Egypt travel advisory today

This information is for people travelling on a full ‘British citizen’ passport from the UK. It is based on the UK government’s understanding of Egypt’s current rules for the most common types of travel.

The authorities in Egypt set and enforce entry rules. If you’re not sure how these requirements apply to you, contact the Egyptian Consulate General in the UK.

Passport validity requirements

To enter Egypt, your passport must have an ‘expiry date’ at least 6 months after the date you arrive and have at least one blank page.

Check with your travel provider that your passport and other travel documents meet requirements. Renew your passport if you need to.

You will be denied entry if you do not have a valid travel document.

Dual nationals

When returning to the UK, British citizens must carry a valid British passport or certificate of entitlement. See Dual citizenship.

Visa requirements

British passport holders travelling to Egypt normally need a visa.

If you are arriving by air to Sharm El-Sheikh and staying for less than 15 days at resorts in Sharm El Sheikh, Dahab, Nuweiba or Taba, you do not need a visa. You will get a free entry permission stamp on arrival at Sharm El-Sheikh Airport. If you plan to travel outside the resorts or stay more than 15 days, you must get a visa. You can get a visa at Sharm El-Sheikh Airport or online.

If you arrive in South Sinai by land through the Taba Border Crossing, see ‘Entering Egypt from Israel’.

Applying for a visa

You can apply for a visa:

• online – getting an e-visa in advance can help to prevent delays, tourist e-visas are valid for up to 3 months
• in person or by post – apply through the Egyptian Consulate General in the UK
• on arrival in Egypt – approved airports have kiosks before you reach the immigration counters where you can buy a physical visa for 30 US dollars (cash only). Visas on arrival are valid for up to 30 days.

Starting from 1 August 2026, travellers arriving at Cairo International Airport can also purchase digital visas on arrival (card payment only) via self-service machines or the Visa on Arrival portal for 36 US dollars, including a 6 US dollar digital service fee.

British passport holders from British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies cannot apply online.

Visa extensions

You can apply for a visa extension at the Egyptian Passport and Immigration Offices. If you try to leave Egypt on an expired visa, you may face difficulties, including a fine if your visa has expired by more than 14 days. Contact the Egyptian Consulate General in the UK for more information.

Visa agents in airports

You do not need to buy a visa from an agent. Agents often charge more than the required 30 US dollars. If an agent harasses you, report the incident to the tourist police in the airport terminal.

Gender expression

You may be denied entry if your gender expression or physical appearance does not match the sex marker in your passport or your passport photograph. See general advice for LGBT+ travellers

Entering Egypt from Israel

If you plan to cross the border from Israel into Egypt at Taba, we recommend you bring at least 170 US dollars (cash) per person, with some extra US dollars in cash to cover any further expenses. Since early March 2026, border crossing charges at Taba have been subject to increases at short notice.

• If staying in Taba, travellers will need to pay a border tax of 20 US dollars. The border tax allows you to obtain an entry permission stamp for a stay of up to 15 days

• If travelling further than Taba, including to Sharm El-Sheikh, but remaining within the Sinai Peninsula, travellers will need to pay a border tax of 120 US dollars. The border tax allows you to obtain an entry permission stamp for a stay of up to 15 days

• If travelling beyond the Sinai Peninsula, including to fly from airports such as Cairo and Hurghada, travellers will need to pay a border tax of 120 US dollars and purchase a standard entry visa for 30 US dollars. At Taba, this entry visa also requires a “letter of guarantee”, provided by travel agents and costing around 20 US dollars. Both the visa and the “letter of guarantee” can be purchased at the Border Crossing

If travelling by car through the Taba Border Crossing, you may also be required to pay 100 US dollars, with additional charges for parking.

Please note that ATMs at the Taba Border Crossing are unreliable and frequently run out of cash. Travellers should obtain US dollars before travelling or in Eilat before arriving at the Crossing as all payments are required in cash.

