How to Apply for and Obtain Egypt Tourist Visa?

Egypt is one of the most sought-after tourist destinations in the world. The country features hordes of world-class tourist attractions. The museums in Cairo, the great Pyramids of Giza, and exotic diving spots in the Red Sea, Egypt offers a rich collection of varied activities, a rich culture, and a trove of archaeological sites for us to get a rare glimpse of the eras gone by. The government of Egypt has made touring this amazing country extremely convenient by introducing an electronic tourist visa system. In this article, you will get all the details about the Egypt Tourist E-Visa.

When Was the Tourist E-Visa System Started?

The Government of Egypt launched the electronic visa or e-visa system in November 2017 and formally implemented it on December 3, 2017. the new system was introduced to ensure a convenient and fast-paced travel authorization system to facilitate international travellers. Through the e-visa system, tourists and travelers from over 74 countries, including the EU, UK, Switzerland, and USA, can obtain a short-term travel permit to enter Egypt for tourism or business purposes. The Egypt tourist visa is valid for up to ninety (90) days.

How Does E-Visa System Works?

The traveller has to fill out an online form available for free on this website. First, you will sign up or register at the website. The next step is completing the Egypt e-visa application form in which you will enter the most relevant details, such as your passport number, issue and expiration dates, full name, gender, occupation, and purpose of travel. You must select tourist e-visa from the e-visa type category.

Egypt tourist e-visa is ideal for travellers looking to visit the country for less than a month. The visa processing time is faster than the regular, paper visa acquired through an embassy or consulate. Moreover, there’s no travelling hassle involved. This means you don’t need to visit the Egyptian embassy/consulate, give interviews, or complete paperwork to obtain a visa.

With e-visa, all these requirements are rendered irrelevant as the traveller will apply by filling out a form, uploading necessary documents’ scans in JPG or JPEG format, and paying the visa processing fee online with any debit or credit card. The visa is sent to the applicant’s email address, which is mentioned at the time of completing the e-visa form. The visa fees can be processed using American Express, MasterCard, or PayPal.

What are your E-Visa Options?

There are two types of Egyptian tourist e-visas offered by the country- a single-entry and a multiple-entry e-visa. Single-entry, as the name suggests, allows the traveller to enter Egypt once and stay for up to 30 days after which they will have to leave and cannot re-enter unless they obtain a new e-visa. On the other hand, a multiple-entry e-visa allows the traveller to enter Egypt multiple times. No matter the visa you have, the stay duration must not exceed 30 days limit. This means the stay limit for a tourist e-visa is not different from the visa validity as the traveller cannot stay for more than thirty (30) days in the country whether it is a single entry or multiple-entry e-visa.

Egypt Tourist E-Visa Validity

The visa validity starts when the visa is issued to the applicant. There are two categories of e-visa, single and multiple entry visas. A single-entry visa is valid for 90 days, whereas a multiple-entry visa is valid for 180 days. It is worth noting that every traveller should separately obtain an e-visa before travelling to Egypt, including infants, children, and the elderly.

Egypt e-visa Eligibility Criteria

Travellers from over 74 nationalities can enter Egypt for touristic travels if they meet the Egyptian government’s eligibility criteria. This includes:

• The applicant is possessing a valid passport issued by an eligible country.
• The passport should have six months of validity left at the time of the traveller’s arrival in Egypt.
• The traveller’s stay must never exceed thirty days.
• Their travel purpose should be strictly tourism.
• They must use the same passport when travelling to Egypt that they used to apply for the e-visa.
• The applicant must provide basic information of at least one staying or accommodation location/address when completing the e-visa application form.
• Upon arrival in Egypt, the traveller should inform authorities where they will stay.
• The traveller will have to show tickets for the remaining flights or cruises after arriving in Egypt.
• If the traveller wants to stay with their family or friends, they must show a letter of invitation issued by the person offering/sponsoring accommodation in Egypt.

Documents Required for Egypt Tourist E-Visa

Egypt's e-visa system has streamlined the visa application process, making it easier for tourists to explore this historically rich and culturally diverse country. To ensure a smooth and hassle-free application experience, it's crucial to be aware of the documents requirement for Egypt e-visa.

• A valid passport with around six months of validity left when arriving in Egypt.
• Travel details/itinerary
• A scan of the applicant’s passport-size photograph taken against a white background. Hotel booking confirmation.
• A letter of invitation that's issues/signed by the sponsor or company in Egypt offering accommodation.
• A scan of the passport’s biography page.

What About Travel Itinerary?

If you don’t have a comprehensive or well-organized travel plan, there’s nothing to worry about as you don’t need to provide full details of your trip to Egypt. When applying for the visa, you have to indicate when you intend to arrive in the country. This could be an estimated date of arrival.

When to Submit Egypt Tourist E-visa Application?

You can easily submit the application from your laptop, desktop, smartphone, or tablet from your home or office. The visa application can be submitted at any time and day of the week, including weekends. You must apply 24 to 48 hours before travelling to Egypt to void unrequired delays.

Cost of Egypt E-visa

Before you begin your Egypt e-visa application, it's vital to be well-informed about the associated visa fees and requirements. The cost of your Egypt e-visa can vary depending on factors like your country of origin, the type of visa you're applying for, and your chosen processing time.
To gain a comprehensive understanding of how these fees are calculated, we recommend visiting the Egypt visa fee page. There, you'll find detailed information that will help you determine the exact fees that apply to your particular visa application. This resource ensures transparency and clarity regarding the financial aspect of your visa process, allowing you to plan your travel budget accordingly

E-Visa Processing Time

There’s no guaranteed time for e-visa approval. However, the average duration involved is less than ten business days. For your convenience, we offer three different visa processing packages, including:

• Normal Processing (5 - 7 Working Days): - This is the standard processing time for an Egypt e-visa. It typically takes between 5 to 7 working days to receive your visa approval. Travelers who have ample time before their planned trip may opt for this option, as it offers a reasonable turnaround time.
• Rush Processing (3 - 5 Working Days): For those who need their Egypt e-visa a bit sooner, the rush processing option is available. With this choice, you can expect your visa to be processed and approved within 3 to 5 working days. It provides a quicker solution for travelers with tighter schedules.
• Super Rush Processing (2 - 3 Working Days): When time is of the essence, the super rush processing option is the fastest way to obtain your Egypt e-visa. With an impressive turnaround time of just 2 to 3 working days, this choice is ideal for last-minute travel plans or unexpected opportunities to visit Egypt.

If you want a visa on short notice, select the Super Rush category to receive the e-visa within 24 hours.

Tourists must apply for the Egyptian e-visa as soon as they finalize their travel plans. The average e-visa processing duration if one to four business days. In some situations, the processing may take longer than a week.

Egypt Tourist e Visa Sample

Frequently asked questions