The majority of foreign citizens are required to get one of the Egypt visa types to travel Egypt. The types of visas for Egypt required will depend on your nationality, the duration of the stay, and the purpose of the visit. Citizens of more than 70 countries are eligible to apply for an Egypt online visa for stays of up to 30 consecutive days for tourism purposes.
Many of the same counties are also eligible to get the Egypt visa upon arrival, although this involves waiting in long queues at the Egyptian border. Citizens not eligible for these Egypt visa types will need to apply in person for the relevant travel visas to visit Egypt from an Embassy or Consulate in their home country.
Requirements for All Egypt Visa Types
The entry requirements for Egypt require the majority of foreign citizens to get one of the types of visas for Egypt, with only a few exceptions.
Citizens of a select number of other countries are also permitted visa-free travel to Egypt under certain conditions.
All foreign travelers to the country are required to meet the passport requirements for Egypt regardless of the types of visas for Egypt needed, which involve having a passport valid for at least 6 months upon entry to Egypt.
All of the visas to travel Egypt also require the applicant to provide the following:
- The relevant Egypt visa application form
- Several passport-style photos
- Proof of sufficient financial means for the duration of the stay in Egypt
- Proof of a return ticket or sufficient funds for a return ticket to the applicant’s home country.
All Egypt visa types also require the applicant to have at least one blank page in the passport to receive an entry stamp when entering the country.
The e-Visa for Egypt
Perhaps the most convenient of the types of visas for Egypt, the e-Visa can be obtained through the quick and simple Egypt online visa form, which takes just minutes to complete. Available to passport holders of 46 eligible countries, the Egypt e-Visa allows for short stays for tourism purposes only.
The Egypt e-Visa is available as either a single-entry or multiple-entry visa for Egypt. However, while the single-entry Egypt e-visa only allows a single stay of 30 days during a period of 3 months, the multiple-entry visa for Egypt lets the holder enter and leave various times within the 6 months for which is valid.
Although the application takes only 10-15 minutes to complete, it’s advised to apply at least 3 days before travelling to Egypt, to allow time for processing. Applicants are required to provide an email address to receive the Egypt e-Visa in their inbox. You can then print it to present on arrival.
Egypt Visa on Arrival
Many of the same counties eligible for the Egypt online visa can also queue to get the Egypt visa on arrival at any of the airport terminals. Credit and debit cards are not accepted as in the e-Visa application, so travellers must pay a fee in cash. In return, you receive a visa sticker to present at immigration desks and gain entry to Egypt.
A major difference between the Egypt e-Visa and Egypt visa on arrival is that the latter is only available as a single-entry visa valid for a 30-day consecutive stay.
Those wishing to enter and leave Egypt various times over a 180-day period have to apply for the multiple-entry Egypt e-Visa online before travelling.
However, the visa on arrival option is useful if you don’t have enough time to apply for the E-visa for Egypt or other Egypt visa types before your departure date.
Sinai Resorts Egypt Visa
Once instance in which many passport holders do not require travel visas to visit Egypt is if they are traveling to the Red Sea Sinai resorts of Dahab, Nuweiba, Taba or Sharm El Sheikh.
A free entry permission stamp is granted to citizens of a majority of countries who arrive at Sharm el-Sheikh, Saint Catherine or Taba airports, valid for a stay of 15 days at any of the Sinai resorts.
However, those who wish to travel to the rest of Egypt during their stay will be required to get one of the Egyptian visa types first.
Other Types of Visa for Egypt
Those not eligible to apply for e-Visa or visa on arrival and are traveling to Egypt for tourism must apply at an Egyptian Embassy or Consulate in their home country for an Egypt tourist visa.
Once in Egypt on a tourist visa, it’s possible to stay longer than the initial validity period by renewing the visa as a 6-month temporary residence visa, as long as the applicant intends to continue to travel Egypt for touristic purposes.
Eligible citizens wishing to take up long-term employment or study in Egypt have the option to first travel to Egypt with the multiple-entry e-Visa. You can then apply for other Egypt visa types, such as a work or study permit, once in the country. To do this, however, you must submit an application sponsored by an Egyptian employer to the Labor Ministry in Egypt.