Issue · September 2026 · everything a nomad needs, city by city

Nomadzine

The visa · Egypt

Egypt

Egypt has no visa or permit written for remote workers. Nomads use the 30-day tourist e-visa or visa on arrival, extend it into a tourism residency at the Abbassia passport office in Cairo, or buy a property or bank-deposit residency of one to five years. The one thing to know before applying: fees are set in US dollars and rose sharply in 2024 and 2026, and no published rule says whether working for a foreign employer on a tourist entry is allowed.

    Nomad visa · September 2026None as suchRoutes5Bases2

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The routes

Researched 6 September 2026 · rules as of September 2026 · as published, not legal advice

  1. Temporary stay

    Tourist e-visa / visa on arrival

    Egypt e-Visa (tourism), single or multiple entry

    Any short-stay visitor from the 80-plus eligible nationalities, including most nomads on a first or exploratory stay of up to 30 days.

    Income floor
    none published
    Duration
    Single entry: valid 3 months from issue, stay up to 30 days. Multiple entry: valid 6 months from approval, each stay up to 30 days. Extendable in-country at a passport office.
    Cost
    E-visa USD 30 single entry, USD 65 multiple entry (since 27 April 2026; previously USD 25 and USD 60). Visa on arrival USD 30 cash at approved airports per the UK government; from 1 August 2026 Cairo Airport self-service digital visa USD 36 including a USD 6 service fee, paid by card. Some tour-industry pages still quote USD 25 on arrival, which predates the March 2026 fee change.
    Processing
    The portal requires the e-visa application to be lodged at least 7 days before departure; no statutory time is published. Visa on arrival is issued at the bank counter in the arrivals hall.
    Eligibility
    Passport valid at least 6 months from arrival with a blank page; nationality on the e-visa list (Albania to Vietnam, including the United States, Canada, most European states, Australia and Japan). Port authorities state they may refuse entry without explanation. No insurance requirement is published on the portal.
    Work rights
    Tourism visas and the tourism residency that follows carry no work permission as published. Working remotely for a foreign employer is not addressed anywhere in the published rules; local employment requires a separate work permit.
    Dependants
    Each traveller, including children, applies for and pays for their own e-visa or visa on arrival.
    Leads to
    no
    Apply
    Online at visa2egypt.gov.eg, at the arrivals bank counters of approved airports, or at an Egyptian consulate abroad.

    Documents Passport valid 6 months beyond arrival · Printed or downloaded e-visa approval · Travel plans and accommodation or destination details · Supporting correspondence where relevant (business letter, family invitation) · Cash US dollars if buying the visa on arrival

    Official page →

  2. Long stay

    Tourist residency (in-country extension)

    Tourism residency issued by the Passports, Emigration and Nationality Administration

    Visitors already in Egypt who want to stay past the 30-day entry, which is how most longer-staying nomads remain legal.

    Income floor
    none published; proof of accommodation and means may be requested
    Duration
    Extensions granted for periods up to roughly six months at a time as reported by an Egyptian law firm; renewable by re-applying. Grace of 14 days after expiry before overstay fines apply, per the UK government.
    Cost
    USD 150 per residence application or renewal since 21 September 2024 (previously USD 70), payable in Egyptian pounds after converting the dollar amount at a bank and presenting the receipt (Prime Ministerial Resolution 3326 of 2023).
    Processing
    Typically same day to a few days at the Abbassia office in Cairo; applicants report arriving at 8am to finish within an hour rather than half a day. No statutory time is published.
    Eligibility
    Any foreigner lawfully in Egypt on a tourist entry; passport validity, entry stamp and accommodation proof required. No income figure is published.
    Work rights
    None. The tourism residency is published as carrying no work permission; the position of remote work for a foreign employer is not addressed.
    Dependants
    Each family member holds their own residency and pays their own fee.
    Leads to
    no
    Apply
    In person at the Passports, Emigration and Nationality Administration, 12 Al Seka Al Bayda, Abbassia, Cairo (moved from the Mogamma on Tahrir Square), or the regional offices in Alexandria, Hurghada, Sharm El Sheikh and Luxor.

    Documents Passport with the entry visa or stamp · Passport photographs · Proof of accommodation (lease or hotel) · Bank receipt showing the USD fee converted into Egyptian pounds · Completed application form

  3. Residence

    Residency by property purchase

    Real-estate residency (Ministry of Interior)

    Nomads who buy a home in Cairo or on the Red Sea and want a multi-year permit without repeated extensions.

