Egypt Visa for UAE Residents 2026: e-Visa, Visa on Arrival, the Travel-Agent Guarantee and Rules by Nationality

Egypt Visa for UAE Residents - 2026 Quick Answer

Egypt decides entry by passport, not by country of residence. No current official Egyptian visa page names UAE or GCC residence as a route to a visa on arrival.

As of October 2026, the main options are:

• e-Visa for the 78 listed nationalities, including India, the GCC states, the UK, the EU and the USA: USD 30 for a single entry, USD 65 for multiple entries.
• Visa on arrival for USD 30, open, per Egypt's tourism ministry, to more than 180 nationalities holding a valid and already used US, UK, Schengen, Japanese, Canadian, Australian or New Zealand visa.
• A visa from the Consulate General of Egypt in Dubai, for passports that fit neither route.

Indian passport holders may also qualify through GCC residence, under a 2023 ministerial announcement that is not on the ministry's current visa page.

Pakistani, Lebanese, Filipino, Bangladeshi, Sri Lankan and Nepali passports are not on the e-Visa list as of October 2026, and no residence-based route was found for them.

Visa on Arrival for GCC Residents - Conditions

No published rule covers this. Neither the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities visa page nor the e-Visa portal, the QR portal or the Dubai consulate page mentions residence.

The 2023 announcement for Indian passport holders

In March 2023, according to Egyptian press reports, the Minister of Tourism announced that Indian tourists with GCC residence could get a visa on arrival at Egyptian ports and airports. In August 2023, Egypt Independent repeated it in a report on the Cabinet denying any new visa-on-arrival bans.

Nothing official since then confirms or cancels the route. It covered Indian passports only, and no minimum residence validity or profession rule has been published.

According to applicant reports on Reddit in September and October 2026, Indians with an Emirates ID have entered Egypt on a visa on arrival, in one case with only the Emirates ID checked. These are individual cases, not rules.

Before you rely on it

• For non-Indian passports, UAE residence alone is not a known route.
• We recommend keeping the Emirates ID valid well beyond the trip and checking with the airline before flying.
• The border officer decides entry, and QR payments are not refunded even if entry is refused.

Egypt e-Visa - Who Can Use It

The official e-Visa portal of Egypt's Ministry of Interior lists 78 nationalities that may apply. Eligibility follows the passport only, and residence is not mentioned.

As of 27 October 2026, the list includes India, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, the UK, the EU and the USA. Pakistan, Lebanon, the Philippines, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal are not on it, so these passports need another route.

According to the portal:

• Applications are due at least 7 days before departure, paid by Visa card, MasterCard or other debit card.
• Each traveller applies from a personal account, and parents can apply for their children.
• Incomplete applications are rejected, and the fee is non-refundable.
• The printout is shown at the port of entry. An e-Visa is not the final authority to enter Egypt.

The Travel-Agent Guarantee Requirement

According to applicant reports on Reddit in October 2026, an Indian passport holder living in the UAE got a pop-up on the official e-Visa portal saying he needed a guarantee from an authorised tourist agent in Egypt.

No official public page publishes this notice or says who triggers it. As quoted by an Egyptian tour operator that sells guarantees, the notice says entry is not allowed without an authorised agent's guarantee and the agent has to be at the airport. A seller has an interest here, so we treat this as a report, not a confirmed rule. It was reported on the e-Visa portal, not for the visa on arrival.

Guarantees and prior approval in Egypt

Agent guarantees do exist in Egyptian practice. In March 2020, according to Egyptian business press, 27 unnamed nationalities were allowed visas on arrival only in tourist groups under a tourist agent's guarantee. Today the ministry lets approved tourism companies issue QR codes for groups, and UK government travel advice describes a guarantee letter of around USD 20 at the Taba land border. None of this is a current rule for flights from the UAE.

Egypt's consulate in Riyadh also refers to nationalities that need prior approval from Cairo. Egyptian missions in the UK and the US put such clearance at weeks to months for applicants there, and their lists omit Pakistan, Lebanon, India and the Philippines. No official list is published online for UAE residents: the Dubai consulate posts per-nationality requirements only on its notice board.

If the portal asks for a guarantee

• We recommend not buying one from random sellers, since no official page says who issues it.
• A safer path is asking the Dubai consulate about prior approval or applying for a consular visa there.
• Holders of a qualifying visa can use the visa on arrival instead.

Rules by Passport - Indian, Pakistani and Others

Egypt's tourism ministry says some nationalities have to apply at an Egyptian consulate before travelling, without naming them. For UAE residents that means the Consulate General in Dubai, which takes applications in person. No visa page of the Egyptian Embassy in Abu Dhabi was found.

Indian passport

• e-Visa: India is on the list, though applicants on Reddit in October 2026 reported the guarantee pop-up.
• Visa on arrival with a valid and used visa from one of the seven qualifying countries or areas.
• Visa on arrival with GCC residence: announced in 2023, not on the current ministry page.

Pakistani, Lebanese, Filipino and others

These passports are not on the e-Visa list as of October 2026, and no residence-based route was found for them, golden visa holders included.

That leaves a visa on arrival with a qualifying visa, if the nationality is among the 180-plus that the ministry does not list, or a consular visa in Dubai. Whether these passports need prior approval from Cairo is not published, so we recommend asking the consulate before booking flights.

