Egyptian Visa Regulations
Non-Egyptian visitors arriving in
Egypt are required to have a valid passport. Entry visa may be obtained from Egyptian Diplomatic Bodies abroad or from the Entry Visa Department at the Travel Documents, Immigration and Nationality Administration (TDINA). It is, however, possible for most tourists and visitors to obtain an entry visa at any of the Major Entry Ports. Please check with the nearest Egyptian Consulate for specific details and regulations relevant to your nationality.
Note:
Visitors entering
Egypt from Sinai borders "Taba or Nuweiba or Sharm El Sheikh", Visiting
Gulf of Aqaba coast "Taba, Nuweiba, Dahab, Sharm El Sheikh" and St. Catherine, can be exempted from visa and granted a free residence permit for fourteen days to visit the South Sinai area only.
Citizens of the following countries are required to be in possession of a pre-arrival visa:
Afghanistan,
Algeria,
Armenia,
Azerbaijan,
Bangladesh,
Bosnia-Herzegovina,
Chechnya,
Croatia,
Georgia,
India,
Indonesia,
Iraq,
Iran,
Israel,
Kazakhstan,
Kirghizia,
Lebanon,
Macau,
Macedonia,
Malaysia,
Moldavia,
Morocco,
Pakistan,
Palestine, The Philippines,
Russia,
Serbia and
Montenegro,
Sri-Lanka,
Tadzhikistan,
Thailand,
Tunisia,
Turkmenistan,
Ukraine,
Uzbekistan and all African countries.
Visitors with Diplomatic passports should obtain their entry visa prior to arrival from the nearest Egyptian Consulate.
Those in possession of a residence permit in
Egypt are not required to obtain an entry visa if they leave the country and return to it within the validity of their residence permit or within six months, whichever period is less.
Getting into
Egypt
By air
Many international airports, from North to South, welcome thousands of tourists in
Egypt every year.
Cairo,
Alexandria,
Luxor,
Aswan, Hurghada, Sharm El Sheikh, Marsa Alam, Taba, are parts of them. You can travel with the national company - Egypt Air - whose flights leave from the main cities of Europe, North America, Middle East, Africa and
Asia. You can also get to
Egypt by plane with the main foreign international companies and different low coast companies. Arriving at the airport you can check for the Tourist information desk which will provide information on the spot
Major Ports of Entry to
Egypt
Airports:
Cairo International (2 terminals)
Alexandria Nozha and Borg El Arab
Luxor,
Upper Egypt
Aswan,
Upper Egypt
Hurghada,
Red Sea
Sharm El-Sheikh,
South Sinai
Marine Harbors
Alexandria, Mediterranean
Port Said, Mediterranean
Damietta, Mediterranean
Suez, Gulf of Suez
Nuweiba, Gulf of Aqaba
Hurghada, Red Sea
Safaga, Red Sea
Sharm El-Sheikh, Red Sea
Overland Entry Posts:
Salloum, northwestern border (to and from
Libya)
Rafah, northeastern border (to and from
Gaza strip, the
Occupied
Territories and
Israel)
Taba, eastern border (to and from
Israel)
Currency
The national currency is the Egyptian Pound, called Guineh in Arabic. It is divided into 100 piasters. Banknotes are LE 200, 100, 50, 20, 10, 5, 1. There are also coins of 50, 25 piasters.
You will find ATM machines in large towns and in some hotels.
Credit cards and travelers check are accepted in major hotels and large stores. Money exchange service is easily available through banks and certain bureaus.
Customs
Egyptian
Airport and Port Authority customs operate in the same way as most major countries around the world. There is no limitation for the amount of foreign currency that you may bring into or take out of
Egypt. A declaration form must be completed if valuable goods such as jewellery or electronic devices like video or cameras are imported.
For more information, check with your nearest local Egyptian consulate. Note that you're not allowed to take Egyptian antiques out of the country unless they're replicas.
By air many international airports, from North to South, welcome thousands of tourists in
Egypt every year.
