Egypt Visa Guide

Last updated 2 August 2026. Every visitor to Egypt needs a tourist visa, and on 1 August 2026 the way you get one changed. Cairo International Airport now issues visas as a QR code, bought online before you travel or from self-service machines when you land. This guide explains exactly how the new system works, what it costs, and what to do if you are flying into Luxor or Hurghada instead.

As UK Egypt specialists, we send thousands of travellers to Cairo, Luxor and the Red Sea every year, so this page reflects what actually happens at the airports. We keep it up to date as the rules develop.

From 1 August 2026, visas at Cairo International Airport are issued as a QR code rather than the old paper sticker. This applies to everyone arriving into Cairo, including travellers connecting through Cairo onto another Egyptian city, because you clear passport control at your first airport of entry. There are two ways to get one.

Go to the official Egyptian Visa on Arrival website, visaonarrival.gov.eg, or use the official Visa on Arrival Egypt app for iPhone or Android.

• US$36 per person (a US$30 visa fee plus a US$6 service charge), paid by card
• There are no forms and no passport photo uploads. You choose your country, how many codes you need, and pay
• Your QR code is issued instantly and emailed to you, one for each traveller. You can buy up to 10 codes in a single payment, or each traveller can buy their own
• The code must be used to enter Egypt within 7 days of being issued, so buy it no earlier than 5 days before you travel. Because it is issued instantly, you can also buy it right up until you board your flight
• Show it on your phone to the passport control officer when you arrive. There is no need to print it

Prefer to see it first? Watch the official one minute video of how the new QR code visa works.

The machines are in the arrivals hall and take just a few moments: the same US$36 per person, paid by card. If you have any technical difficulty, there is a support desk inside the airport. If you travel with Classic Holidays and are beginning your holiday in Cairo, our representative, who has security clearance to be on your side of passport control, will meet you at the machines and help.

If your route is, for example, London to Cairo to Luxor, you go through passport control in Cairo, so the QR code visa is what you need, and it must be in place before you board your onward internal flight. Buy it online before you travel, or at the machines before passport control; buying online is safest if your connection time is tight. Airport representatives, ours included, cannot meet passengers in transit areas.

The QR system has not yet rolled out to these airports, so the traditional visa on arrival continues:

• Buy your visa at the visa/bank kiosk in the airport for US$30 per person, or
• If you travel with Classic Holidays, buy it from our airport representative for £30 per person, payable in cash in British pounds sterling (Bank of England notes in clean, undamaged condition). The visa sticker goes straight into your passport for a faster transition through the terminal.

We will update this page if the QR system is extended to further airports.

Yes. The separate Egypt eVisa, applied for in advance through the government portal, still exists and still works. For most travellers flying into Cairo, though, the new QR code visa is quicker: no forms, no passport image uploads and no waiting for approval. If you prefer the eVisa route, our step by step guide, How to apply for an Egypt eVisa online, remains available.

British and EU passport holders are eligible, along with several other nationalities including the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and the Republic of Korea. The official website shows the current list when you select your country; if yours is not listed, arrange your visa through your local Egyptian embassy or the eVisa system before you travel. Whatever your nationality, your passport must be valid for at least 6 months beyond your return date.

How much is the Egypt visa in 2026?
At Cairo airport the QR code visa costs US$36 per person, paid by card, whether you buy it online or at the self-service machines. At Luxor and Hurghada the traditional visa on arrival costs US$30 at the airport kiosk.

How long is the QR code visa valid?
The QR code must be used to enter Egypt within 7 days of being issued, and each code covers one traveller, one time. That window is for using the code, not the length of your stay in Egypt.

Do I need to print my QR code visa?
No. Show the code on your phone to the passport control officer when you arrive.

Can I buy QR code visas for my whole family in one go?
Yes. You can buy up to 10 codes in a single payment, and each traveller then uses their own code at passport control.

I am connecting through Cairo. Which visa do I need?
The QR code visa. You clear passport control in Cairo before your onward flight, so have the code in place before you board, ideally bought online before you travel.

Can I use the online QR code visa at Luxor or Hurghada?
No. It is currently only valid at Cairo airport. If you fly direct to Luxor or Hurghada, buy the traditional visa on arrival when you land.

Is the Egypt eVisa still valid?
Yes. Existing eVisas remain valid and the eVisa system continues to operate alongside the new QR code visa.

Can I get a refund on the QR code visa?
No. Once your bank approves the payment the fee is non-refundable, including if your plans change or entry is declined.