Passport validity rules for Egypt
Egypt requires 6 months on your passport plus a blank page. Sinai-only visits have an exception — but most Egypt trips don't qualify.
Egypt: six months at entry, easy visa on arrival
Egypt applies the six-month rule from your date of entry, and airlines flying into Cairo, Hurghada and Sharm el-Sheikh enforce it at check-in. What makes Egypt different from most strict-rule countries is that the visa side is unusually easy — most Western visitors get a $25 visa on arrival paid in cash at the airport bank kiosk before the immigration desk, or an eVisa online in advance.
Sharm el-Sheikh has a specific carve-out: visitors staying only in the Sinai Peninsula (Sharm, Dahab, Nuweiba, St Catherine's) can get a free 15-day Sinai-only entry permit that skips the visa fee. The six-month rule is often applied more loosely for this permit, but don't rely on it — carry a passport that meets the standard rule and use the permit as a fee-saver, not a validity workaround.
Cruise passengers on Red Sea itineraries clearing Egyptian immigration for a Cairo day trip are treated as full arrivals. The cruise line collects passports the night before and returns them stamped — if yours is short on validity, the ship's purser will flag it before you tender ashore.
6 months beyond entry. 6 months beyond entry, with at least 1 blank page.
Verify with Egypt e-Visa portalYour passport normally needs six months of validity from arrival in Egypt. This date check does not cover visas, transit stops or other documents. Here's what actually happens →
Can I travel to Egypt?
A date check based on the published entry rule — not a boarding guarantee.
What this means at the airport in Egypt
- Major arrival points
- Cairo CAI · Hurghada HRG · Sharm el-Sheikh SSH · Luxor LXR
- Entry position
- UK and US passport holders can obtain a visa on arrival or apply for an e-visa before travel.
- If you need to renew
- Sinai-only entry permits have different conditions from a full tourist visa — check which one your resort trip uses.
Entry allowances and validity requirements change. Verify before booking with Egypt e-Visa portal. We summarise the rule and explain how it is applied in practice; we are not a government service. How we check and update this page.
Egypt: your questions answered
- Do I need 6 months on my passport for Egypt?
- Yes. Egypt requires at least 6 months of passport validity from your date of entry, plus 1 blank page for the visa sticker and entry stamp.
- Do I need a visa for Egypt?
- Most Western travellers need a visa, available as an e-Visa online ($25 USD) or on arrival at Cairo, Hurghada and Sharm el-Sheikh airports.
- Does the rule apply at Red Sea resorts?
- Sharm el-Sheikh and Hurghada visitors can get a free Sinai-only entry permit for up to 15 days without the 6-month rule — but it doesn't allow travel outside the Sinai.
- Is the rule strictly enforced?
- Yes. Egyptian immigration enforces both the validity and blank-page requirements at every entry point.
Next, if you're flying to Egypt
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