    Income floor
    Property worth at least USD 50,000 for a one-year permit, USD 100,000 for three years, USD 200,000 (one or more properties) for five years, as published by Egyptian law firms and agents; the figures come from a 2023 cabinet decision and are the same across sources.
    Duration
    1, 3 or 5 years depending on value; renewable while the property is held.
    Cost
    USD 150 application or renewal fee since September 2024, plus the property purchase and registration costs.
    Processing
    No statutory time published; agents report a few weeks after the title is registered.
    Eligibility
    Registered ownership of qualifying property, valid passport, clean record; no nationality restriction published.
    Work rights
    Disputed between sources: one Egyptian law firm states investor and property residency includes work rights; other advisers say a separate work permit is still required for local employment. Remote work for abroad is not addressed.
    Dependants
    Spouse and children are reported to be included on the owner's permit; not verified from an official page.
    Leads to
    Not published as a path to permanent residence; Egyptian nationality by investment is a separate scheme at far higher thresholds.
    Apply
    Passports, Emigration and Nationality Administration in Abbassia, Cairo, or a regional office.

    Documents Registered title deed or notarised sale contract · Proof of the purchase price transferred in foreign currency · Passport and photographs · Bank receipt for the converted fee

  4. Residence

    Residency by bank deposit

    Deposit-based residency

    Nomads with savings who want a one- to five-year permit without buying property.

    Income floor
    USD 50,000 or equivalent in a freely convertible currency for one year, USD 100,000 for three years, as published by Egyptian law firms; a five-year option on a deposit of about EGP 7 million is reported by a single agent and is unverified.
    Duration
    1 or 3 years (5 years disputed); renewable while the deposit is held.
    Cost
    USD 150 application or renewal fee since September 2024.
    Processing
    Not published.
    Eligibility
    Deposit held in an Egyptian bank for the permit term; valid passport; no nationality limit published.
    Work rights
    No work permission published; local employment needs a work permit.
    Dependants
    Not published.
    Leads to
    no
    Apply
    Passports, Emigration and Nationality Administration, Cairo or regional office.

    Documents Bank certificate of the deposit · Passport and photographs · Proof of address in Egypt · Bank receipt for the converted fee

  5. Other route

    Work permit and work residency

    Work permit from the Ministry of Labour with a work-based residence permit

    Only those hired by an Egyptian employer or a foreign company's Egyptian branch; not a route for independent remote workers.

    Income floor
    none published
    Duration
    Initial permit of about six months, renewable annually, as reported by an Egyptian law firm.
    Cost
    Permit fees set by ministerial decree; the residence fee is USD 150 per application or renewal.
    Processing
    Employer-driven; no statutory time published.
    Eligibility
    Employer sponsorship; HIV test results required for the work permit per the UK government; from December 2025 Decree 279 caps foreign staff at 10 per cent of an employer's workforce.
    Work rights
    Local employment for the sponsoring employer only.
    Dependants
    Family reunification residency available to spouse and children, without work rights.
    Leads to
    Not published as a path to permanent residence.
    Apply
    Employer applies to the Ministry of Labour; residence at the Passports administration.

    Documents Employment contract and employer sponsorship letter · Passport · Police clearance · Medical examination including HIV test · Qualifications

Without a visa, by passport

The stay you get on arrival, and whether working remotely on it is tolerated

  • EU / EEA / SwitzerlandVisa on arrival USD 30 or e-visa, 30 days; free Sinai-only stamp 15 days at Sharm El Sheikh and TabaRemote work on a tourist entry is not addressed in any published rule; the tourism residency is published as carrying no work permission. Widely done in practice and reported as a grey area.
  • United KingdomVisa on arrival USD 30 cash or e-visa, 30 days; free Sinai-only stamp 15 daysSame grey position; the UK government notes fines for overstaying by more than 14 days.
  • United StatesVisa on arrival or e-visa, 30 days; free Sinai-only stamp 15 daysSame grey position; no published tolerance or prohibition for foreign-employer remote work.
  • CanadaVisa on arrival or e-visa, 30 daysSame grey position.
  • AustraliaVisa on arrival or e-visa, 30 daysSame grey position.
  • New ZealandVisa on arrival or e-visa, 30 daysSame grey position.
  • JapanVisa on arrival or e-visa, 30 daysSame grey position.
  • IndiaVisa required in advance (e-visa or consulate); visa on arrival only with a valid used US, UK, Schengen or Japanese visa or on an organised tourIndian travel-industry sources report a letter of guarantee from an Egyptian agent is now required; not verified on the official portal. Same grey position on remote work.
  • South AfricaOnline e-visa application available; not eligible for visa on arrival as publishedSame grey position.
  • ChinaVisa on arrival reported only with a four- or five-star hotel booking and USD 2,000 cash; otherwise advance visaReported by tour operators, not verified officially.
  • Residents of Gulf states (any nationality)Visa on arrival reported for holders of a Gulf residence permit valid six months or moreReported by tour operators, not verified officially.