Cairo,
Alexandria,
Luxor,
Aswan, Hurghada, Sharm El Sheikh, Marsa Alam, Taba, are part of them. You can travel with the national company - Egypt Air - whose flights leave from the main cities of Europe, North America, Middle East, Africa and
Asia. You can also get to
Egypt by plane with the main foreign national companies and different low coast companies. Arriving at the airport you can check for the Tourist information desk which will provide information on the spot.
Language
The official language is Arabic. However other foreign languages such as English, French, German, Italian and Spanish can be widely spoken as well.
Personal safety
Crime in
Egypt nearly does not exist. Security is good and specially trained Tourist Police, who can speak English, is always nearby if needed.
Time difference and voltage
Standard Time is 2 hours ahead Greenwich Mean Time (GMT 2).
Egypt operates Daylight-Saving Time (Summer time) between the last Friday in April and the last Thursday in September when the clocks are 3 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT 3).
The electrical current is 220 volt AC.
Communication
An extensive network of public phones with prepaid cards can be used for local, national and international calls in affordable cost. Special cellular lines' offers for tourists is easily attainable but if you are keen to have your own cellular number, roaming agreements exist with almost all national and international operators.
You can buy stamps and post your letter at post offices or from your hotel. A letter usually takes about a week to reach its destination. Post offices are closed on Fridays.
Internet service is widely expanded in
Egypt. You can also find many cyber cafes through the country. "Wi Fi" (wireless Internet) is available in big cafes in main cities and now you can connect everywhere in Sharm El Sheikh and
Luxor.
Clothing
Light cotton clothes, a hat, sun cream and sunglasses are suitable for summer months. A sweater can be useful in the winter. Whilst there is no specific dress code in the cities, women will feel more comfortable if they do not wear shorts nor have their shoulders uncovered. This is particularly relevant when visiting churches and mosques.
Photography
Visitors can take photos freely except in some restricted areas e.g. airports and ports, military areas. Some museums and historic sites restrict photography to protect artifacts and may charge a fee. If in doubt, don’t hesitate to ask.
Business Hours and Public Holidays
Government, administrative offices and banks are generally open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. each day, except for Fridays, Saturdays and public holidays. Most shops are open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day except Sunday. Please note that all these opening hours may vary in shopping centers and during Ramadan.
Public holidays
• Fixed dates:
o 7th January: Coptic Christmas Day
o 25th April: Sinai Liberation Day
o 1st May: Labor Day
o 23rd July: Revolution Day (commemorating the abolition of the monarchy in
1952)
o 6th October: Armed Forces Day
• Dates that change according to the Muslim calendar:
o Eid al-Fitr: marks the end of Ramadan
o Eid al-Adha: Feast of Sacrifice (around 70 days after the end of Ramadan)
o Ras El Sana Hijriya: Islamic New Year
o Mawlid al-Nabi: Birthday of the Prophet Mohammed
What's the weather like in
Egypt?
Egypt enjoys an ideally moderate climate all the year with Mediterranean influence at North coast and part of delta. Temperatures increase as you travel from North to South. The mid summer months can get hot but without excessive humidity. Winter has quite pleasant sunny weather by day but temperature can drop during the night. Temperatures can often be cooler in the desert. There are few rainy days, mainly in January and February.
When to Come to Egypt?
Egypt is an all year round destination, where there is always something to do. There are many cruises on the
Nile from October to April and it's a perfect time to enjoy sun and moderate temperature. If you want to visit during the peak season, make sure you book early. The best time to visit the desert and oases is from September to May, when temperatures are cooler. If you prefer diving, you can enjoy the
Red Sea and the Sinai all year round.
The holy month of Ramadan is a special time in
Egypt, working hours are modified and at night, life is joyful and streets are decorated with colorful lights.
Climate Find out what the weather is like in the following cities.
Alexandria 27°C / 81°F
Cairo 30°C / 86°F
Luxor 37°C / 99°F
Sharm el-Sheikh 34°C / 94°F
Hurghada 34°C / 94°F
Oases 32°C / 90°F
Aswan 37°C / 99°F
Taba 34°C / 94°F
