Do I Need a Visa to Visit Cairo Egypt?

Everyone who wants to visit Egypt, including Cairo, will need a visa in order to enter the country. If from a qualifying country, you can get a visa on arrival at the airport or an online e-Visa.

Do I need a visa to visit Cairo Egypt

Cairo Travel Wiki

Countries or Territories that can Enter Egypt without a Visa

If your travel plans include spending some time in Cairo, you may be wondering, do I need a visa to visit Cairo Egypt? Well, unless you are from one of the 10 visa-exempt countries that have a special arrangement to Egypt, you will need a visa in order to visit Cairo.

As of the time of writing, the citizens of the following 10 countries were allowed to enter Egypt for a limited time without a visa:

  • Saudi Arabia
  • United Arab Emirates
  • Kuwait
  • Bahrain
  • Lebanon
  • Oman
  • Malaysia
  • Israel
  • Hong Kong
  • Macau

In the case of some of the above listed countries or territories, special conditions apply. For example, Malaysian passport holders are limited to a stay of no more than 14 days. These conditions can change quickly and with very little prior notice.

I have a Stopover in Cairo, Can I leave the Airport?

Do I need a visa to visit Cairo Egypt during transit, for example, while waiting for my connecting flight to another country? No, you do not need a transit visa for stays of up to 48 hours. The Egyptian government allows foreigners to enter Egypt for up to 48 hours between flights, and without the need for any sort of visa.

You are free to leave Cairo International Airport so that you can take advantage of Cairo’s many facilities, including hotels, banks, restaurants and shops. You could also use this time to visit some of Egypt’s top tourist sites like the legendary Giza Pyramids and Sphinx, the Egyptian Museum, and the famous Step Pyramid of Pharaoh Djoser.

Since you will only have a limited amount of time, you should consider booking a professionally designed Cairo tour that includes transportation and a tour guide. Most well-established Egypt tour operators offer Cairo Layover Tours.

Unfortunately, if you have less than six hours to wait between flights, you can leave the transit area but you cannot leave the airport. Also, citizens of Afghanistan, Lebanon, Palestine, and the Philippines are not allowed to leave the transit area at all.

Do I need a visa to visit Cairo Egypt if I am married to an Egyptian?

What many people don’t know is that foreigners from most countries can enter Egypt without a visa if they have an Egyptian spouse or an Egyptian parent.

In the case of being married to an Egyptian, you will need to be able to show proof of marriage, such as your original marriage certificate.

If one or both of your parents are Egyptian citizens, you will also need to show proof of this. In both instances, you will still also need to be in possession of a valid passport with at least six months validity remaining. In all other instances, you will need an Egypt entry visa to visit Cairo.

How to Obtain Your Visa for Egypt?

If you are from the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the UK, or any of the European Union member states, there is no need for you to visit an Egyptian embassy for your tourist visa. Instead, you can get an Egypt visa-on-arrival at any international Egyptian airport. Alternatively, you can also apply online for an Egypt tourist E-Visa prior to travelling to Egypt.

While the visa-on-arrival is certainly a helpful option, you can end up wasting valuable time standing in a queue in front of a bank kiosk at the airport. These visas are issued at the bank kiosks that you will pass as you make your way to the immigration desks.

In terms of convenience, the Egypt tourist E-Visa is by far your best option because you can apply for your visa without even having to leave your home. You simply set up an account on the official Egypt E-Visa Portal, fill out the relevant visa application form, attach a scanned copy of the photo page of your passport, and then pay the visa fee with a credit card or debit card.

In addition to the nationalities mentioned above, the citizens of several other countries are also able to obtain a visa-on-arrival and/or an Egypt tourist E-Visa. To find out if you qualify, simply visit the official Egypt E-Visa portal.

Both the visa-on-arrival and the E-Visa are available for tourism purposes only. They are essentially 30-day tourist visas available in either single-entry or multi-entry format. A single entry visa cost $25 at the time of writing, while a multi-entry visa cost $60.

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Do I Need a Visa to Visit Cairo Egypt as a Student?

Yes, if you want to study in Egypt you will need to apply for a study visa at an Egyptian embassy prior to traveling to Egypt. In order to apply for a study visa, you will have to satisfy the following visa requirements:

  • Valid passport that is valid for at least six months
  • 2 x passport-port style photos with a white background
  • Visa application form and visa fee
  • Evidence that you have the financial resources to support yourself during your stay
  • Evidence that you have the financial resources to pay for your tickets back home
  • An acceptance letter from the place of education where you will be studying
  • Medical proof that you do not have AIDS/HIV

Hopefully your questions and/or concerns about visas for Cairo and Egypt as a whole have been answered in this post. However, if you are still wondering, do I need a visa for Cairo Egypt, or if you have any other questions or concerns, you will almost certainly be able to find the answers right here on our site by clicking on our FAQ link.

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Last Updated on February 14, 2024