Border officials may ask travellers to remove hats, coats or other items of clothing, including religious clothing, as they pass through the Taba Border Crossing terminal.

Entering Egypt from Jordan

Ferry services operate between Aqaba, Jordan and Taba Heights and Nuweiba in Egypt. Contact ferry operators directly for schedules and availability. Please check Travel Advice for Jordan for latest on exit requirements.

If your stay in Sinai will exceed 15 days, or you are planning to travel in Egypt beyond the Sinai Peninsula, including to fly from mainland airports, for example Cairo or Hurghada, you will need an entry visa. If entering at Taba Heights, this costs 35 US dollars. If entering at Nuweiba, this costs 30 US dollars. Visas can be purchased at the port terminals. Travellers should obtain USD in cash before travelling given payments are often required in cash.

Entering Egypt from Sudan

The situation at the Egypt-Sudan border remains unclear. There are 2 main land border crossings, Qustul and Argeen. There is almost no infrastructure at these crossings, and it is no longer possible to obtain a visa on arrival at these locations. The Egyptian consulate is based in Wadi Halfa, 30km from the border, applications for Egyptian visas can be made here, but visa approvals can take upwards of 6 months.

The British Embassy in Cairo does not have staff at the border and our ability to provide assistance is very limited. Travel in and from Sudan is at your own risk. See Sudan travel advice.

If you are a British national and have crossed into Egypt from Sudan without valid documents, contact the British Embassy in Cairo for support.

Vaccine requirements

To enter Egypt, you must have a certificate to prove you’ve had a yellow fever vaccination if you’re coming from a country listed as a transmission risk.

For full details about medical entry requirements and recommended vaccinations, see TravelHealthPro’s Egypt guide.

HIV test for work permits

You will need to show HIV test results to apply for a work permit.

Customs rules

There are strict rules about goods you can take into or out of Egypt. You must declare anything that may be prohibited or subject to tax or duty. Contact the Egyptian Consulate General in the UK for more information about customs rules.

Taking money into or out of Egypt

You can bring up to 5,000 Egyptian pounds into or out of Egypt.

You must declare foreign currency worth more than 10,000 US dollars on arrival – there is no limit to the amount of foreign currency you can bring.

Electronic and communication devices

You should declare high value electronic devices and recording equipment when you arrive. Officials are likely to confiscate satellite phones or radio communications equipment unless you have prior clearance from the Ministry of Telecommunications.

Some countries have imposed measures in response to the Ebola disease outbreak. These can include restrictions on entry and health screening measures for travellers having recently visited an affected country. If you are suspected of having symptoms, you may be subject to isolation, quarantine and/or travel restrictions. Contact the authorities of the country you are travelling to for more details.

The authorities of a country or territory decide who can enter or exit through its borders. The Government of Canada cannot intervene on your behalf if you do not meet your destination’s entry or exit requirements.

We have obtained the information on this page from local authorities. It can, however, change at any time.

Verify this information with the Foreign Representatives in Canada.

Passport

Entry requirements vary depending on the type of passport you're travelling with.

Before you travel, check with your transportation company about passport requirements. Its rules on passport validity may be more stringent than the country's entry rules.

Regular Canadian passport

Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months beyond the date you expect to leave Egypt.

Passport for official travel

Different entry rules may apply.

Official travel

Passport with “X” gender identifier

While the Government of Canada issues passports with an “X” gender identifier, it cannot guarantee your entry or transit through other countries. You might face entry restrictions in countries that do not recognize the “X” gender identifier. Before you leave, verify this information with the closest foreign representative for your destination.

You should also be aware that current systems used by some countries and travel companies may not recognize the “X” gender identifier. You may still be asked to provide your sex/gender information as either male or female when travelling.

Other travel documents

Different entry rules may apply when travelling with a temporary passport or an emergency travel document. Before you leave, verify this information with the closest foreign representative for your destination.

