The best way to avoid frustrating hours in government offices is to have the correct visa in hand as soon as you arrive in Egypt. If you are working or studying, you can do this by applying at an Egyptian consulate in your country of origin.
Check with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for updated information on visa types and requirements .
No matter what type of visa you need, you should have the following documents on hand:
Any additional requirements will be noted with the description of that particular visa below.
In Cairo, you can complete the process at the Mugamma in Tahrir Square. Immigration affairs are handled on the second floor (follow the spiral staircase up from the main lobby). Take note of the Polaroid kiosk in the lobby on your way in, you may need to return later for photographs or to photocopy documents. The visa and immigration area is essentially structured as a long series of numbered windows, labelled in both English and Arabic. Most staff speak some English, and they will be more than happy to give you directions.
Begin by picking up your application from the appropriate window (e,g. “Temporary Tourism Residence, Temporary Residence 3-5 yrs”). The clerk will tell you which documents you need to photocopy and where to pay the application fee (it will be a separate window labelled “Stamps and Fees”). You can fill out the application and pay the fees in any order, and when you pay the fees you will be given a series of postage stamps. Make sure to affix the stamps to your application form to show that you have paid the required fee (and be careful not to drop and lose any – you’ll have to buy more!).
If you need photocopies, you can then head down to the lobby to make them at the kiosk. Once you have everything together, simply turn the completed application and your passport in at the first window you visited. The clerk will tell you where and when to pick up your processed passport and visa (this can be anywhere from a couple hours to several days).
Check our articles in the visa section for a basic overview of the main visa types in Egypt.