Explanation of Egypt Electronic Visa Validity and FAQs
An electronic visa is an ideal way to get travel authorization to visit Egypt. You can choose to apply for a tourist visa online if your trip is short because the electronic visa is valid for no more than thirty days or one month. This condition applies to all types of Egypt electronic visas. In this article, you will learn about the Egyptian electronic visa validity and some important confusions that travellers often have about travelling to Egypt on an e-Visa.
Types of Egyptian Electronic Visas and Their Validities
Egypt offers two types of e-visas to foreign travellers- Single Entry and Multiple Entry. The visa validity varies according to the type of visa you have applied for. This can be done at the time of completing the e-Visa application form, as you will be asked about the type of visa that suits your travel purpose.
It must be noted that Egypt offers e-visas for tourism purposes. Therefore, it is valid for long-term stays in the country or for studying and work purposes. Please apply for the appropriate visa if you want to get employed in Egypt or study at an Egyptian academic institution.
E-visa Validity for Single-entry Visas
This visa will allow you to stay in Egypt for 30 days. Select the single-entry option when you are prompted to determine the visa type in the application form. The visa will be valid for three months, but you can only enter the country once. Please apply for a new visa if you want to re-enter after leaving Egypt within its validity period.
E-Visa Validity for Multiple-entry Visas
If you want to enter Egypt multiple times, select the multiple-entry visa. This visa will also be valid for three months or 180 days, just like the single-entry e-visa. However, the traveller can leave the country and re-enter without applying for a new visa. However, it is worth noting that you cannot stay in Egypt for more than thirty days per visit. So, on each entry, you will have to leave the country before the validity period of thirty days ends.
How to Check Your Egypt E-Visa Validity?
We recommend applying for the visa seven days before the intended travel date. Although processing time for an e-visa is faster than a regular paper visa, still, you must be cautious to avoid unnecessary delays.
After your e-visa application is approved, you will receive an email at the address you mentioned in the visa application form. This email will contain the authorized e-visa copy in PDF format. The validity date will be mentioned in the visa. Please read it thoroughly and get it printed so you can show it to the border control authorities after arriving in Egypt. When you arrive in Egypt, you must have a copy of the approved e-visa and your original passport.
Validity of Egypt Visa On Arrival
Many nationalities are eligible to obtain an Egyptian visa on arrival. Visitors generally prefer an online visa because it is a much more convenient way of getting an officially authorized travel permit. Moreover, there’s no wastage of time due to standing in queues and waiting for your turn to get the visa.
Still, a visa on arrival is one of the options you can avail in case you forgot to apply for a visa. However, you first need to confirm if you are eligible for the visa on arrival facility. The validity of a visa on arrival is the same as an online visa, which is thirty days. Remember that it will be a single-entry travel permit, so you won’t be allowed to re-enter Egypt if you obtained a visa on arrival.
Suppose your travel plan changes and you want to visit Egypt on a date other than the one you mentioned in the visa application form. In that case, there’s nothing to worry about if the new date still falls within the e-Visa validity period. But, keep in mind that you must leave the country before your visa validity ends. You cannot alter the validity date of your e-visa once it has been approved and issued. The validity date is mentioned on your e-visa, so keep checking it before planning your travel to Egypt. If your visa has expired and you can’t visit Egypt, you must submit the visa application again and obtain a fresh visa with new validity.
Situations When your Egypt Visa Expires
An Egyptian e-visa is electronically linked with your passport. So, the visa will no longer be valid if your passport expires. Furthermore, if you applied for the e-visa with one passport and travelled to Egypt with another, your visa will expire, and you won’t be allowed to enter Egypt. If you are a dual national, please choose the nationality you want to apply for the visa and use the same passport throughout your travel and stay in Egypt. Once the visa application is processed, it will become impossible to change your passport details.
Breaking Egyptian laws can also cause your visa to expire. That’s because the Egyptian Immigration Service has the right to prevent travellers suspected to pose a national security risk from entering the country, which can invalidate their e-visa.
On the other hand, if the Egyptian immigration department finds inconsistencies in your e-visa application or your e-visa application or cannot verify your credentials, they reserve the right to reject the visa.
If your e-visa gets rejected for any reason, it is suggested that you apply for a physical visa. The application procedure may be time-consuming and complicated, but this becomes necessary when the visa is rejected due to security risks. You will have to convince the Egyptian consulate or embassy staff that you do not pose any security risk and satisfy their queries to get a visa.
Frequently asked questions
Egypt e-visa is valid for three months or 90 days. However, the stay validity is different for an e-Visa as the traveller cannot stay for more than 30 days regardless if it is a single-entry or multiple-entry visa.
A visa on arrival is valid for thirty days, as is the online or electronic visa. However, where the e-visa could be single-entry or multiple-entry, a visa on arrival will be a single-entry travel permit.
If you want to extend your Egypt e-visa validity date, you must visit the Mugamma Building in Tahrir Square, Cairo. You can visit any time from 8:00 am to 15:30. The process can take a couple of hours, so it is recommended that you visit the department as soon as you feel your visa is going to expire.
No, you cannot enter Egypt without a visa. Apply online for an electronic or e-visa or obtain a visa on arrival if you are eligible for this facility.