Useful links

• Travel and your sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and sex characteristics
• Foreign Representatives in Canada
• Canadian passports and other travel documents

Diplomatic and Special passport holders are required to have visas before arrival in Egypt.

Travellers attempting to enter Egypt with diplomatic or official passports who do not have visas will be required to remain, at their own expense, in the airport transit area until their immediate departure from Egypt can be arranged. The Embassy of Canada in Egypt cannot intervene in such matters.

Gender expression and entry procedures

You may be denied entry or subject to invasive search and screening if your gender expression or physical appearance does not match the gender identifier in your passport or your passport photograph.

Visas

Tourist visa: required
Business visa: required
Student visa: required

Canadian passport holders can obtain an electronic visa prior to travel or a 30-day tourist visa on arrival in Egypt, paid in cash in U.S. dollars.

If you plan to enter Egypt via the Taba land border crossing:

• you can get a 14-day, visa-free entry stamp if you plan on staying within the Sinai Peninsula, which includes Sharm El Sheikh
• if you plan on travelling outside of the Sinai, you may either apply for an electronic visa prior to your arrival or obtain a 30-day visa on arrival directly at the Taba land border crossing

All visas issued on arrival must be paid in cash, in U.S. dollars only. Entry may cost between $60 and $100 in USD per person depending on your travel plans.

If you wish to extend your stay in Egypt, contact the Immigration Authority of Egypt. You may be fined upon departure if you overstay your 30-day visa period without proper authorization.

Useful links

• Obtain an electronic visa – Egypt e-visa portal
• Foreign Representatives in Canada

Entry and exit stamps

You must show proof of an entry stamp in your passport when you leave Egypt. If you cannot provide proof of entry, you cannot obtain an exit stamp and will be denied exit.

If you have entered the country with a Canadian passport and have obtained a new one while in Egypt, you must have the entry stamp transferred to the new passport by the Egyptian Immigration Authority. This requirement also applies to newborns and dual citizens.

If a child is born in Egypt to a Canadian parent, a data stamp proving that the child was born in Egypt must be added to the child's Canadian passport before the child can exit the country. Since there will be no entry stamp in the child's passport, you must submit both the child's birth certificate and Canadian passport to the Egyptian Immigration Authority to obtain what Egyptian authorities term the “data stamp.” Parents are advised to contact the Embassy of Canada as soon as possible to apply for citizenship and a passport for their child, so as not to further delay what can be a lengthy process.

Regional travel

If you are contemplating onward travel to other Arab countries, bear in mind that Canadians have been denied entry because their passports bore an Israeli visa, an Israeli border stamp or an Egyptian or Jordanian border stamp issued by an office bordering Israel, which would indicate they entered from Israel.

Border with Palestine and Israel

Due to the ongoing events in Israel and Palestine, the land borders could close with little notice.

Access to the Gaza Strip through the Rafah border crossing is restricted. The Government of Canada continues to advise against all travel to the Gaza Strip due to ongoing military operations.

The Taba border crossing to southern Israel remains open.

Medication and cosmetics

Egyptian authorities consider some prescription and over-the-counter medicines medications controlled substances. They will seize all narcotic and psychotropic medications, even if you have the original prescription. For all other prescription and over-the-counter medications:

• Carry the original prescription
• Ensure the medication is in its original packaging
• Don't attempt to enter with more than 3 months' supply.

Authorities also regulate the import of cosmetics and veterinary products.

Health entry requirements

All foreigners planning to study, work or train in Egypt for longer than one month may be required to undergo testing for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Egyptian immigration authorities in Cairo's Mogamma building provide information on this procedure upon application.

When entering from another country you may be required to provide proof of immunizations. Please verify with the Egyptian Embassy nearest to you before travelling.

Children and travel

Learn about travelling with children.

Yellow fever

Learn about potential entry requirements related to yellow fever (vaccines section).