Do Russians need a visa to Sharm el-Sheikh?

No, Russians do not need a visa to travel to Sharm el-Sheikh if you arrive for up to 15 days and do not plan to leave the Sinai Peninsula. In this case, at Sharm el-Sheikh airport you will be given a so-called Sinai stamp for free, which is a visa-free permit to stay.

The Sinai stamp gives the right to stay only in the territory of South Sinai — these are the resorts of Sharm el-Sheikh, Taba, Dahab and Nuweiba, as well as St. Catherine's Monastery and Mount Moses. If you want to go on an excursion to Cairo, to the pyramids or to Luxor, you will not be allowed with this stamp — you will need to get a full visa.

If you want to stay in Egypt for more than 15 days or go on excursions outside the peninsula, then upon arrival at Sharm el-Sheikh airport you can buy a visa on arrival. It costs 30 US dollars (or 30 euros), is issued immediately for 30 days and is valid throughout the country. You need to buy it before passport control at special windows — they will stick a stamp-label in your passport, after which you go through border guards with an entry stamp. A detailed step-by-step instruction is in our article about visa to Egypt.

Please note an important point: if you entered with a free Sinai stamp and then decided to stay or go on an excursion, you can buy a visa already during your vacation. It will cost the same 30 dollars, but its validity period will be counted not from the moment of purchase, but from the date of your initial entry into Egypt. So if you plan a trip to Cairo in advance, it is better to take a visa immediately upon arrival.

Also do not forget about passport requirements: it must be valid at least 6 months from the date of entry into Egypt. The immigration card is filled out by all tourists regardless of whether you buy a visa or receive a free stamp. Forms are issued free of charge at the airport, but it is better to bring a pen with you — there are none at the airport.

Russians also have access to an electronic visa to Egypt, but its cost is 6 dollars higher, and payment from Russian cards does not go through on the official website, so for most tourists from Russia it is still more convenient and profitable to get a visa on arrival or use the free Sinai stamp.

More useful information about entry rules, cost and features of obtaining a visa can be found in our detailed and honest guide: Visa to Egypt and visa-free entry.

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