If you are traveling to Egypt from outside of the country, you should be aware of the Egypt entrance requirements for visitors before you start planning your travel. If you do not meet the passport, VISA, or immunization requirements, you will be denied entry into Egypt. This is not something that I would wait until the last minute to take care of as you might not have enough time to sort out any issues at the last minute should you run into them.

To assist you in making sure you meet the necessary requirements to visit Egypt, I have outlined all of the requirements you need to be concerned about in this article.  Furthermore, I have also created the handy checklist I linked below for you to use as a point of reference and to track all of the requirements as you meet them.

Download the Egypt Entrance Requirements Checklist

Egypt Passport Requirements

One of the most important of the Egypt entrance requirements that you will need to consider when planning your trip is the country’s passport requirements. In order to be allowed into Egypt, not only will your passport need to be valid, but it will need to be valid for at least 6 months after your date of arrival. So if your passport is set to expire within 6 months of your arrival date, you will need to renew your passport before you travel to Egypt. You are also going to need your passport number to apply for your VISA, so I would strongly suggest that you not delay in getting it renewed if necessary.

Egypt VISA Requirements

In addition to the passport requirements, there are VISA considerations in the Egypt entrance requirements that you need to be aware of before booking your travel. If you would like to review the VISA entry requirements for Egypt by country, I have included a map below for you to review. If a VISA is required for your nation of origin, you will need to apply for an e-VISA or Consular VISA before you depart for Egypt. For your convenience, I have included those instructions for you to review below as well.

View Larger Map

Applying for an e-VISA to Egypt

If you hold a passport in a country that allows you to apply for an electronic VISA (e-VISA), it is the easiest and most convenient way to apply for a VISA to visit Egypt. While you typically get the response from your application back within a few days, you will want to apply for your e-VISA well in advance to allow yourself time to correct any issues should your VISA application be declined. The official Egyptian E-VISA website recommends applying no later than 7-days before your departure. The cost for a single-entry e-VISA is $25 USD and $60 USD for a multi-entry VISA. If you would like to apply for an e-VISA for your upcoming trip to Egypt, I have included the link to the e-VISA website below.

Arab Republic of Egypt – Electronic VISA Portal

Applying for a VISA Upon Arrival in Egypt

If you forget to apply for an e-VISA before you depart for Egypt, you may be able to apply for a VISA when you arrive. For citizens of roughly 60 countries around the world, this is an option (please see the map above for details). If you plan to apply for a VISA upon arrival, please note the following process:

• Go directly to the border patrol upon arrival in Egypt.
• Complete a VISA form with personal details such as name, passport info , etc.
• Pay $25 USD cash in local currency for the VISA processing fee (no credit cards are accepted).
• Your passport must have two blank pages available for the VISA stamp.

Applying for a Embassy or Consular VISA to Egypt

If you hold a passport from a country that does not qualify you to apply for an e-VISA, then you will need to apply for a consular VISA from the Egyptian embassy in your country in order to meet the Egypt entrance requirements. Depending on which country you hold residency in, this may require pre-approval from the Egyptian government before applying for a VISA. For a list of countries that require pre-approval, as well as instructions for applying for a consular VISA, please refer to the website for the Egyptian embassy in your country. For US passport holders applying for a consular VISA to Egypt, the instructions for applying are as follows (per the website for the Egyptian Embassy in the United States):

• Fully completed and signed visa application form with ONE photo stapled to the form and ONE copy of the completed application form with photo
• ONE 2″ x 2″, recent high definition personal passport photos on white background (photo must be no more than 6 months old)
• Actual passport plus TWO copies of the information page (still valid for at least 6 months) and has an empty Visa page
• If applying by Mail, all payments are in Cashier’s Check  Only payable to the Consulate of Egypt.( They DO NOT accept MONEY ORDER or PERSONAL CHECKS). If applying in person, Cash will be accepted
• Mailed Applications: Please ONLY provide Express Mail or Certified Mail (pre-addressed pre stamped envelope) for the return of the passports/Documents. They do not take responsibility for any loss that may occur in mailing.
• Mailing Address: Consulate of the Arab Republic of Egypt, 3521 International Court, NW, Washington, DC 20008
• Download application form here
• Click here for visa fee

Egypt Immunization Requirements

Routine Travel Vaccinations for Egypt

Important Note: I am not a medical doctor and do not have any medical experience. The information provided in this section is a summary of information that I got from the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States for travel to Egypt. I am providing you this information to help bring awareness of the necessary vaccinations to you, but consultation of my guide should not replace a discussion about your travels with your doctor or a travel medical clinic.

One of the most important, and yet most often overlooked, aspects of travel is the necessary vaccinations that are required or recommended to keep you safe and healthy when you travel. Before you depart for Egypt, you are going to want to make sure that you have all of the proper vaccinations. Some of these vaccinations, like the Yellow Fever vaccination, are included in the Egypt entrance requirements if you are travelling to Egypt from certain high-risk locations. Other vaccinations, such as a flu shot and the Rabies vaccine, are recommended, but not required. For your convenience, I have summarized the CDC’s recommendations on vaccines and healthcare for travelers visiting Egypt for you to review below.

Recommended Travel Vaccinations for Egypt

There are a number of vaccinations that the CDC recommends that you get before traveling to Egypt, which I have outlined for you below. If you are traveling to Egypt from a destination where Yellow Fever is common, even if it is only a long layover, then you will be required to show proof of vaccination before you will be allowed into the country. The other vaccinations on this list are not in the Egypt entrance requirements, but they are strongly recommended.

