Visa information for travel to Egypt
(this information was last updated February 16, 2001)

This information mirrors information on the web pages of the Egypt Consulate in San Francisco, CA. The MARGINS Office therefore cannot guarantee that the information is correct, up to date and applies everywhere. Please check with a consulate near you before submitting any applications. Addresses to Egyptian consulates in the United States are listed at the bottom of this page and also at this web page.

Forms for visa applications can be downloaded as GIF images to be printed and filled out at the bottom of this page. Other versions of these forms exist, but from our experience, all versions works equally good. Please read the following information carefully:

1.      The Visa is valid only for travel within three months from the date of issue and is valid only for one-month stay in Egypt, beginning on the date of arrival. If you have a reason to extend your stay, you can do that from the ministry of interior affairs in Egypt after declaring the reasons for that and their acceptance for that reasons.

2.      There are two types of Egyptian visa:

3.      Those in possession of a residence permit in Egypt are not required to obtain an entry visa if they leave the country and return to it within the validity of their residence permit or within six months, whichever period is less.

4.Egyptian visa fees do not apply to the following: 

5.      The following citizens are exempted from visa requirement when visiting Egypt:

• Nationals of Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Syria and the United Arab Emirates.
• Holders of diplomatic passports of Argentina, Bosnia Herzegovina, Italy, Malaysia, Malta, Singapore, the Slovak Republic and Turkey.

6.      Citizens of the following countries are required to be in possession of a pre-arrival visa: Afghanistan, Algeria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Chechnya, Croatia, Georgia, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Iran, Israel, Kazakhstan, Kirghizia, Lebanon, Macau, Macedonia, Malaysia, Moldavia, Montenegro, Morocco, Pakistan, Palestine, The Philippines, Russia, Serbia, Slovenia, Sri-Lanka, Tadzhikistan, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan and all African countries.

7. Citizens of some countries need to have a clearance from Egyptian authorities before granting them tourist or entry visa which takes not less than 3 weeks, so if you are NOT US, Canadian, Japanese or European citizen please contact the consulate to know about your case.

8.      Any Egyptian holding foreign passport will be granted a curtsey visa after declaring a proof for Egyptian nationality like Egyptian (passport, personal or family identification card or birth certificate), also the foreign wife to Egyptian husband will be granted a curtsey visa after declaring a proof for their marriage.

9.      The American citizen (holding American passport and not any other kind of documents) who does not have enough time to obtain a visa before traveling to Egypt can obtain it upon arrival there (The departure from the arrival port will be delayed for some time until obtaining the visa).

10.  You can obtain the visa application form from the consulate or sending a mail request to the consulate with self-addressed stamped envelope or by displaying and printing Visa form from here.

11.  For Business visa applicants, kindly enclose a letter from the Company stating the purpose of the trip, duration of stay, and who would be responsible for travel & accommodation expenses.

12.  Visa fees varies from one nationality to another as follows:

13.  To obtain a visa Pleas Submit the following to the consulate:

I- Individual Visa

1)      A valid passport for at least 6 months, and a blank page to stamp the visa.

2)      One passport-size photo.

3)      Completed application.

4)      Visa fees in cash, money order or Certified Check payable to Consulate of Egypt, Personal & Business Check are not accepted.

5)      Self-addressed stamped envelope or overnight air bill with Payment or account number.

II- Group Visa

1)      A letter typed on the company letterhead, stating the number of travelers (Must be more than 15 applicants), nationalities, date of departure and date of arrival to Egypt. This letter must be notarized before a Notary Public. There is additional $25 for legalization this covering letter.

2)      A manifest with Name, Nationality, Passport number, Issue date, Expiration date, and one passport-size photo for each passenger to be affixed by the data.

3)      Visa fees in cash, money order or Certified Check payable to Consulate of Egypt, Personal & Business Check are not accepted.

4)      Self-addressed stamped envelope or overnight air bill with Payment or account number.

14.  The consulate needs two business days to process your visa.

15. To obtain the visa send your Passport with visa application form to any of the the following addresses:

 

The Consulate General in Chicago

 

The Consulate General in Houston

The following three links will bring up the forms as GIF files in separate windows, that may be printed, filled out, and submitted to the appropriate address:

• Visa application form, page 1

• Visa application form, page 2

• Display Group Visa Manifest