Entry/Exit Requirements

Passport and Visas:

• You must have a visa to enter Egypt.
• U.S. citizens can obtain a renewable single-entry 30-day tourist visa on arrival at Egyptian airports for a 25 USD fee. A multiple entry visa is also obtainable for 35 USD.
• Egyptian immigration officials occasionally have denied entry to travelers without explanation. 
• U.S. citizens who have experienced difficulty with their visa status in Egypt or are concerned about their eligibility for a visa upon arrival should apply for a visa at an Egyptian embassy or consulate prior to travel.
• Visas for gainful employment or study in Egypt must be obtained prior to travel.

Entry from Israel:

• U.S. citizens arriving from Israel at the Taba border crossing should obtain a visa ahead of time.
• If you don’t get one prior to arrival, you may either apply for a no-fee, 14-day visa that is only valid for travel within the Sinai, or they may buy a 30-day tourist visa valid for travel throughout Egypt for 25 USD. The 30-day visa requires the submission of a travel agency support letter which may be obtained from travel agents at the border; their fees for providing this service vary.
• The U.S. Embassy in Cairo temporarily has prohibited its personnel from traveling anywhere in the Sinai Peninsula pending the results of the investigation into the October 31 downing of a Russian commercial airliner.

Gaza:

• Currently, this border crossing is closed and the government of Egypt has not stated when it will reopen.
• Should it reopen, travel groups and/or humanitarian aid convoys that wish to cross at Rafah would need to contact the Egyptian Embassy in Washington for permission prior to travel.
• The Egyptian government screens travelers before allowing entry/exit through the Rafah border crossing with Gaza;.
• The U.S. government advises its citizens to avoid travel to Gaza; the U.S. Embassy does not issue travel letters or in any way provide assistance to cross to and from Gaza.
• Travelers to Gaza from Egypt should read the Travel Warning for Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza.

Diplomatic and Official Passports:

• Holders of these passports are required, without exception, to have visas before arrival in Egypt, irrespective of the purpose of their trip.
•  Holders of official or diplomatic passports who arrive without visas will not be granted admission to Egypt under any circumstance, including when travel is of a personal nature.
• Travelers arriving at an Egyptian airport 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 U.S. Embassy in Cairo is unable to intervene in such situations. Military personnel arriving on commercial flights are not exempt from passport and visa requirements.
• The Egyptian Embassy in Washington currently requires at least three weeks, and sometimes much longer, to process official and diplomatic visa requests, an expedite letter from the Department of State notwithstanding.
• It is incumbent upon all official travelers to submit their visa requests and passports to the Egyptian Embassy well in advance of travel.

Work Permits:

• U.S. citizens who wish to come to Egypt for work must obtain work permits and work/business visas before arrival.
• All work permits must be obtained through the employer. These permits may be acquired from the Ministry of Manpower and Migration offices in the district of the employer; accordingly, these permits authorize residency in the country.
• U.S. citizens who arrive as tourists but want to change their status after arrival in country may acquire a three-month tourist/non-working residency visa to allow sufficient time to change their status from tourist to worker.
• U.S. citizens in Egypt on tourist visas are not permitted to work. 

For additional information on entering Egypt, please contact the nearest Egyptian Embassy or Consulate or visit the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the most current visa information.

Medical Requirements 

• If you plan to stay in Egypt for more than 30 days for work or study, you are required to have an HIV test.
• U.S. citizens arriving from an area that has been infected with yellow fever will need to provide proof of immunizations/
• U.S. citizens arriving from an area affected by Ebola may be subject to quarantine.
• Please verify this information with the Egyptian Embassy before you travel. 

Exit Requirements:

• U.S. citizen women married to Egyptians do not need their spouse's permission to depart Egypt as long as they have a valid Egyptian visa or valid Egyptian passport.
• A U.S. citizen departing Egypt with a dual-national child (U.S.-Egyptian) may be required by Egyptian immigration officers at the airport to demonstrate that they have proof of consent of the non-traveling Egyptian parent.
• If you attempt to depart Egypt after the expiration of your visa, you may be required to pay a fine at the airport. Ensure that you arrive to the airport early with sufficient Egyptian currency to pay any fines.
• The U.S. Embassy does not issue travel letters to exit Egypt.
  
  

Dual Nationals:

• If a dual national has the annotation “Egyptian origin” on their entry visa, they will require proof of Egyptian citizenship in order to exit Egypt. 
• This is also true for dual nationals who remain in Egypt for more than six months.
• In some cases, if a dual national loses their U.S. passport, they will be required to present their parents’ Egyptian birth certificates and be documented as Egyptian citizens in order to obtain a temporary/replacement entry stamp to facilitate their travel out of Egypt.

Information about dual nationality or the prevention of international child abduction can be found on our website. For further information about customs regulations, please read our Customs Information page.