Do I need to get an e-visa for Egypt now or can I get by with a visa on arrival?

No, currently getting an e-visa for Egypt is not at all necessary for most tourists from Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and other CIS countries. It is much simpler and cheaper to get a regular visa on arrival right at the airport – it costs 30 US dollars and is stamped into your passport in a couple of minutes at a special counter before passport control.

In 2026, Egypt began implementing e-visas in the form of a QR code, and you can apply for it on the official website https://apps.visaonarrival.gov.eg/. But there are important nuances that make it unsuitable for most tourists:

• the e-visa costs 6 dollars more than the regular one – that is, 36 dollars;
• Russian bank cards are not accepted on this site, so paying from Russia is practically impossible;
• if the trip is cancelled, the paid fee is not refunded;
• the paper visa on arrival has not disappeared – the authorities promise to keep it for 'compatibility'.

So for most tourists from Russia and CIS countries, the e-visa is currently useless. It is much more reasonable to fly to Egypt and buy a visa on the spot. True, at the airports of Sharm El-Sheikh and Hurghada, tourists are often trying to be 'scammed' and sold a visa for 32 dollars, justifying this with a paid migration card. In fact, the immigration card is free, and the visa costs exactly 30 dollars.

If you still want to get a visa in advance, you do not have to use the electronic option – you can go to the Egyptian embassy in Moscow or the consulate in your country. This is mainly relevant for those who need a multiple-entry visa (it costs 60 dollars) or who are flying to Egypt from a country not on the list for visa on arrival.

Remember the main thing: for a short tourist trip from Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Belarus, and the Baltic countries, it is enough to simply fly in with a passport valid for at least 6 months from the date of entry, and buy a visa on the spot for 30 dollars. Also, PCR tests, vaccination certificates, and other covid documents are not required to visit the country.

You can read more in our reliable and honest guide in the article Visa to Egypt and visa-free entry. There we have outlined step by step what to do after arrival, how to avoid being ripped off when buying a visa, and what happens if you overstay its validity.

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