Canadian, GCC and Western passports

Egypt dropped the pre-entry visa requirement for Canadians from 1 December 2024, so they can use the visa on arrival or the e-Visa. GCC, UK, EU and US citizens are on the e-Visa list.

Fees, Documents and Processing Time

Fees as of October 2026, worth rechecking on the day you pay:

• e-Visa: USD 30 single entry, USD 65 multiple entries.
• Visa on arrival, paper sticker at the airport bank counter: USD 30, cash only according to UK government travel advice for British nationals.
• Visa on arrival, QR code at Cairo only: USD 36 (USD 30 plus a USD 6 service charge), paid by an international Visa or Mastercard not issued in Egypt.
• Consulate General in Dubai: AED 110 for a single or AED 210 for a multiple tourist visa, plus AED 10 for the form.

The consulate also lists AED 260 and AED 360 entry visas without saying who pays which, so we recommend confirming your fee. The e-Visa and QR fees are non-refundable.

Documents

On arrival, the e-Visa portal asks for a passport valid at least 6 months from the arrival date, the e-Visa printout, a travel itinerary, hotel bookings and, for business or family visits, a supporting letter. For a consular visa in Dubai, the document list depends on nationality and is posted at the consulate.

Timing and length of stay

• e-Visa: at least 7 days before departure, with an email once it is processed.
• QR code: one traveller, one use, valid 7 days after issue, can be shown on a phone.
• Consular visa: ask the Dubai consulate. For comparison, the Riyadh consulate quotes 5 days, sometimes longer, and advises applying a month ahead.

Egyptian official pages do not state the permitted stay. UK government travel advice for British nationals gives up to 30 days on a visa on arrival and says tourist e-visas are valid for up to 3 months.

Sinai-Only Entry and Red Sea Resorts

The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities says travellers flying directly to Sharm El Sheikh, Nuweiba or Taba for up to 15 days get a free entry stamp covering South Sinai, Dahab included. Leaving that area or staying longer requires a visa.

Egypt's London consulate describes the stamp for UK, EU and US nationals only, and no current official statement extends it to Indian, Pakistani, Filipino or other passports. For them we recommend an e-Visa or another visa, even for a short Sharm break.

Hurghada and Marsa Alam are on the mainland, outside Sinai, so the stamp does not apply. Arrivals there who qualify for a visa on arrival buy the USD 30 paper sticker, since the QR system covers only Cairo.

Recent Changes (2025-2026)

• November 2025: Egypt's Prime Minister asked for e-visas and express QR visas at all airports in 2026. As of 27 October 2026, only Cairo has the QR system.
• 1 March 2026: the visa on arrival rose from USD 25 to USD 30, according to Egyptian media reports of an announcement by the Chamber of Travel and Tourism Companies.
• Spring 2026: the e-Visa rose from USD 25 and USD 60 to USD 30 and USD 65, judging by an archived copy of the official FAQ.
• 1 August 2026: a QR visa-on-arrival pilot began at Cairo International Airport, alongside the paper sticker.
• May to October 2026 and 2027: Egypt's Cabinet approved free visas on arrival at Luxor and Aswan airports, only for travellers who already qualify. The 2026 window ends on 31 October.
• 1 January 2027: a new USD 15 fee per visa under Decree 2553 of 2026, according to Egyptian news reports. Whether it adds to current fees is unclear, so we recommend checking the final price before paying.

FAQ

Can UAE residents get a visa on arrival in Egypt?

Only through nationality or a valid and used US, UK, Schengen, Japanese, Canadian, Australian or New Zealand visa. For Indians, a 2023 ministerial announcement also covers GCC residence, but the current visa page omits it.

Do Indians living in the UAE need an e-Visa for Egypt?

Not always. A qualifying visa allows a visa on arrival. According to applicant reports on Reddit in September and October 2026, Indians with an Emirates ID have also entered on arrival, without official confirmation of the route.

Can a Pakistani living in Dubai get the Egypt e-Visa?

No. Pakistan is not on the list as of October 2026. The options are a visa on arrival with a qualifying visa, if the nationality is covered, or a consular visa in Dubai.

How much does an Egypt visa cost from the UAE?

As of October 2026, the e-Visa is USD 30 or USD 65 and the visa on arrival USD 30, or USD 36 as a QR code at Cairo. The Dubai consulate lists AED 110 or AED 210 plus AED 10 for tourist visas, so confirm your fee there.

What is the travel-agent guarantee pop-up?

According to applicant reports on Reddit in October 2026, some Indian e-Visa applicants see a notice requiring an Egyptian agent's guarantee. Egypt has not published its text, so we recommend asking the Dubai consulate rather than buying one.

Can I buy the Cairo QR visa before flying?

The ministry announced pre-travel purchase, but the portal's terms say airport only, by kiosk or over the airport Wi-Fi. The code is non-refundable and expires after 7 days, so buying it in the Cairo arrival hall is safer.

Do I need a visa for Sharm El Sheikh?

The ministry describes a free Sinai stamp for direct arrivals staying up to 15 days, and Egypt's London consulate limits it to UK, EU and US nationals. Other passports are better off with an e-Visa or another visa.

How long can I stay on an Egyptian visa on arrival?

Egyptian official pages do not say. UK government travel advice for British nationals gives up to 30 days.

Can Visarun guarantee my Egypt visa?

No. Visarun is an agency that helps UAE residents choose the route and check documents. The Egyptian authorities decide, and border officers can refuse entry even with a valid visa.