Tax

When the country starts counting you as its taxpayer

Residency trigger
Under Income Tax Law 91 of 2005 an individual is resident if they have a permanent home in Egypt, or are present more than 183 days, continuous or intermittent, within a 12-month period (which can straddle two calendar years), subject to any double-taxation treaty, or are an Egyptian performing duties abroad paid from an Egyptian treasury. Residents whose centre of commercial, industrial or professional activity is in Egypt are taxed on worldwide income; non-residents on Egyptian-source income only. Brackets for 2026: 0 per cent to EGP 40,000, then 10, 15, 20, 22.5 and 25 per cent bands rising to 27.5 per cent above EGP 1,200,000, with an annual EGP 20,000 exemption for residents and non-residents.
Special regime
none. No flat rate, exemption or newcomer regime for remote workers exists.
Social security
No published rule covers a foreigner working remotely for an employer abroad; Egypt's social insurance scheme is built around Egyptian employers and locally registered workers. The bilateral social-security agreements under which a certificate of coverage could apply were not verified in this research.
Treaties
Egypt's treaty network is wide and the residence test itself defers to treaty tie-breakers, per PwC. In practice a remote employee or contractor who stays under 183 days and keeps no permanent home in Egypt remains taxable at home; anyone crossing the threshold should expect worldwide taxation with treaty relief, and the exact effect depends on the treaty with the home state.

Practicalities

SIM card
The telecoms regulator NTRA requires foreigners to buy in person at an operator branch with the original passport and residency document; the line's validity is tied to the residency period and is cut one month after it ends unless a renewed permit is shown. Tourists can buy a SIM on the entry visa.
Foreign phones
Inserting an Egyptian SIM registers the phone's IMEI and starts a 90-day grace period, after which a device-import charge of about 38.5 per cent of the phone's value is due through the Telephony app or customs, under NTRA rules published 24 September 2025 and customs guidance of 29 September 2025.
Paying immigration fees
Residency fees are denominated in US dollars and, under Resolution 3326 of 2023, must be converted into Egyptian pounds at a bank with the receipt presented to the passport office. Visas on arrival are cash US dollars; Cairo's self-service digital visa takes cards from August 2026.
Overstay
A 14-day grace period after expiry, per the UK government. Beyond that, fines are settled in cash at the airport on departure. The published scale is disputed between sources: about EGP 1,503 for an overstay of up to three months in the first year rising to about EGP 7,003 for nine to twelve months in the third year on one reading, and around EGP 1,685 plus administrative fees on another.
Work permit medical
HIV test results are required to apply for a work permit, per the UK government.
Health insurance
No insurance requirement is published for the e-visa, the visa on arrival or the tourism residency.

Egypt: no nomad visa, a 30-day tourist entry and paid residency for those who stay

Where remote workers actually stay

Egypt has never issued a visa for remote workers, and a five-year multiple-entry visa announced in 2023 at around USD 700 has still not appeared on the official portal or in consular fee tables, so it should be treated as unconfirmed. The working reality is a 30-day tourist entry, renewed as a tourism residency in Cairo or one of the Red Sea passport offices, with property or deposit residency for those who settle.

Cairo carries the co-working and connectivity that longer stays need, while the Red Sea and South Sinai towns absorb the short-stay crowd. The free 15-day Sinai stamp keeps Sharm El Sheikh and Dahab cheap for a fortnight, but it is worthless the moment the holder leaves South Sinai and must be upgraded at an airport bank kiosk or a Sharm passport office before travelling to Cairo or Luxor.

What applicants report about the process

The extension office moved from the Mogamma on Tahrir Square to Abbassia, and applicants describe queues that reward an 8am arrival. The dollar fee has to be converted at a bank first and the receipt shown, which adds a step that catches first-timers. Visa refusals at the border are rare in reports but the portal states plainly that port authorities may refuse entry without explanation.

Indian applicants report the heaviest friction: visa on arrival only with a used US, UK, Schengen or Japanese visa or on an organised tour, and travel agents describe a guarantee letter from an Egyptian agency as a new requirement. Nothing on the official portal confirms that letter, so it should be checked with the consulate before booking.

Money on the ground

Immigration is a dollar business. The visa on arrival is cash US dollars, the residence fee is USD 150 converted into pounds, and overstay fines are cash at the departure airport. Bank account rules for foreigners were not verified from bank sources in this research and are left out.

A foreign phone with a local SIM has 90 days before the device-import charge falls due, so nomads staying past three months either pay roughly 38.5 per cent of the phone's value or keep a foreign eSIM for data.

What is changing

The direction since 2023 has been higher fees and digitisation rather than new routes: residency fees more than doubled in September 2024, e-visa fees rose in April 2026, and Cairo's self-service digital visa arrived in August 2026. Tax rules for individuals have not moved for remote workers; the 183-day and permanent-home tests under Law 91 of 2005 still decide residency, with the 2026 brackets running from zero to 27.5 per cent.

Researched from visa2egypt.gov.eg · visa2egypt.gov.eg · gov.uk · eg.andersen.com · eg.andersen.com · taxsummaries.pwc.com · taxsummaries.pwc.com · visasnews.com · kadmartravel.com · kadmartravel.com · the authority