Egypt visa requirements for United Kingdom citizens

Egypt is one of the leading tourist areas not only in the Middle East but also its whole world. Many tourists visit the North African nation annually in millions. In 2015, authorities declared that a high number of tourists including the people in the UK would require an Egyptian visa to access the country. Certain of those nations qualify to use an Egyptian electronic visa ( Egypt e-Visa) that enables such people to make a quicker visa application.

This article will tell you about the Egypt ec-visa to be applied by UK residents as well as the Egypt visa requirements to be fulfilled by a UK resident and the procedures to be followed in order to obtain it easily.

Do UK citizens need a visa for Egypt?

The Egypt e-Visa removes the requirement for UK residents to wait in long queues at the Egyptian embassy or consulate in United Kingdom. Now, they have the convenience of applying online from any location with internet access.

As previously stated, Egyptian e-visa can alleviate the drawbacks of a casual visa for tourism or short-term visits in general. To be more specific, if you need an Egypt visa for less than 30 days but don't want to waste time and money applying for the casual kind, which is only valid for a long amount of stay, e-visa is a great option for you.

Types of Egypt visa for UK residents

UK residents planning to travel to Egypt must obtain a visa before or upon arrival, depending on their travel purpose. Below are the main types of Egypt visas available for UK residents:

• Tourist visa: For leisure travel, sightseeing, or visiting family. Available as a single-entry (valid for 30 days) or multiple-entry visa (valid for 6 months with multiple 30-day visits).
• Business visa: For attending conferences, meetings, or other business-related activities. Requires supporting documents from the inviting company in Egypt.
• Transit visa: Needed if staying in Egypt during a layover for longer than 48 hours or exiting the airport.
• Student visa: For UK residents enrolled in an educational institution in Egypt. Requires proof of admission and financial support.
• Work visa: Issued to individuals with confirmed employment in Egypt. Requires a job offer and sponsorship from an Egyptian employer.

All visas require a passport valid for at least six months.

Egypt visa requirements for UK citizens

Citizens of the United Kingdom (UK) must hold a valid e-Visa to enter Egypt. In some cases, passport holders from the United Kingdom may be able to apply for an e-Visa before their travel to Egypt, depending on the purpose of their trip and its duration.

For UK residents to apply for an Egyptian e-Visa, the following requirements need to be met:

• A valid UK passport is valid for at least six months after the intended date of entry to Egypt and has at least 02 blank pages to get entry and exit stamps.
• An email address so that you can update your application status regularly and get your Egypt e-visa.

Once you receive your Egypt e-visa via email, you should print it out before traveling and bring it with you. In addition, it is necessary to keep a copy of your Egypt e visa in case you need to show it to the authorities while staying in Egypt.

Additionally, to the requirements listed above, travelers must also provide some information to obtain an e-Visa:

• Full name as it appears on their passport
• The date of birth
• Nationality
• Passport number
• Your date of arrival/departure

Read more: Discover the most beautiful beaches in Egypt

How to apply for the Egypt eVisa for UK citizens

Here are the three steps for UK citizens to obtain an Egypt e-Visa:

Step 1: Complete the Egypt e-Visa application form
The first thing to do to get an Egypt e-Visa is to complete the online form on the Egypt Immigration Services website. UK residents need to check the visa rules for their home country before they plan a trip to Egypt. The process of applying is fast, usually only taking a couple of minutes, and it involves providing visa information and important personal details like:

Personal information:

• Full name
• Gender
• Date of birth
• Country of birth
• E-mail address
• Information from a passport
• Passport number
• Issue date
• Expiry date

In order to successfully go through the various stages of the e-Visa application process, it is important to complete the questionnaire carefully and make sure that all information given is accurate.

Step 2: Make payment and wait for approval.

Upon completing the application, people from the UK can use a debit or credit card to pay the fees for the Egypt e-Visa. After that, the request will be sent for evaluation. Afterwards, the candidate will get an email confirming the visa request. In a few days, UK citizens will receive notification of the result of their request.