READ MORE:

Rabies Vaccination for Travel – Why I think All Travelers Should Consider It

Routine Vaccinations for Egypt

In addition the vaccinations that are recommended for travel to Egypt specifically, there are other routine vaccinations that you should make sure that you are current on before traveling anywhere in this world. For an overview of the routine vaccinations recommended by the CDC, please review the chart that I have included below.

Non-Vaccine Preventable Diseases

In addition to the recommended vaccinations, there are other health precautions that you should take when traveling to Egypt to avoid getting sick. While these health precautions aren’t on the list of Egypt entrance requirements, they are important measures that you can take to make sure you don’t get ill while traveling.

aVOID CONTAMINATED WATER

When traveling, one of the easiest ways to get sick is to come into contact with contaminated water. There are a number of illnesses that are found in Egypt that can be spread by either drinking or swimming in contaminated water. Before you depart for your trip, you will want to be aware of the illnesses below. To avoid getting sick, make sure you stick to drinking bottled water and avoid swimming in stagnant pools.

AVOID BUG BITES

Another easy way to get sick while traveling is to be bitten by bugs that carry illnesses. The most common insect that spreads diseases to humans is the mosquito, but ticks and flies can also spread serious illnesses thru their bites. To make sure you don’t fall ill from an insect bite while in Egypt, I would recommend bringing insect repellent with you when you visit and avoid getting bitten by bugs as much as possible.

avoid animals

In addition to the Rabies concerns that I outlined in the article referenced above, there are other illnesses found in Egypt that can be spread to humans thru animals. If you are planning on spending time near animals during your trip, you will want to make sure to consult with you doctor about getting the Rabies pre-exposure vaccination. Even if you aren’t going to be around wild animals, I think the Rabies pre-exposure vaccination makes sense for all travelers who are visiting areas of the world where there is a Rabies risk as it significantly simplifies the post-exposure vaccination process. In addition to Rabies, you will want to be aware of the Rift River Valley illness and how to avoid it as well.

be aware of airborne illnesses

Out of all the ways that illnesses can be spread, the diseases that are airborne are the hardest to protect yourself against. After all, you don’t have to physically touch or be touched by an infected person or animal and there isn’t a repellant that you can spray on to avoid catching these illnesses. This is why it is always important to be observant of those with whom you interact with while traveling and make sure you don’t expose yourself to potentially harmful airborne illnesses. According to the CDC, the particular airborne illnesses that you should be aware of while travelling to Egypt are as follows:

Egypt COVID-19 Entrance Requirements

Even though the world is starting to open up after a year of COVID-19 shutdowns, many countries continue to enforce COVID-19 safety protocols for visitors in order to prevent the spread of the virus. According to the US Embassy in Egypt, there are certain COVID-19 entrance requirements in place that need to be satisfied before you will be allowed entry into the country. I have highlighted those requirements for you to review below, but you should continue to monitor the website of the US Embassy in Egypt as the policies for travel relating to COVID-19 around the world continue to evolve.

• A negative COVID-19 PCR test taken a maximum of 72-hours before your flight to Egypt departs is required to enter Egypt. If you are flying from Japan, China, Thailand, North America, South America, Canada, London Heathrow, Paris, or Frankfurt, you will be allowed entry with a negative PCR test taken a maximum of 96-hours before your flight departs.
  • The negative COVID-19 PCR test must be from an accredited lab.
  • The test results must be on paper copy. Digital test results will not be accepted.
  • Children under the age of 6 are exempt from having to be tested.
  • The test results must be in both English and Arabic.
• All visitors must show proof of health insurance upon arrival. For this reason, I strongly encourage you to purchase travel insurance for your trip to Egypt.
• All visitors must complete a health screening upon arrival in Egypt.

READ MORE:

Have a Back-up Plan for your Travel Plan

Egypt Customs Restrictions

Prohibited Items

Before you will be allowed into Egypt, you will also need to clear customs to be sure you aren’t carrying any prohibited items with you. For instance, according to EgyptOnlineVisa.com, travelers are strictly prohibited from being the following items into Egypt:

• Narcotics
• Drugs
• Cotton
• Live, frozen, or stuffed birds or any bird-derived products
• Firearms, including sporting guns

Controlled Items

In addition to these prohibited items, the government of Egypt has placed limits on the quantity of other items that can be brought into the country. If you plan to travel with any of the following items when visiting Egypt, you will want to plan accordingly so that you do not violate the Egypt entrance requirements:

• 200 cigarettes, 25 cigars, or 200 grams of tobacco
• 1 liter of alcoholic beverages
• 1 liter of perfume or cologne
• Commercial merchandise allowed must be valued under $200 USD

Egypt Currency Restrictions

The final aspect of the Egypt entrance requirements that you will want to make sure you comply with when travelling to Egypt is the amount of currency you plan on bringing to the country. When visiting Egypt, like all countries, you can’t just bring any amount of currency that you want to into the country when visiting. According to EgyptOnlineVisa.com, the government of Egypt has the following currency limits and regulations in place:

• Local Currency: Up to 5,000 Egyptian Pounds (EGP)
• Foreign Currencies: Up to 10,000 US Dollars (USD) or its equivalent in freely convertible currency
• Postal Checks: EGP obtained via postal checks may be used to purchase air travel and pay for hotels
• Currency Exchange: Exchange of currency most be done thru official banks or money exchange offices

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