Egypt Visa Fees: E-Visa vs Visa on Arrival

Egypt offers three ways to get a tourist visa: an e-visa applied for online before you travel, a visa bought at an approved airport on arrival, and a digital visa sold at Cairo airport. At the time of writing, the e-visa costs USD 30 for a single entry or USD 65 for multiple entries, and the visa on arrival costs USD 30 in cash. Your passport must be valid for at least six months beyond your arrival date and have one blank page.

Key Takeaways

• The e-visa is paid by card on the official portal; the visa on arrival is cash only.
• A tourist e-visa is valid for up to 3 months; a visa on arrival for up to 30 days.
• The portal lists 79 countries and territories eligible for the e-visa, including the US, UK, Canada, Australia, most of the EU, China, Japan and India.
• From 1 August 2026 the digital visa at Cairo airport costs USD 36, which is the USD 30 fee plus a USD 6 service fee.
• Fees change, so confirm them on the official portal before you pay.

The three routes side by side

The e-visa figures come from the official Egyptian e-visa portal. The validity periods, the visa on arrival, the digital visa and the passport rule come from the UK government's travel advice for Egypt, checked in August 2026. These figures are the latest we have seen; they can change, so check the sources again before you pay.

The e-visa

The e-visa is the route that suits card payers. The portal collects the fee online by credit or debit card after you register your details, and the UK government advice says tourist e-visas are valid for up to 3 months. Eligibility depends on nationality: the portal lists 79 countries and territories, and says the list includes the US, UK, Canada and Australia, as well as most of the EU, China, Japan and India. Check your own passport on the portal's live list rather than relying on a summary.

The visa on arrival

At approved airports there are kiosks before the immigration counters where you can buy a physical visa for USD 30 in cash. It is valid for up to 30 days, which covers a classic ten-day Egypt trip with room to spare. If you will not have US dollars in cash when you land, this is the route to avoid.

The digital visa at Cairo airport

The UK government advice also describes a digital visa at Cairo airport. From 1 August 2026 it costs USD 36, made up of the USD 30 visa fee and a USD 6 service fee. This figure is newer than the one on the e-visa portal's fee page, so if you are buying at the airport, expect the higher amount.

Passport rules

Whichever route you choose, your passport needs to be valid for at least 6 months beyond your arrival date and have one blank page. Check your passport before you book flights.

After the visa: planning the trip

Our general guide, do you need a visa to travel to Egypt, explains who needs one. Once the visa is sorted, how many days you need in Egypt helps with the length of the trip and the best time to visit Egypt with the season. Visitors from the US can see what is on offer in Egypt tour packages from the USA or browse the Egypt tours from the USA page, and the rest of our Egypt tour packages are listed together. For the basics, see essential Egypt travel tips.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much is the Egypt e-visa? USD 30 for a single entry and USD 65 for multiple entries, at the time of writing.

How much is the visa on arrival? USD 30, paid in cash at kiosks before the immigration counters.

How long is the visa valid? A tourist e-visa is valid for up to 3 months and a visa on arrival for up to 30 days.

Can I pay by card? Yes for the e-visa, which is paid by credit or debit card on the portal. The visa on arrival is cash only.

How long must my passport be valid? At least 6 months beyond your arrival date, with one blank page.

Does the digital visa at Cairo airport cost more? It costs USD 36 from 1 August 2026, which is USD 6 more than the visa fee.