Egypt Tourist Visa: How to Get One at the Airport
Step-by-step guide to buying your visa on arrival in Egypt — cost, process, and what to expect.
Overview
Egypt offers a visa on arrival for citizens of most countries. You can purchase it directly at the airport before passport control — no need to apply in advance.
The visa on arrival is available at Cairo (CAI), Hurghada (HRG), Sharm El Sheikh (SSH), and all other international airports in Egypt.
Important for charter flights: if you arrived on a charter, you can only depart on the same charter — the same company, back to the same city you came from. Leaving on a different charter is not allowed. Your alternative is a scheduled (regular) flight, which you can book separately.
Cost and Duration
The standard tourist visa costs $30 USD and is valid for 30 days with a single entry.
- Single entry: $30 — valid for 30 days
- Payment is cash only — USD or EUR. Cards are not accepted
Bring exact change in USD — the exchange rate at the airport bank windows is not favorable.
How to Buy at the Airport
The process is straightforward:
- After landing, follow signs toward passport control
- Before the passport booths, you'll see bank windows (Banque Misr, National Bank of Egypt, etc.)
- Pay $30 cash at any bank window and receive a visa sticker
- The sticker may be applied to your passport on the spot, or handed to you to stick in yourself — any blank page works
- Proceed to passport control with the sticker in your passport
Watch out for "helpers" in the airport — people offering to handle the visa for you who charge inflated prices ($50-60 instead of $30). Politely decline and go straight to the official bank windows. The official price is fixed at $30.
Do NOT go to passport control without the visa sticker — you will be sent back to the bank windows.
What You Need
- A passport valid for at least 6 months from entry date
- $30 USD in cash (or equivalent in EUR)
- A return ticket or proof of onward travel (rarely checked but good to have)
- Hotel booking or address where you'll stay (may be asked at passport control)
Extending Your Visa
The tourist visa sticker can be extended once — for free at a passport office. They'll stamp your passport directly.
You must extend while the visa is still valid — don't wait until the last day. An already-expired visa cannot be extended.
The extension period depends on your nationality:
- Most countries — 30-day extension
- Russian citizens — 60-day extension
How it works
- Go to the passport office in Hurghada with your passport
- At the entrance, say you need a visa extension stamp — they'll give you a ticket and direct you to the right window
- Wait for your turn, the officer stamps your passport — done
- The procedure is free and takes anywhere from a few minutes to a couple of hours depending on the queue
After any visa expires, you have 14 days to leave Egypt. Departing within this grace period is not considered a violation. If you don't leave within 14 days, a fine of ~$50-100 USD applies, payable at the airport upon departure or in advance at the passport office.
If you plan to live in Egypt long-term, see the guide on the Egypt Residence Permit.
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