An Egypt visa is required for most travelers including American and British passport holders. Americans and citizens fro 40 other countries can obtain an Egypt visa on arrival at the Cairo International airport at the bank kiosks before the immigration counters for $25 USD and are valid for visits up to 30 days.

The easiest and stress-free way to get an Egypt visa is with iVisa, for a service fee of only $25 they will do all the work for you. Within 4 days you’ll have a visa for Egypt.

How To Get An Egypt Visa On Arrival 2019

WHERE CAN YOU GET AN EGYPT VISA ON ARRIVAL?

Visa on arrivals can be obtained at an Egyptian port of entry (land borders and Egyptian airports.) We obtained our Egypt Visa on arrival at the Cairo International airport. Next time we travel to Egypt we plan on having our visas arranged with iVisa in advance. That way we know for sure we have the visa in hand before traveling. Whenever you show up to a country expecting a visa on arrival you are running the risk that you could be denied it. 

WHERE DO I GET THE VISA ON ARRIVAL?

When landing at the airport go to the visa on arrival window BEFORE getting in the queue for immigration. Here you will give them $25 USD and they will give you a visa on arrival sticker. Place the sticker on a blank page in your passport and get in the immigration queue. That’s it, get your stamp, collect your luggage, and head off exploring Egypt!

HOW MUCH DOES A VISA ON ARRIVAL IN EGYPT COST?

$25 USD only no other currencies will be accepted.  It’s best to have exact change, it will only make things easier. DO NOT plan on using your credit card you CANNOT pay by credit card or with any other currency than USD. 

We have been contacted by many readers time and time again who have tried to get an Egypt visa on arrival and didn’t have USD cash and they all have said no other currency allowed. If you cannot come up with $25 USD then you will have to purchase a visa when exiting Egypt for $50 USD, this is what we have been told by readers and something we didn’t experience. 

You could also get an Egypt Visa prior to traveling to Egypt online. This way you don’t have to worry about going to the bank and having USD with you.

Don’t forget your travel insurance! We have used travel insurance with World Nomads.  Which typically covers medical, trip cancellation, your belongings from theft or damage, baggage,  car rental coverage, and more.

WHAT NATIONALITIES CAN OBTAIN AN EGYPT VISA ON ARRIVAL?

Citizens from the following countries can obtain a visa on arrival at Egyptian ports of entries:

• USA
• UK
• EU Nationals
• Australia
• Canada
• Georgia
• Japan
• New Zealand
• Norway
• Macedonia
• Malaysia
• Republic of Korea
• Russian Federation
• Serbia
• South Korea
• Ukraine

If you are not a passport holder from one of the above countries you will not be eligible for a visa on arrival. Instead, you have to arrange your Egypt E-Visa in advance before traveling to Egypt. iVisa arranges Egypt e-visas for a small fee, usually $25.

WHICH LAND BORDERS ISSUE AN EGYPT VISA ON ARRIVAL:

Please note we did not personally experience crossing the border into Egypt and obtaining a visa on arrival. We have heard from many locals that it isn’t advised and borders can close down at any moment. Before traveling inquire about the current border crossing and confirm you can obtain a visa on arrival before traveling. 

WHATS THE DIFFERENT BETWEEN EGYPT E-VISA AND VISA ON ARRIVAL?

An e-visa you get in advance prior to traveling. An email will be sent to you containing a PDF of your visa. The e-Visa will also be attached to your passport electronically, so when your passport is scanned at immigration. Citizens from 46 countries can apply for an Egypt e-Visa. You’ll need to apply online in advance. If you want a guaranteed visa before traveling you’ll have to apply for Egypt e-Visa. iVisa.com can help with the application and they’ll submit it for processing and make sure it is applied for in the appropriate time frame according to your travel dates.

A visa on arrival is just that you get it on arrival. There is no application process or anything to do prior to your trip. Just make sure to have $25 USD to purchase an Egypt visa on arrival.

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE APPLYING FOR AN EGYPT VISA

1. Egypt e-Visa’s are valid for 90 days after they are issued. If you go through iVisa they will make sure to submit your application so your travel dates fit within this window.
2. 30 days is the amount you can stay in Egypt, both e-Visa or visa on arrival is valid for 30 days. If you overstay your visa you could be fined, deported, or even banned from Egypt for any future travel.
3. Passport must be valid for 6 months from when arriving into Egypt.
4. Minimum of one blank page in your passport. 
5. Printed e-Visa copy, if you obtained an e-Visa you must present a printed copy to the immigration officers.

SPECIAL SINAI RESORTS PERMISSION STAMP

Travelers from select countries that are traveling to Sharm El Sheikh, Dahab, Nuweiba or Taba resorts and not leaving them, can get a free permission stamp for up to 14 days. The permission stamp is only available at any international Sinai entry point: Sharm El Sheikh, Dahab, Nuweiba or Taba. It’s often referred to as the “Sinai Only Visa.” The 14-day permission stamp only allows travel only on the Sinai’s Gulf of Aqaba coast which includes: Taba, Nuweiba, Dahab, and Sharm el-Sheikh.  You will not be able to travel to mainland Egypt and other parts of the Sinai.

Citizens of the following countries can apply for the Sinai Only Visa:

• All European Union Countries
• Israel (only through Taba Border Crossing)
• United States

WHERE TO STAY IN CAIRO – RECOMMENDED CAIRO HOTELS

It is best to have your first few nights in Cairo prebooked, as once you leave the airport you will see how chaotic Cairo is. We would also highly recommend having your hotel or a driver meet you at the airport. This will get a trip to Egypt off on the right foot. The traffic in Cairo is insane, you’ll appreciate having something pre-booked with AC. We spent 4 nights in Cairo on our trip to Egypt, here are some hotels in Cairo we’d recommend.

• Sofitel Cairo Nile El Gezirah Check Prices | Orbitz | Agoda | Booking.com | TripAdvisor
• Le Meridien Pyramids Hotel and Spa Check Prices | Agoda | Booking.com | TripAdvisor
• Royal Maxim Palace Kempinski Check Prices | Agoda | Booking.com | TripAdvisor
• Novotel Cairo Airport Check Prices | Agoda | Booking.com | TripAdvisor

There are over 200 Airbnb listings in Cairo with luxury condos only costing a fraction of a hotel. Renting an apartment you’ll be able to cook a meal or two and you’ll have tons more room than a standard hotel room.

RECOMMENDED CAIRO TOURS AND THINGS TO DO IN CAIRO

If you are planning a visit to the Great Pyramids you’ll be spending at least a night or two in Cairo. When planning out your time in Cairo don’t try and do too much in one day. The traffic in Cairo is terrible and you could easily miss something if you didn’t allow enough time between tours. Here are a few recommended tours you can book in advance on Viator.com I prefer to book a few things in advance that way I am not haggling for a fair price and it’s less local currency to take out of the ATM.

• Giza Pyramids and Sphinx Tour from Cairo Airport during a layover.
• Giza Pyramids and Sphinx Tour from Cairo Half Day tour,
• Dinner Cruise on the Nile with Belly Dancing Show from             Cairo,
• Private Full Day Tour visiting Giza Pyramids, Transfers &           lunch,
•  to view all Viator a TripAdvisor company available Cairo           Tours