The Egyptian Ministry of Tourism & Antiquities has launched a Digital Visa-on-Arrival System today to modernise border entry
The pilot phase begins August 1st, 2026, at all Cairo International Airport terminals before expanding nationwide.
Replacing traditional paper stickers, the new system uses Visa QR Codes for a faster, seamless arrival. Travellers or their travel agencies can generate the code before departure, mid-flight, or immediately upon landing. Visitors can obtain their codes using self-service machines in the Cairo arrival halls or through the official portal and mobile app, which will launch 48 hours before the pilot.
The new digital visa costs approximately £27, and remains valid for 48 hours after issuance. At the border, officers will simply scan the traveler's digital or printed QR code alongside their passport.
Travellers can continue using paper visas during the initial rollout to prevent disruptions. However, once the pilot launch concludes, the government will phase out paper stickers entirely, making the digital QR code the sole method of entry.