Step 3: Egypt e-Visa approval or rejection notification

The next message that travelers will receive will show if their e-Visa application has been accepted. In many cases, the visitor's visa for Egypt is approved, and a duplicate is sent to the applicant via email. UK travelers need to make a physical copy of this document before their trip and show it at the Egyptian border when they arrive. At this stage, the procedure is finished, and the visa recipient is prepared to journey to Egypt.

If the e-Visa application is rejected, an email notification will be sent, and it will not be possible to travel to Egypt without an approved visa.

Egypt visa fee for UK residents

To complete the whole application process, you need to pay a total fee. There are two kinds of fees you need to pay when applying online for an Egypt e-Visa for UK residents, which are called the Egypt Service Fee and the Government Fee.

The government fee regulated by the Egyptian authority is compulsory for you because your country of origin (UK) is currently not on the exemption list of Egypt.

The service fee, on the other hand, can be adjustable because it is up to your choice of processing time. In total, there are 03 service options available for you to select as following:

• Normal: You can get your e-visa result within 03 working days if you choose this standardized service.
• Urgent: With this type of service, your processing time is faster than usual. Following that, you will get your e-visa within 02 working days.
• Super urgent: This service has the fastest processing time so far. If you use this sort of service, you are able to expect to obtain your e-visa result within 01 working days.

Regarding payment methods, you can use electronic payment or wire transfer (HSBC Bank Transfer) to pay for your Egypt e-visa charge. For electronic payment, you should consider Visa, Master Card, PayPal, or American Express.

FAQs about Egypt visa for UK citizens

Do children need separate visas?

Yes, children need separate visas to enter Egypt, regardless of age. Each child must have an individual passport and a valid visa, whether applying online or obtaining a visa on arrival. They cannot be included on a parent’s visa. Parents or guardians must submit separate applications for each child.

Can UK citizens obtain a visa on arrival in Egypt?

Yes, UK citizens can obtain a visa on arrival in Egypt. This single-entry visa permits a stay of up to 30 days and is available at major international airports, including Cairo, Hurghada, Luxor, and Sharm El Sheikh. The visa fee is $25 USD, payable in cash; while payment in GBP or EUR may be accepted, USD is preferred. Credit or debit cards are not accepted for this payment. Applicants must present a UK passport valid for at least six months from the date of entry. To avoid potential delays upon arrival, travelers may consider applying for an e-Visa online before departure.

What happens if UK citizens overstay their visa?

If UK citizens overstay their visa in Egypt, they may face several consequences.

• Fines: Overstaying can result in fines, which vary based on the duration of the overstay. For overstays up to 90 days, fines can be up to USD 100. Longer overstays may incur higher penalties.
• Departure delays: Travelers must pay any fines before leaving Egypt. This process can be time-consuming, so it's advisable to arrive at the airport well in advance of your flight.
• Future travel restrictions: Overstaying may lead to complications when applying for future Egyptian visas or re-entry into the country.

To avoid these issues, it's recommended to renew or extend your visa before it expires. Visa extensions can be applied for at the Egyptian Passport and Immigration Offices.

In conclusion

The UK citizens who intend to travel to Egypt require a legitimate visa for such purposes of tourism, business, and other sorts of travel. This is quite easy and can be carried out in anticipation of a smooth arrival. The visitation is one of the most convenient applications that can be used using the Egypt Immigration Service site which provides an efficient and secure platform to file an application using an e-Visa. Online application is useful in clarifying the requirement to enter the country and prevents one wasting time in the airport. Your passport should be valid no fewer than six months after your holiday. In order to have the latest and most reliable data, anyone traveling in the UK and planning to travel to Egypt is advised to log in to the official site of the Egypt Immigration Service and ensure that he or she has applied for his or her visa very early.