Egypt visa for UK citizens: e-visa, visa on arrival and fees

Yes, in almost every case. A British citizen passport does not give visa-free entry to Egypt, so you need one of three things before you reach the passport desk: an e-visa applied for online, a visa bought on arrival at an approved airport, or, for a short stay in the Sinai resorts only, a free entry stamp. Your passport must have an expiry date at least 6 months after the day you arrive, and at least one blank page.

This guide is for travellers leaving the UK on a full British passport. It sets out which of the options fits your trip, what each costs in pounds, how to apply on the official portal step by step, how long to leave for it, and the mistakes that cost British visitors money or a delayed arrival. It does not sell a visa and does not file anything for you: the Egyptian authorities set and enforce the rules.

The e-visa is the safest choice for most British visitors because it is settled before you fly. GOV.UK says that applying in advance can help prevent delays, and tourist e-visas are valid for up to 3 months. The visa on arrival is the fallback: you queue to buy it before immigration. The Sinai stamp suits only a resort break.

You do not need an agent for any of them. GOV.UK warns that agents often charge more than the required 30 US dollars, and the only official e-visa site is the Egyptian government portal, visa2egypt.gov.eg.

A single-entry tourist e-visa costs $30 (about £23) and a multiple-entry tourist e-visa costs $65 (about £49), paid by card on the official portal. A visa on arrival costs $30 (about £23) in cash at most airports, and $36 (about £27) at Cairo, where the digital version adds a $6 service fee.

Bring US dollars in cash if you plan to buy the visa on arrival, because it is cash only at the airport kiosks. If a site asks for more than these figures at checkout, check that you are on the official portal and not on a third-party service.

Your passport must have an expiry date at least 6 months after the day you arrive in Egypt, and at least one blank page. GOV.UK states that you will be denied entry without a valid travel document, and the e-visa portal asks for the same 6-month validity.

• Count from your arrival date. A passport that expires 4 months after you land fails the rule, however short the holiday.
• Dual nationals. To return to the UK you must carry a valid British passport or a certificate of entitlement.
• Renew first. If the date is too close, renew before you book rather than after.

You apply on the Egyptian government portal in a few stages, and it asks you to apply at least 7 days before you leave.

1. Sign up. Go to the official e-visa portal and create an account with your email address and some further details.
2. Sign in and start a new application. Choose a tourist visa, single or multiple entry, and fill in the form.
3. Pay by card. The portal accepts Visa, MasterCard and other debit cards. The fee is $30 (about £23) for a single entry or $65 (about £49) for multiple entries.
4. Wait for the email. The portal emails you the status of the application once it is processed, with a link to download the e-visa.
5. Print it and carry your papers. The portal lists the documents to have on arrival: the e-visa printout, your travel itinerary, and hotel bookings or details of the places you will visit.

The portal does not publish a processing time, so there is no guaranteed turnaround. What it does say is to apply at least 7 days before departure, and that is the safe working rule. Do not leave it to the night before: if the e-visa has not arrived, the visa on arrival is the fallback at an approved airport.

GOV.UK gives no general processing time for e-visas or consulate applications either. Visas bought by post or in person through the Egyptian Consulate General in the UK take their own time, so allow longer than for the e-visa and ask the consulate for its current delay.

Yes, for a short resort stay. If you arrive by air at Sharm El-Sheikh and stay under 15 days at resorts in Sharm El Sheikh, Dahab, Nuweiba or Taba, you receive a free entry permission stamp on arrival. You need a visa if you travel outside those resorts or stay more than 15 days.

• Entering by land at Taba from Israel. GOV.UK lists a border tax of $20 (about £15) to stay in Taba, or $120 (about £90) to travel further in Sinai, each with an entry stamp for up to 15 days. Going beyond Sinai needs the $120 tax (about £90) plus a $30 visa (about £23).
• Ferries from Jordan. A visa is needed if your Sinai stay exceeds 15 days or you travel beyond Sinai: $35 (about £26) at Taba Heights or $30 (about £23) at Nuweiba, usually paid in cash at the port terminal.
• Check the FCDO map first. The FCDO advises against all travel to North Sinai Governorate, and against all but essential travel in Northern South Sinai beyond the St Catherine to Nuweibaa road. The coastal areas on both sides of the peninsula are excluded from that advice.

• Using a paid middleman. You do not need an agent, and GOV.UK says agents often charge more than the official fee. Report harassment by agents to the tourist police in the airport terminal.
• Arriving with the wrong cash. The visa on arrival is $30 in cash only, and the digital visa at Cairo is card only. Know which one you are buying.
• Treating the Sinai stamp as a full visa. It covers the four resort areas for under 15 days. A day trip to Cairo or a longer stay needs a visa.
• A passport that is too close to expiry. The 6-month rule is counted from your arrival date.
• Overstaying. Extensions are handled by Egyptian Passport and Immigration Offices. GOV.UK says leaving on an expired visa may cause difficulties, and a fine applies if the visa expired more than 14 days earlier.
• Assuming every passport can apply online. British Overseas Territory and Crown Dependency passport holders cannot apply online and should apply through the Egyptian Consulate General in the UK.

