Egypt Tourist Visa 2026: eVisa vs Visa on Arrival Compared

Most nationalities visiting Egypt choose between exactly two official routes — the e-Visa and the visa on arrival — and most visitors have no idea which actually suits their trip better. Here's a direct, side-by-side comparison of both, plus the new digital system that changes the on-arrival option as of 2026.

e-Visa — Applied for online in advance through Egypt's official portal, visa2egypt.gov.eg. You pay by card and typically get approval within a few business days, so you land with everything already settled. Best for: travelers who'd rather not deal with anything at the airport, and anyone who wants the 6-month multiple-entry option (only sold this way).

Visa on arrival — Bought in cash at a bank counter inside the airport, before passport control, at Cairo and the other main international airports (Hurghada, Sharm El Sheikh, Luxor, Aswan, Marsa Alam). Best for: last-minute bookers and anyone who'd rather skip the online upload-a-photo process entirely.

Not by much. Both routes went up in 2026: the visa on arrival rose from $25 to $30 on 1 March, and the e-Visa followed on 27 April, rising from $25 to $30 for single entry and from $60 to $65 for multiple entry. So for a standard single-entry visit, the two cost exactly the same — $30 either way — which means the real decision isn't about price, it's about where you'd rather do the paperwork.

The e-Visa takes a few business days to approve, so it needs to be sorted before you travel — leave a buffer rather than applying the night before. The visa on arrival takes however long the airport queue takes, typically a short wait at the bank counter, but with zero advance planning required. If your travel dates are firm well ahead of time, the e-Visa removes an airport step; if you're booking close to departure, visa on arrival is the only one still available to you in time.

Since 1 August 2026, Egypt has been piloting a digital version of the visa on arrival at Cairo International Airport, replacing the paper sticker with a QR code scanned at passport control. It's the same visa, issued differently: apply via self-service kiosks, the official portal, a dedicated app, or a travel agency up to 48 hours before landing, with the code valid for 48 hours once issued. Total cost is $36 ($30 visa fee plus a $6 issuing fee) — slightly more than the traditional cash process, in exchange for skipping the bank-counter queue. It's Cairo-only for now; other airports are expected to follow in stages. This system is entirely separate from the e-Visa and doesn't change e-Visa pricing or eligibility.

If your dates are confirmed more than a week out: e-Visa, so the airport part is already done when you land. If you're booking inside a week, or you simply prefer not to deal with an online form: visa on arrival, cash in hand, at the bank counter before passport control. If you're specifically flying into Cairo and want to skip the counter without the e-Visa's advance-approval wait: the new digital QR option splits the difference.

Several unofficial sites mimic Egypt's real e-Visa portal and charge well above the government rate. The only official e-Visa site is visa2egypt.gov.eg — if a site's price doesn't match the figures above or the domain isn't exactly that, don't pay.

A passport valid for at least six months from your arrival date, a passport-style photo for the e-Visa or digital kiosk, and ideally a hotel booking or itinerary on hand. Requirements can vary slightly by nationality, so confirm your own passport's rule on the official portal before booking flights.

Once the entry side is settled, most trips start in Cairo. A private full-day Cairo highlights tour is a straightforward first stop from Cairo Airport, and a Valley of the Kings and Hatshepsut Temple tour in Luxor pairs well on a longer single-entry trip — both comfortably inside the standard 30-day visa window either route gives you.