Egypt is raising the price of its visa on arrival, but at the same time expanding its visa-free regime.
Egypt has increased the price of tourist visas on arrival for foreign nationals from March 1st. The fee is higher by $5 USD and now costs 30 USD for a single-entry visa. The information was confirmed by the Egyptian Travel Agents Association, and the new price applies at all international airports and seaports in the country.
At the same time, Egypt continues to strengthen its tourism sector with the expansion of the visa-free regime to an ever-increasing number of countries. The focus is on travellers from the European Union, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and Canada. The aim is to simplify entry and further stimulate international arrivals, particularly towards Red Sea resorts and cultural centres like Cairo and Luxor.
The strategy is clear: liberalise access to key issuing markets while optimising revenues where visas are still issued upon arrival.
What exactly has changed?
The standard one-off tourist visa on arrival now costs 30 USD, instead of the previous 25 USD. The visa is still valid for up to 30 days of stay.
The change applies to travellers arriving without a pre-obtained eVisa who decide to purchase a visa upon arrival at the border crossing.
The new price applies to all main entry points, including:
- Cairo International Airport
- Hurghada International Airport
- Sharm El Sheikh International Airport
This rule also applies to seaports that handle tourist arrivals.
Who is paying the new price?
The increase pertains to all foreign tourists who are eligible for a visa on arrival and opt to obtain it at the airport or port.
Passengers who have already obtained their visa via the official Egyptian eVisa platform before departure are not affected by this change.
Small changes to entry procedures often cause the most questions on the ground. This time it's about 5 dollars more – but also about the need for clear, timely communication to passengers and partners.
