Egypt Visa for US citizens
Everything a United States passport needs to enter Egypt — the rule, the cost, the documents, and the months worth travelling in. Last checked 27 July 2026.
You may buy the visa at the airport when you land — a sticker in your passport, paid in cash. The e-Visa is available online if you prefer to arrive with it already issued.
- Cost
- US$30 single entry
- Maximum stay
- 30 days
- Passport validity
- 6 months beyond arrival
- Blank pages
- At least 2
Rules are set by the Egyptian government and can change. This page was checked on 27 July 2026 — confirm on the official portal at visa2egypt.gov.eg before you book.
Most travellers arriving on a US passport buy the visa at Cairo airport in a few minutes. The e-Visa is the calmer option if you would rather arrive with it already in hand.
Getting there from United States
About 11h non-stop from New York, or one stop from anywhere else.
Usual routings
- New York (JFK)
- Washington (IAD, seasonal)
Cairo is the main gateway, but Luxor, Hurghada, Marsa Alam and Sharm el-Sheikh all take international flights. Landing at the right airport can save a full day of a short trip — we plan the routing with the itinerary, not after it.
When US citizens usually travel
American travel to Egypt concentrates on spring break, Thanksgiving and the Christmas–New Year window. Late October and early March give the same weather with meaningfully lower prices and thinner crowds at the Valley of the Kings.
Egypt month by monthEgypt entry questions — United States passport
Do US citizens need a visa for Egypt?
Yes, but it is straightforward. US citizens can buy a single-entry tourist visa on arrival at Egyptian airports for US$30, valid for a stay of up to 30 days. The e-Visa is available online at the same price if you would rather travel with it already issued.
How much does an Egypt visa cost for US citizens?
A single-entry tourist visa costs US$30, whether bought on arrival or applied for online as an e-Visa. The multiple-entry e-Visa costs US$65. The single-entry fee rose from US$25 on 1 March 2026. Visa-on-arrival counters are cash-only, so carry clean US dollar notes.
How long can US citizens stay in Egypt?
A single-entry tourist visa permits a stay of up to 30 days from the date of entry. Extensions are possible inside Egypt through the passport authorities, but they take time — if you already know you want longer, apply for the multiple-entry e-Visa or plan around the 30-day limit.
What documents do US citizens need to enter Egypt?
A passport valid for at least six months beyond your arrival date, with at least two blank pages. Immigration may ask for your first night's hotel booking and a return or onward ticket — have both reachable on your phone. If we are arranging your journey, we send you a single confirmation document with everything an officer might ask for.
Can US citizens use the Sinai-only entry permit?
If your entire trip stays within Sharm el-Sheikh, Dahab, Nuweiba and Taba, US citizens can be issued a free entry permit at Sinai entry points instead of a visa, valid for 15 days. It is genuinely restrictive: it does not allow travel to Cairo, Luxor, Aswan or anywhere on the Egyptian mainland — not even a day trip. If there is any chance you will want to see the Pyramids, buy the ordinary visa instead.
Should US citizens get the visa on arrival or apply online?
Both are valid and cost the same. On arrival is faster to organise and takes a few minutes at the airport bank counter. The e-Visa is calmer: you land with the visa already issued and walk straight to passport control, which matters most after a long flight or when arriving late at night with children.
How long is the flight to Egypt from United States?
About 11h non-stop from New York, or one stop from anywhere else. Typical routings: New York (JFK), Washington (IAD, seasonal). Cairo is the main gateway; Hurghada, Marsa Alam and Sharm el-Sheikh also receive international flights directly, which is worth knowing if your trip is built around the Red Sea.
Journeys to start from
Private throughout, led by a licensed Egyptologist, with no shared coaches and no fixed departure dates. These are starting points — tell us your dates and your party and the itinerary is rewritten around them.
The Grand Tour of Egypt
Our most complete journey: two capitals, a Nile cruise, Ramesses II's mountain temple at Abu Simbel, and four Red Sea days to absorb it all.
Egypt Icons & Nile Cruise
Our most complete journey: Cairo, Alexandria, a sleeper train south, and a three-night Nile cruise from Aswan to Luxor — every layer of Egypt in one arc.
Honeymoon on the Nile
Egypt as a honeymoon should be — private sunrise at the pyramids, a felucca at golden hour, three nights on the Nile and suites chosen for the view.
Planning a trip from United States?
Send us your dates and who is travelling. We reply personally, usually within one business day, with a real itinerary and a price.