Egypt is undoubtedly a fascinating destination to spend your holidays or vacations. However, it is vital before you book your tickets to have the Egyptian visa in place. Although the country is in North Africa, Egypt is considered a member of the Middle East and one of the most popular tourist destinations, with tourists mainly coming from Europe, Asia, and North America.
There are different types of Egypt visas depending on your purpose for travel to Egypt, but the most common type of Egypt visa is the tourist visa or e-Visa.
Here are some commonly asked questions about the Egyptian tourist visa validity.
In Summary
- All travellers need a valid Egypt visa, or e-Visa, to travel for tourism. You can obtain business and work visas from your nearest Egyptian embassy or consulate.
- The single-entry tourist visa, and visa on arrival, are valid for 90 days from issue and allow a stay of 30 days in Egypt.
- A multiple-entry tourist visa is valid for 180 days from issue and allows a stay of 30 days at a time in Egypt.
- Your arrival and departure dates are also in your stay period in Egypt.
- Most travellers don’t need a transit visa if their layover in Egypt is 48 hours or less.
What Are The Types Of Egyptian Tourist Visas?
You have the choice between a single entry Egypt visa and multiple entry Egypt visas. The single entry visa allows you to enter and leave Egypt only once, ideal for taking a holiday within Egypt.
The multiple-entry Egypt visa will enable you to enter and exit the country as many times as you wish within the validity period. This is ideal for travellers who plan to explore Egypt and other neighbouring countries during their holidays.
What Is The Single Entry Egypt Visa Validity?
For the Egypt single entry tourist visa, you can stay in the country for 30 days within three months (90 days). If you wish to leave Egypt after the 30-day stay and return before the three months are over, you must apply for a fresh Egypt tourist visa.
What Is The Multiple Entry Egypt Visa Validity?
The multiple-entry visa allows you to enter and leave Egypt within six months (180 days), for a maximum stay of 30 days at a time. The multiple-entry Egypt visa allows for unlimited entry and exists as long as the visa is valid.
Note that if your passport expires during the six months, you will need to apply for a fresh Egypt tourist visa.
When Does The Egypt Visa Validity Begin?
Your Egypt tourist visa is valid as soon as you get the approval. If you plan to travel to Egypt within one month, apply for your visa at least seven days before your expected arrival date. If you plan to travel to Egypt in more than a month, you can still apply for your tourist visa ahead of time.
However, the visa processing will effectively be on hold until 30 days before your arrival date. This means that you won’t waste any validity days on your Egypt visa.
That said, you need to be aware of your arrival validity period. As soon as you land in Egypt, your single entry visa validity lasts for a maximum of 30 days. If you foresee the need to stay longer in Egypt, apply for a visa extension before your 30 days end. Note that the stay period in Egypt includes your arrival and departure dates.
When Does The Egypt Visa Validity End?
There are two main scenarios where your Egypt visa validity can expire. First is if you receive the approved Egypt tourist visa but fail to travel for various reasons, such as the Covid-19 pandemic. Countries can introduce sudden changes to travel requirements that may delay your plans to visit Egypt.
Your Egypt visa validity also ends if your passport expires. One of the main requirements for the Egypt visa is a passport with at least six months of validity remaining. Apply for a new Egypt tourist visa as soon as you renew your passport to avoid disrupting your travel plans.
Does The Egypt Visa Validity Allow For Travel Changes?
If you’re uncertain about your exact travel date to Egypt, you can still apply for the Egypt tourist visa. You don’t have to book your flight tickets to apply for your Egypt tourist visa. All you need is to book a place to stay for at least 24 hours upon arrival in Egypt. The contact details of your accommodation are necessary for the online Egypt visa application.
This means that you have the option to adjust the dates given on the application form without affecting the Egypt visa validity. If you apply for your Egypt visa well in advance, the visa processing itself starts about 30 days before your arrival date.
There is plenty of room in the Egypt visa validity period to adjust your Egypt travel itinerary. Arrive in Egypt at any time as long as your stay is within the 90-day validity (single entry visa) or the 180-day validity (multiple entry visas).
What about the Egypt Visa on Arrival Validity?
Opt for the Egypt visa on arrival if you need to travel to Egypt within seven days, such that you won’t have enough time to wait for the online Egypt visa processing. If you hold a passport from the following countries, you qualify for the Egypt visa on arrival:
| Australia | Japan | Norway | Ukraine |
| Canada | Macedonia | Korea | United States |
| EU nations | Malaysia | Russia | |
| Georgia | New Zealand | United Kingdom |
You can only get the Egypt visa on arrival from airports, not from land or sea entry points. These airports are:
- Cairo International Airport
- Hurgarda International Airport
- St Catherine International Airport
- Borg El Arab International Airport
- Sharm El Sheikh International Airport
- Luxor International Airport
On arrival, the Egypt visa is a single entry visa, valid for 90 days for a 30-day stay. Note that there is no guarantee that your visa will available to you on arrival in Egypt, even if you pay the USD25 visa fee. The Egyptian immigration officials determine whom to approve for entry.
Instead of taking this risk, and avoiding long queues at the airport checkpoint, apply for an electronic Egypt visa online. The application process takes only a few minutes, and you can do it right from home or on your smartphone.
What about the Egypt Transit Visa Validity?
Travellers don’t need a transit visa if their layover in Egypt is 48 hours or less. You only need proof of your onward ticket from Egypt. You can leave the airport and enjoy the sights of Egypt if your transit is between 6 and 48 hours.
If your transit in Egypt is less than 6 hours long, you must stay in the airport, but you can leave the transit area and explore the airport. The exceptions for the Egypt transit visa validity are:
- Iranian citizens need to apply for a transit visa from the Egyptian embassy or consulate.
- Afghanistan, Lebanon, Palestine and Philippines citizens must stay in the designated transit area in the airport in Egypt.
How Do I Verify My Egyptian Visa Validity?
To ensure that your Egypt visa is valid for travel, here are a few tips:
- Use an active email address for your online Egypt visa application
- Verify that your online application details match your passport information. Confirm that you spelt all your names correctly and that dates are accurate
- Print a copy of your Egypt visa once you receive it via email
- Present the printed visa with your passport to immigration officers at departure from your country and arrival in Egypt. If there is any mismatch between the visa and passport details, your Egypt visa will be invalid