Egypt Visa for Canadians 2026: e-Visa, Visa on Arrival, Fees and Entry Rules

Do Canadians Need a Visa for Egypt? (2026 Quick Answer)

Yes. The Government of Canada's travel advice for Egypt, last updated on 26 May 2026, says Canadian passport holders can get an electronic visa before travel or a 30-day tourist visa on arrival, paid in cash in US dollars. Both routes reopened on 1 December 2024, when Egypt's Foreign Ministry cancelled the pre-entry visa requirement for Canadians.

As of November 2026:

• e-Visa: USD 30 single entry or USD 65 multiple entry
• Paper visa on arrival: USD 30 in cash
• QR visa on arrival: USD 36 by card, Cairo only
• Free entry stamp for short stays in South Sinai resorts
• Passport valid 6 months beyond your departure from Egypt

Canada's advice adds that Egyptian authorities decide who enters, Canada cannot intervene and the rules can change at any time.

Egypt e-Visa for Canadians

Egypt's official e-Visa portal, run by the Ministry of Interior, lists Canada among 78 eligible nationalities. The application needs to be created at least 7 days before departure and paid by Visa card, MasterCard or another debit card. The status arrives by email. No processing time is published, so applying earlier gives you a buffer.

How to apply

• Create and confirm an account on the portal
• Select Apply Now and the visa type, then fill in the form
• Pay by card and wait for the approval email
• Download and print the e-Visa, then show it at immigration

Each traveller applies from a personal account. Parents can apply for their children.

What to carry

• A passport valid 6 months beyond your planned departure, the stricter of the portal and Canadian rules
• The e-Visa printout, your itinerary and hotel bookings
• A company or invitation letter for business or family visits

The fee is non-refundable, incomplete applications are rejected, and an e-Visa is not the final authority to enter Egypt. Diplomatic, official, temporary and some other passports cannot use it.

Egyptian pages do not state e-Visa validity or stay. UK government advice for British travellers says tourist e-visas are valid for up to 3 months, which is only a guide.

Visa on Arrival - Paper and QR Options

Egypt's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities lists Canada among 78 nationalities eligible for a visa on arrival or an e-Visa. The on-arrival visa comes in two formats.

Paper visa sticker

The ministry puts the fee at USD 30 at the bank counter in the airport's passport control area. Canada's advice says it is paid in US cash, so we recommend carrying the exact amount.

As of 4 November 2026 the QR system was not listed for Hurghada, Sharm el-Sheikh, Luxor, Aswan or Marsa Alam, so the sticker is the option there.

QR visa at Cairo International Airport

The ministry started a pilot on 1 August 2026 in all Cairo arrival halls. The QR code replaces the sticker, runs alongside it for a limited transition period and is offered through a mobile app, airport self-service machines and the official portal. As of 4 November 2026, the portal lists Cairo as its only airport. Its terms say:

• One code per traveller, single use
• Valid for 7 days from issue
• International Visa or Mastercard not issued in Egypt, no cash
• Can be shown on a phone
• Non-refundable, even if entry is denied

The portal covers payment only, not eligibility. Its terms also say the code is sold only at the airport, via the Wi-Fi network named "VOA" or the bank kiosk, which conflicts with the ministry's 30 July 2026 release allowing purchase before travel or in flight. We recommend buying it in the Cairo arrival hall or shortly before landing.

Fees and How to Pay

Official fees as of November 2026:

• e-Visa, single entry: USD 30 by card
• e-Visa, multiple entry: USD 65 by card
• Paper visa on arrival: USD 30 in US cash
• QR visa on arrival at Cairo: USD 36, which is USD 30 plus a USD 6 service charge, by international card

Fees are quoted in US dollars only. For the QR visa, banking and conversion charges fall on the cardholder. Carrying US cash and an international card covers both options at Cairo.

Canada's advice also says entry may cost USD 60 to 100 per person depending on travel plans. With no breakdown, this reads as a possible total for some routes, such as land crossings with border charges, not as the visa price.

Sinai-Only Entry and Red Sea Resorts

Egypt's tourism ministry says travellers arriving directly at Sharm el-Sheikh, Nuweiba or Taba for up to 15 days get a free entry stamp covering South Sinai, including Dahab. Going further or staying longer needs a visa.

Canada's advice gives a 14-day visa-free stamp at the Taba land crossing for stays within Sinai, Sharm el-Sheikh included. Beyond Sinai, Canadians can use an e-Visa or a 30-day visa on arrival at Taba.

No Canadian official text covers air arrivals at Sharm, and some Egyptian missions abroad, such as the London consulate, describe the stamp only for UK, EU and US passports. Plan on 14 days, and pick the e-Visa if a side trip is possible. Hurghada and Marsa Alam are Red Sea mainland, not Sinai, and need a visa, as do Cairo, Luxor and Aswan.

