Three Dollars and a QR Code: Egypt's 2027 Visa Change, Decoded
A new decree raises Egypt's entry visa levy from $12 to $15 in January 2027. Before you rebuild your budget sheet, here is what it actually means.
Somewhere online, a headline is already claiming Egyptian visas will cost $45. Put the calculator down.
Decree No. 2553 of 2026 was published in Egypt's Official Gazette on 20 August 2026. Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly set a $15 levy on entry and transit visas issued at ports of entry.
The same amount applies to visas and certain consular services from Egyptian embassies and consulates abroad. It takes effect on 1 January 2027.
Why This Is a $3 Story, Not a $15 One
The levy already exists. Decree No. 4873 of 2025 set it at $12 from 1 January 2026.
Legally, the new decree raises that figure from $12 to $15. It increases an existing charge by three dollars rather than creating a new one.
The levy is not technically the price of the visa. It stems from legislation financing Egyptian Foreign Ministry buildings and infrastructure abroad, including embassies and consulates.
Law No. 175 of 2025 allows the government to set the levy at up to $20 per entry or transit visa. The Prime Minister determines the exact amount each year.
What Delegates Currently Pay
Egypt's single-entry tourist visa costs $30. The Ministry of Interior confirms that amount and notes consular fees may also apply.
That figure rose from $25 on 1 March 2026. The e-Visa followed in April, moving to $30 for single-entry and $65 for multiple-entry.
The new decree does not publish a revised final tourist visa price. It does not state that $30 plus $15 equals $45.
Worth noting: the levy has been $12 since January 2026, yet travellers are not paying $42 on arrival. Announcing a $45 figure now would be premature.
The QR Code Option Worth Knowing About
Since 1 August 2026, eligible travellers arriving at Cairo International Airport can use a digital visa-on-arrival process. They pay online and receive a QR code, either before departure or on arrival.
That code is presented at passport control. The current cost is $36, comprising $30 for the visa and $6 in service fees.
Egyptian authorities describe this as the first stage of a system expected to expand gradually to other airports and ports of entry. It should not be confused with the standard e-Visa, which requires approval before travel.
For group arrivals, that matters. Pre-purchased QR codes distributed to delegates before departure can smooth a 200-person landing considerably.
Why Planners Should Care
Three dollars will not break your budget. Uncertainty about a line item eleven months out might make your finance team twitchy.
Build to $45 per person if you want a safe assumption for 2027 programs. Anything less becomes a small win rather than an overrun.
The bigger takeaway is operational. Egypt is digitising its entry process, and planners who adopt the QR route early will move groups through Cairo faster.
Egypt Is Having a Serious Moment
The Grand Egyptian Museum has transformed what a Cairo program can offer. It sits beside the Giza plateau and holds the complete Tutankhamun collection.
A private evening at the pyramids remains one of the most powerful group experiences available anywhere. Add a desert dinner in the Sahara beyond, lit by lanterns.
Nile cruising between Luxor and Aswan gives you a floating venue with changing scenery. Karnak, the Valley of the Kings and Philae Temple slot in naturally.
The Red Sea coast adds beach resort capacity for wellness or reward-focused legs. El Gouna and Soma Bay handle sizeable groups comfortably.
Your DMC Is the Difference
Private temple access, plateau permits, Nile charters and museum after-hours hire all run on relationships. So does moving a large group through Cairo efficiently.
Let our destination partners handle the fees, the paperwork and the logistics, then build a program your delegates never stop describing.
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