Egypt Residence Permit 2026: 6,875 EGP, up-to-6-month plastic card
How to get an Egypt residence 'plastic' permit: 6,875 EGP, up to 6 months per term, renewable to a year. Required documents, Hurghada office, biometrics on-site, 7-14 day pickup.
What is the Egypt residence permit?
The Egyptian tourist residence permit (known as "the plastic" or "ikama") costs 6,875 EGP for standard processing or $65 USD for the 10-day express, and is valid up to 6 months per term. You can renew it once back-to-back without leaving Egypt — giving up to a full year of legal stay before a visa run is required. Standard processing takes about two months at the passport office; the express option delivers the card to your address within ten days. The required documents include a passport, a Shahr Aqari-registered rental contract with two copies, three copies of the passport photo page, two copies of the latest visa page, a 3.5×4.5 cm photo and a currency exchange receipt for at least 6,875 EGP in your name. The plastic also makes it easier to open a bank account and is mandatory for setting up a landline internet connection or buying property.
Residence permit procedures and fees are subject to change. Confirm requirements at the Egyptian Ministry of Interior — Passports or with a local immigration lawyer before starting.
Official source: Egyptian Ministry of Interior — Passports & Immigration.
This is the most popular option for digital nomads, remote workers, and anyone who wants to stay in Egypt long-term.
You can apply for the plastic twice in a row — giving you up to 1 year of legal stay without a visa run. After that, you need to exit and re-enter the country.
How does the long-term stay cycle work?
Here's how the cycle works for long-term living in Egypt:
1. First plastic
Enter on a tourist visa (sticker in passport). Before the sticker expires — extend it at the passport office for free: they stamp it for 1-2 more months (depending on nationality). Then, within 14 days of your entry, submit the documents for the plastic. Processing takes about 2 months.
The first plastic will likely be issued for 3-4 months, not the full 6 — because you've already spent 2-3 months in Egypt waiting. The validity is counted from your entry date, not from when the card is issued.
2. Second plastic (up to 6 months)
When the first permit expires, you can apply again — for a second term. No need to leave the country. The second plastic is almost guaranteed to be issued for the full 6 months.
You can only apply for the plastic twice in a row. After two terms, you need a visa run before applying again.
3. Visa run and new cycle
After two plastic terms, you need to fly out to any country and come back. At the airport, you'll get a 30-day tourist sticker.
- Extend it at the passport office for another 1-2 months (free, while the visa is still valid)
- Within 14 days of re-entry, submit your documents for a new plastic
- Wait about 2 months for processing
- Return to the passport office and go to window #4 — they should confirm your visa is approved and tell you to come back in 10 days
- After 10 days, come back and go to window #11 to pick up your card. Bring your passport, the ticket from submission, and the bank payment receipt
What documents do I need for the Egypt residence permit?
- Passport + rental contract registered with Shahr Aqari + 2 copies of the contract
- 3 copies of the passport's first (photo) page
- 2 copies of the page with your latest visa
- 1 passport photo, 3.5×4.5 cm
- Currency exchange receipt for at least 6,875 EGP — your full name must appear on the receipt
- Application form — get it from the security guard at the entrance (no copies needed)
The Shahr Aqari-registered rental contract is the most common stumbling block — not every landlord is willing to register one. FlatSwipe flags KYC-verified landlords explicitly, so you can filter for someone happy to handle the registration before you commit to the apartment.
Photos and document copies can be made right on the premises of the passport office.
How much does the Egypt residence permit cost?
The base cost of the residence permit is 6,875 EGP, paid in Egyptian pounds at the passport office cashier.
Hiring a visa agent for the plastic is largely unnecessary. The process is straightforward: gather your documents, fill out the form (available at the entrance), pay the fee, get your photo taken and fingerprints scanned. You can easily do it yourself.
Express processing in 10 days
The passport office offers an express option: the card is processed in 10 days and delivered to your address. The fee is $65 USD cash paid at the cashier. The document package is the same as listed in the Requirements section.
How do I apply at the passport office?
- Go to the passport office in Hurghada with your full document package
- Take a ticket at the entrance
- Submit your documents at the right window and pay the fee
- You'll receive a ticket — keep it, you'll need it when picking up your card
- Wait — usually about 2 months
- After 2 months, return to the passport office and go to window #4 — they should confirm your visa is approved and tell you to come back in 10 days
- After 10 days, come back and go to window #11 — that's where you'll receive your plastic card
For both visits (checking approval and picking up the card), bring: your passport, the ticket you received after submission, and the bank payment receipt for the visa fee.
What are the benefits of the Egypt residence permit?
- No need to do a visa run every time your tourist sticker expires
- The card is confiscated at the airport when you fly out — it is cancelled upon departure. If you plan to leave Egypt, be prepared to start a new application cycle
- Easier to open a bank account
- Required to set up a landline internet connection
- Required for buying property in Egypt
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does the Egypt residence permit cost?
Standard processing costs 6,875 EGP at the passport office cashier. Express processing in 10 days with home delivery costs $65 USD in cash. Both paths use the same document package.
How long does the Egypt residence permit last?
Up to 6 months per term. You can renew once for another 6 months without leaving Egypt — giving up to a full year of continuous legal stay before a visa run is required.
What documents do I need for the Egypt residence permit?
Passport plus a Shahr Aqari-registered rental contract with 2 copies, 3 copies of the passport photo page, 2 copies of the latest visa page, one 3.5×4.5 cm photo, and a currency exchange receipt for at least 6,875 EGP in your name.
How long does the Egypt residence permit take to issue?
About 2 months for the standard process. The express option costs $65 USD and delivers the plastic card to your address within 10 days.
Do I need a residence permit to open a bank account in Egypt?
Not strictly at every bank, but having the plastic card makes the process much easier. With just a tourist visa most banks refuse — CIB is the most flexible.
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