Egypt has switched on a new way to get your tourist visa. From 1 August 2026, visas at Cairo International Airport are issued as a QR code, and travellers can now buy them online before flying, through an official app, or from self-service machines in the arrivals hall.

What has changed

Until now, most visitors either queued for a visa sticker on arrival or applied for an Egypt eVisa in advance. The new system replaces the sticker at Cairo with a QR code. You pay US$36 per person by card on the official website, visaonarrival.gov.eg, or in the official Visa on Arrival Egypt app for iPhone or Android, and the code arrives by email instantly. There are no forms and no passport photo uploads, and at the airport you simply show the code on your phone at passport control.

The key facts

  • US$36 per person (US$30 visa fee plus US$6 service charge), card payment only
  • Issued instantly and emailed, one code per traveller, up to 10 codes in one payment
  • Codes must be used to enter Egypt within 7 days of issue, so buy no earlier than 5 days before travel
  • No printing needed, just show your phone at passport control
  • Self-service machines at Cairo arrivals offer the same visa at the same price for those who prefer to buy on landing

Flying to Luxor or Hurghada instead?

The QR code visa currently applies only at Cairo International Airport, and that includes anyone connecting through Cairo to another Egyptian city, since passport control happens at the first airport of entry. If you fly direct into Luxor or Hurghada, nothing changes for now: buy the traditional visa on arrival at the airport kiosk for US$30, and do not buy the QR code online, as it would not be accepted there.

Is the eVisa dead?

No. The Egypt eVisa still exists and existing eVisas remain valid. But for most travellers heading to Cairo, the QR code route is now quicker and simpler, with nothing to fill in and no approval wait.

For the full picture, including step by step instructions, eligibility and answers to common questions, read our complete Egypt Visa Guide.

Classic Holidays is a UK Egypt specialist offering luxury Nile cruises, Cairo stays and Red Sea holidays, ABTA and ATOL protected. Questions about an upcoming trip? Call free on 0800 041 8400.