(EGYPT) — Egypt’s Egyptian Chamber of Travel and Tourism Companies announced on February 22, 2026, that it raised the emergency entry visa fee at ports and border checkpoints from USD 25 (EGP 1,194) to USD 30 (EGP 1,433), effective March 1, 2026.
The increase targets a narrow, last-minute scenario rather than Egypt’s standard tourist visa pricing, and travelers are most likely to encounter it when arriving at a port or land crossing and needing an emergency entry visa issued on the spot.
Tourism companies must update their programs, documentation, and communications to reflect the new USD 30 fee, and coordinate with international partners to inform travelers ahead of arrival, the chamber said. The change comes as companies build itineraries that include overland movements and port arrivals, where on-the-ground procedures can differ from airport processing.
Emergency entry visas under the chamber’s announcement apply specifically to visas issued at Egyptian ports and border checkpoints. The higher fee does not apply to the usual channels many tourists use, including airport visa on arrival, the e-Visa system, or visas obtained from embassies and consulates.
At ports and border checkpoints, travelers should expect to pay in cash and prepare for process variability from one crossing to another, based on how arrivals are handled locally. The chamber’s announcement framed the change as part of efforts to regulate entry procedures and streamline operations for inbound travelers.
Standard tourist visa fees remain unchanged at USD 25 for single-entry (30 days) and USD 60 for multiple-entry, whether obtained on arrival at approved airports, via e-Visa, or at embassies. For travelers planning a routine tourism visit, that distinction matters because the emergency entry visa is not a universal fee hike across Egypt’s tourist visa system.
Airport visa on arrival procedures also remain the same in the information provided, including a cash-only requirement at approved airports and a preference for payment in U.S. dollars. Travelers typically pay at kiosks before immigration.
The U.S. Department of State confirms U.S. citizens can still get a renewable single-entry 30-day tourist visa on arrival for approximately USD 25 cash. That confirmation aligns with the unchanged standard fee schedule cited alongside the chamber’s emergency entry update.
Embassy and consulate pricing can vary by location, even when the baseline single-entry and multiple-entry figures match the standard schedule. One example cited was USD 32 for a single-entry visa at the Egypt Embassy DC, highlighting why travelers using an embassy route often check the specific consulate’s posted fees and payment instructions before applying.
Alongside the confirmed emergency entry change, separate rumors of a broader increase to USD 45 circulated and were linked in the claims to an alleged approval by President Abdul Fattah Al Sissi. Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities denied those reports and called them “mere rumours,” saying no executive decisions had been implemented.
The ministry’s denial matters for travelers trying to reconcile conflicting fee claims, especially when last-minute trip planning pushes people toward whichever information is most recent or widely shared. In this case, the confirmed change is limited to the emergency entry visa issued at ports and border checkpoints, while the broader USD 45 figure was explicitly rejected by the ministry.
A new legal framework allows up to USD 20 additional tax on visa services, but it has not been applied, keeping fees stable under the standard schedule described. That distinction separates what could be permitted under a framework from what travelers actually pay at common tourist visa channels, based on the information provided.
For travelers, the practical impact depends on where and how they enter Egypt. Anyone whose itinerary involves a port or border checkpoint—and who might need an emergency entry visa at that point—now faces a higher cash payment starting March 1, 2026, and should budget accordingly.
Overland arrivals can also introduce documentary and procedural uncertainty that is less common at major airports. Travelers and travel organizers often prepare additional documentation expectations for land crossings, and they may confirm in advance how local officials handle fees, currency preferences, and timing.
Tour operators and travel agencies, especially those selling packaged itineraries that cross borders or include cruise or port calls, face a different task than individual travelers. The chamber’s announcement said tourism companies must update programs, documentation, and communications, and coordinate with international partners so travelers do not arrive without the correct cash amount or an understanding of where the emergency entry visa applies.
Travel companies also weigh nationality and entry-point differences when they publish trip notes, because visa handling can vary by nationality and by crossing. The information provided warned that procedures can vary by nationality and entry point, and cited one example: the Taba crossing requires advance visa.
That type of crossing-specific rule can change the travel planning sequence, because a traveler expecting to obtain a visa at the border may have to secure documentation earlier through another channel. It also reinforces why travelers and agencies separate an emergency entry visa issued at a border checkpoint from a standard tourist visa obtained at an airport kiosk, online, or via an embassy.
The unchanged standard tourist visa fees can still be relevant even for travelers who start their trip with a plan to use a border crossing. Some travelers shift to an airport arrival, apply for an e-Visa, or use an embassy route if their planned entry point has restrictions or requires advance processing, and those channels follow the USD 25 single-entry (30 days) and USD 60 multiple-entry schedule described.
The multiple-entry option remains part of the unchanged standard schedule, and it can matter for travelers planning side trips that involve leaving and re-entering Egypt during a longer holiday. That calculation differs from the emergency entry visa situation, which centers on an unplanned need for issuance at a port or checkpoint.
The chamber’s update also places new demands on communication between Egyptian inbound partners and overseas sellers, because fee confusion can quickly become a customer service issue at the border. A traveler who arrives with USD 25 expecting the previous emergency entry price may face delays while arranging funds, and a group itinerary can be disrupted if several travelers must resolve payment issues at once.
Payment practicalities at ports and border checkpoints can differ not only by crossing but also by staff practice and local facilities, and travelers often prepare by carrying clean U.S. dollar notes in the denominations they expect to use. The information provided described airport visa on arrival as cash only with USD preferred, and it described the emergency entry visa at ports as cash at ports.
For travelers trying to verify what applies to their trip, the most reliable workflow begins with identifying the entry route, then matching it to the correct visa channel and fee. The chamber’s announcement functions as an industry-facing operational update for the emergency entry visa at ports and border checkpoints, while the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities provides official confirmation or denials on broader fee claims.
U.S. travelers also consult the U.S. Department of State for practical entry and visa notes, including reminders about documentation and the form of payment used for visa on arrival. In the information provided, the department’s confirmation focused on the continued availability of a renewable single-entry 30-day tourist visa on arrival for approximately USD 25 cash.
Travelers can also reduce surprises by confirming whether they qualify for visa on arrival or whether they should obtain an e-Visa or an embassy-issued visa before departure. Because embassy pricing can vary by location, travelers using that route often confirm the exact fee, payment method, and processing steps at the specific embassy or consulate where they apply.
The information provided also said no visa exemptions for Americans or Europeans have been confirmed in official 2026 updates, and that visa-on-arrival remains standard for most, though some Gulf nationalities are exempt. That leaves many travelers still planning around visa payments and entry procedures rather than relying on an exemption.
With Egypt’s emergency entry visa now set to cost USD 30 at ports and border checkpoints starting March 1, 2026, the immediate change for travelers is less about a nationwide price hike and more about whether their arrival plan might trigger a fee collected at a crossing. For those tracking broader fee claims, the ministry’s denial of the USD 45 reports—calling them “mere rumours”—draws a clear line between confirmed charges and unimplemented talk of wider increases.