For Taba arrivals from Israel, UK government advice for British travellers reports a USD 120 border tax to go beyond Taba, and for travel beyond Sinai also a USD 30 visa plus, at Taba, an agent's guarantee letter of about USD 20. Canada's advice does not mention the tax.

Canada advises against all travel to northern Sinai and non-essential travel north of the Saint Catherine, Nuweiba and El Tor road. The Dahab to Taba road via Nuweiba and the towns of Nuweiba and Taba carry a high degree of caution, the level set for Egypt overall.

Canadian Residents With Other Passports

Egypt decides by passport, not residence, with one extra route through a Canadian visa.

Passports on the e-Visa list

As of 4 November 2026 the list includes India, China, Vietnam, South Korea, Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Ukraine and Russia. It does not include the Philippines, Pakistan, Iran, Nigeria, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Lebanon, Turkey, Morocco or Algeria.

According to applicant reports on Reddit in September 2026, an Indian passport holder was asked during the e-Visa application for a guarantee from an authorized tourist agent. Official pages do not mention this, so extra time helps.

Visa on arrival with a Canadian visa

The ministry offers a visa on arrival to more than 180 nationalities holding a valid and used visa for the USA, the UK, the Schengen Area, Japan, Canada, Australia or New Zealand. A 2022 news report of the decision described it as a visa on the passport. IRCC calls the visitor visa, or TRV, a document placed in the passport, so a valid TRV already used to enter Canada fits the wording. Multiple-entry rules and how "used" is checked are not published.

PR card, study or work permit

The PR card is the official proof of permanent resident status, not a visa, and Egyptian official pages do not mention it or study and work permits. Airline systems have listed residence permits from Canada as qualifying, but Egypt has not confirmed this officially. A 2023 residence route, reported in Egyptian news, covered only Indian tourists with Gulf residence permits. We recommend not relying on a PR card alone. The e-Visa is safer if your passport is listed, and your airline can confirm what it accepts.

Prior clearance and the missions in Canada

Egypt's consulate general in London says nationals of Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Iran, Mali, Niger, Syria, Palestine and Israel need prior clearance taking 8 weeks to 3 months, with no bookings before it. We found no comparable page from missions in Canada, so we recommend asking the embassy in Ottawa or the consulate general in Montreal and allowing two to three months. Their fees and processing times are unconfirmed.

Visarun is an agency, not an authority. We help check your route and documents, without guarantees, and the decision stays with Egypt.

Recent Changes (2025-2026)

• 1 October 2023: according to a news report of an Ottawa embassy statement, Canadians lost the visa on arrival and needed a consular visa.
• 1 December 2024: the Foreign Ministry restored the visa on arrival and the e-Visa for Canadians.
• December 2025: news reports say the Cabinet extended the free 96-hour transit visa to April 2027 and the Luxor and Aswan on-arrival visa for May to October 2026 and 2027.
• 1 March 2026: the on-arrival fee rose from USD 25 to USD 30, per a news report of a travel industry chamber announcement.
• 2026: an archived portal page of 12 February 2026 showed the e-Visa at USD 25 and 60, now USD 30 and 65. The change date is not published.
• 1 August 2026: the QR visa pilot began at Cairo.
• 1 January 2027: a Prime Minister's decree, reported in the news on 31 August 2026, sets a USD 15 fee per entry or transit visa and per consular visa service. Whether it adds to current fees is unclear.

FAQ

Can I get a visa on arrival with a Canadian passport?

Yes, a 30-day visa on arrival paid in US cash, available again since 1 December 2024. Cairo also sells a USD 36 QR version by card.

How long can I stay on a visa on arrival?

30 days, according to Canada's advice. Extensions go through Egypt's Immigration Authority, and overstays may be fined.

Do I need a visa for Sharm el-Sheikh only?

Not for a short South Sinai stay. The ministry gives 15 days, Canada's advice 14 at Taba. Plan on 14. Cairo or Luxor needs a visa.

Can I pay in Canadian dollars?

Official fees are quoted only in US dollars. US cash suits the paper visa, and a card suits the e-Visa or the QR visa.

Does a Canadian PR card count for a visa on arrival?

There is no official answer. Egypt mentions a valid and used Canadian visa, not a PR card, so we recommend not relying on it alone.

I am a dual Egyptian-Canadian citizen. What changes?

Canada's advice says Egypt treats dual citizens as Egyptian while in Egypt, which limits consular help, and Egyptian-Canadian men may be subject to military service.

Why does the entry stamp matter?

Without proof of entry you cannot get an exit stamp, Canada's advice says. A new Canadian passport issued in Egypt needs the entry stamp transferred by the Immigration Authority.

Does an e-Visa guarantee entry?

No. It is not the final authority to enter, and border officials decide. Visarun helps check documents, but the decision is Egypt's.