A few entry rules sit alongside the visa. Customs rules are strict: declare anything that may be prohibited, taxed or subject to duty, and declare high-value electronics and recording equipment on arrival.

• Cash. You can bring up to 5,000 Egyptian pounds into or out of Egypt. Foreign currency over $10,000 (about £7,510) must be declared on arrival, and there is no limit on how much foreign currency you bring.
• Satellite phones. Satellite phones and radio communications equipment are likely to be confiscated unless you have prior clearance from the Ministry of Telecommunications.
• Yellow fever. A certificate is required if you arrive from a country listed as a yellow fever transmission risk.
• Appearance and your passport. GOV.UK warns that entry may be denied if your gender expression or appearance does not match the sex marker or photo in your passport.

Planning other trips from the UK? Our entry requirements hub for British passport holders lists the visa rules destination by destination. For a contrast, Turkey needs no visa for a British citizen passport for up to 90 days.

We checked the entry rules on 30 October 2026 against the GOV.UK foreign travel advice for Egypt and the Egyptian e-Visa portal. GOV.UK's main Egypt page was last updated on 27 October 2026, with a change to its regional tensions information. Fees and entry options in Egypt change: confirm the figure on the portal at checkout before you pay.

The rule to remember fits in one line: you need a visa for Egypt unless you are on a short resort stay in Sinai, the cheapest and most predictable route is the official e-visa at $30 (about £23), and your passport needs 6 months of validity from the day you land.

• Do I need a visa for Egypt with a British passport?

  Yes, in almost every case. You can get an e-visa online, buy a visa on arrival at an approved airport, or, for a stay of under 15 days in the Sinai resorts only, receive a free entry stamp. Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months after your arrival date and have at least one blank page.

• Can UK citizens get an Egypt e-visa?

  Yes. The United Kingdom is on the list of nationalities that can apply on the official Egypt e-Visa portal. A single-entry tourist e-visa costs $30 (about £23) and a multiple-entry one $65 (about £49). Passport holders from British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies cannot apply online.

• Can you get an Egypt visa on arrival as a UK citizen?

  Yes, at approved airports. You buy a physical visa at kiosks before the immigration counters for $30 (about £23), cash only, valid for up to 30 days. At Cairo International Airport a digital visa on arrival has been available since 1 August 2026 for $36 (about £27), by card only.

• How much is an Egypt visa in pounds?

  A single-entry e-visa or a visa on arrival is $30, about £23 at the European Central Bank rate of 29 October 2026. A multiple-entry e-visa is $65 (about £49), and the Cairo digital visa on arrival is $36 (about £27). The fees are set in US dollars, so the pound figure moves with the exchange rate.

• How long does an Egypt e-visa take to arrive?

  The portal does not publish a processing time. It asks you to apply at least 7 days before you travel, and emails you when the application has been processed. If you leave it late, the visa on arrival is the fallback at an approved airport.

• How long is an Egypt tourist visa valid?

  GOV.UK says tourist e-visas are valid for up to 3 months and that a visa on arrival is valid for up to 30 days. Extensions are handled by Egyptian Passport and Immigration Offices.

• Do I need a visa for Sharm El-Sheikh?

  Not for a short resort stay. If you arrive by air at Sharm El-Sheikh and stay under 15 days in Sharm El Sheikh, Dahab, Nuweiba or Taba, you get a free entry permission stamp. You need a visa for longer stays or to travel outside those resorts.

• Do I need a visa for Hurghada or Cairo?

  Yes. The Sinai stamp does not cover Hurghada, Cairo or anywhere outside the four Sinai resort areas, so you need an e-visa or a visa on arrival.

• How many months must my passport be valid for Egypt?

  At least 6 months after the day you arrive, with at least one blank page. GOV.UK says you will be denied entry without a valid travel document.

• Do I need an agent to get an Egypt visa?

  No. GOV.UK says you do not need an agent, and that agents often charge more than the required 30 US dollars. Use the official e-visa portal or buy the visa on arrival.

• What happens if my Egypt visa expires while I am there?

  Apply for an extension at an Egyptian Passport and Immigration Office. GOV.UK says leaving on an expired visa may cause difficulties, and a fine applies if the visa has expired by more than 14 days.

• How much cash can I bring into Egypt?

  You can bring up to 5,000 Egyptian pounds into or out of Egypt. Foreign currency over $10,000 (about £7,510) must be declared on arrival, and there is no limit on the amount of foreign currency you bring.