Egypt visa for tourists: e-visa, visa on arrival and fees in 2026

The short version

• Most visitors from Europe and the Americas need a visa, and most can get it either online in advance (e-visa) or on arrival at the airport.
• As of October 2026, a single-entry tourist visa costs US$30 (e-visa, or cash on arrival), US$36 for the card-paid digital visa on arrival at Cairo airport, and US$65 for a multiple-entry e-visa.
• Your passport should be valid for at least six months and have a blank page.
• If you only visit the South Sinai resorts for up to 15 days, a free Sinai-only entry stamp may be enough. It does not cover Cairo, Luxor or Aswan.

Rules and fees change, sometimes at short notice. Check the official portal and your own government's travel advice before you book.

The options

E-visa (online, before you travel)

The official portal is visa2egypt.gov.eg. It asks you to apply at least seven days before departure, takes Visa, Mastercard and other debit cards, and e-mails you the result. Print the approved e-visa and carry it with your passport.

As of October 2026, according to VisasNews (April 2026) and Wego (September 2026):

Both rose by US$5 around April 2026. Fees are not refunded if the application is refused.

Beware of copycat sites. The US State Department warns that many websites look official and charge up to double. The government portal ends in .gov.eg.

Visa on arrival

For eligible nationalities, the visa can be bought at the airport before passport control. As of October 2026, the UK Foreign Office says:

• The paper visa costs US$30 in cash (it went up from US$25 on 1 March 2026), is valid for up to 30 days, and is sold at kiosks at approved airports.
• Since 1 August 2026, Cairo International Airport also offers a digital visa on arrival for US$36, including a US$6 service fee, paid by card only at self-service machines or through the visa-on-arrival portal.
• You do not need an agent; agents in the arrivals hall often charge more.

Bring clean, untorn US dollar notes in the right amount: Spain's foreign ministry notes that change is not always given.

E-visa or on arrival?

• E-visa suits travellers who like everything settled before flying, those arriving at a smaller airport, and anyone who wants a multiple-entry visa (for example, for a side trip to Jordan).
• On arrival is simple at the big airports and avoids paying weeks in advance. Spain's foreign ministry notes that the e-visa is equally valid but the border check can take longer for e-visa holders, so neither option is always faster.

By nationality (as of October 2026)

Notes on the table:

• Spain. The Spanish foreign ministry (updated July 2026) confirms visa on arrival at airports, ports and land borders, valid 30 days for a single entry, or the e-visa. It recommends applying at an embassy if you arrive by land or sea, and a multiple-entry visa if you will cross several borders.
• Mexico. The Mexican embassy in Cairo (updated August 2026) lists the visa on arrival at US$36 for 30 days, single entry, from airport kiosks or the official app, or the e-visa applied for seven days ahead on the official portal.
• Argentina. Argentina appears on the e-visa eligibility list compiled by Wego (September 2026), and travel sites describe visa on arrival as available. We could not find an official Argentine or Egyptian page that confirms visa on arrival for Argentine passports, so the safest choice is the e-visa, applied for well ahead.
• Other nationalities. Citizens of a small number of countries, mostly in the Arab world, can enter without a visa, and some nationalities must apply at an embassy before travelling. Check your passport on the official portal or with your nearest Egyptian embassy or consulate.

A visa never guarantees entry: the final decision rests with the immigration officer, as both the US and Spanish governments point out.

The Sinai-only stamp

If you fly into Sharm El Sheikh and stay only in Sharm El Sheikh, Dahab, Nuweiba or Taba for up to 15 days, the UK Foreign Office says you do not need a visa: you receive a free entry stamp on arrival. If you then want to visit Cairo, Luxor or anywhere else outside those resorts, or stay longer, you need a full visa.

At the Taba land border from Israel, the rules differ and have changed at short notice since March 2026. The UK Foreign Office lists a border tax of US$20 for a stay in Taba and US$120 for elsewhere in Sinai; Spain's ministry mentions a US$25 fee for the Sinai exception. If you plan to cross at Taba, check the latest advice just before you go.

Passport validity

• The UK and US governments ask for a passport valid for at least six months from your arrival and with at least one blank page.
• Spain's ministry is stricter in its wording: six months beyond the end of your planned stay. Following the stricter rule avoids problems with airlines at check-in.

Staying longer and leaving

• Tourist visas allow 30 days per entry. Extensions are handled by the immigration authority in Cairo, take time and have their own fee; overstaying can lead to a fine at the airport when you leave.
• A decree raises an administrative levy built into entry visas from US$12 to US$15 from 1 January 2027. As of October 2026 the final traveller price had not been published, so if you travel in 2027, check the fee again.

Before you fly: a checklist

1. Check your passport: six months' validity after your trip and a blank page.
2. Decide on e-visa or visa on arrival. If e-visa, apply at least seven days ahead on the .gov.eg portal and print the approval.
3. If paying on arrival in cash, carry US$30 in clean notes per person, plus a little spare.
4. Keep your return ticket and hotel booking at hand; immigration may ask.
5. Read Cairo airport to your hotel for what comes after passport control, and money, tipping and haggling for cash and cards.

For planning the rest of the trip, see where to stay in Cairo, Cairo to Luxor and Aswan and the best time to visit.