple entry | Bank counters open day and night before passport control, cash only, in dollars or euros | | Visa from an Egyptian consulate | Set by each consulate | Apply well before departure | **The e-visa** suits travellers who want everything in order before they land. The portal asks for your passport, itinerary and hotel bookings; the visa arrives by email, and you show the printout at passport control. As with any visa, border police keep the right to refuse entry. **The visa on arrival** remains the most common option. At the Red Sea and Luxor airports, bring notes in good condition. Middlemen sometimes offer their services in the arrivals hall at a higher price than the counter: you can buy the visa directly, without them. ## Arriving in Cairo: the QR code replaces the sticker Since 1 August 2026, Cairo International Airport has issued the visa on arrival in digital form. The sticker in the passport has been replaced by a QR code, which costs USD 36 and is paid by Visa or Mastercard. You can get it before departure, on the official portal or its app, during the flight, or at the self-service kiosks in the arrivals hall. The code is valid for 48 hours from issue, so it can be bought the day before you fly; show it on your phone or as a printout. Each traveller needs their own code, but one payment can cover a whole family. Bank counters stay open during the changeover, and queues can build up. For a late-evening arrival, Sabaro recommends buying the code before leaving home, or taking the e-visa. ## South Sinai Sharm el-Sheikh has its own scheme. Travellers who fly into Sharm el-Sheikh airport and stay less than 15 days in the resorts of Sharm el-Sheikh, Dahab, Nuweiba or Taba receive a free entry stamp that replaces the visa. To go anywhere else or stay longer, you need the ordinary visa, sold for USD 30 at the same airport. The stamp cannot be converted into a visa once you are in the country. The choice is therefore made at the counter, before passport control: - **A beach or diving holiday on the coast**, in Sharm el-Sheikh, Dahab, Nuweiba or Taba, for less than 15 days: the free stamp is enough. - **A trip that includes St Catherine and Mount Sinai**, Cairo, Luxor, the mainland Red Sea coast or a domestic flight: Sabaro recommends taking the ordinary visa at Sharm el-Sheikh airport, or the e-visa before departure. It covers the whole country. Sabaro's trip idea "Sinai, Mount Sinai, St Catherine's Monastery and Dahab, 7 days" follows this rule. ## Arriving by land or sea The Taba crossing from Israel, and the ferries from Aqaba in Jordan to Nuweiba or Taba Heights, have their own charges, payable in cash in dollars. At Taba, a USD 120 tax applies as soon as you go beyond the town; to continue outside Sinai, you also need the visa and a letter of guarantee from a travel agency. These amounts often change without notice, and the Taba crossing can close overnight depending on the regional situation. Cash machines there are unreliable: bring new notes. ## Documents, length of stay and departure **Documents.** The Egyptian portal counts six months' validity from arrival; a document still valid six months after the return date avoids any argument. If your nationality allows entry with an ID card, bring two passport photos: the visa is issued on a separate card that carries one photo and must be kept until departure. Check the spelling of your name and the card number on the spot. A passport is simpler: some Egyptian offices refuse the ID card as proof of identity, and only a passport allows you to extend your stay. Carry a copy with you, as police check papers often. **Extending your stay.** Beyond one month, extensions are requested at an immigration office; in Cairo it is in Abbassia. A visa that expired more than 14 days earlier leads to a fine on departure. Checks on the purpose of stay have been tightened, and overstaying can lead to deportation followed by a ban on returning. **Charter flights.** In Egypt, a charter ticket is sold as a return package. Travellers who arrived on a scheduled flight have been refused boarding on a charter home, especially after stays of more than a month or when leaving from a different airport. Sabaro books both legs on the same type of flight. **Dual nationals.** Men aged 18 to 30 who also hold Egyptian nationality must settle their military service status before travelling; otherwise they cannot leave Egypt. The accepted document and the visa depend on your nationality: (Depends on the traveller's country: see the table on https://sabaro-travel.com/en/guides/egypt-visa/) ## Frequently asked questions ### What is the simplest way to get the visa? The e-visa, requested on visa2egypt.gov.eg at least 7 days before departure, avoids any formalities on arrival. For a flight to Cairo, the QR code bought online before leaving is just as simple. At other airports, the visa on arrival is paid in cash, in dollars or euros. ### How much does the Egypt visa cost? USD 30 single entry, online or on arrival; USD 36 at Cairo airport, including the QR code issuing fee; USD 65 multiple entry online, USD 60 on arrival. ### Do I need a visa for Sharm el-Sheikh? Not for a stay of less than 15 days in the resorts of Sharm el-Sheikh, Dahab, Nuweiba or Taba, if you fly into Sharm el-Sheikh: a free stamp is enough. For St Catherine or the rest of the country, take the ordinary visa at the airport, since the stamp cannot be changed afterwards. ### Can I enter Egypt with an ID card? It depends on your nationality: the entry requirements table, earlier in this guide and on the Egypt page, gives the rule for your country. A passport is still recommended: it allows you to extend your stay and is accepted everywhere. ### Can I pay for the visa by card? Yes for the e-visa and for the QR code at Cairo airport. At the counters of other airports, payment is in cash, in dollars or euros.