Egypt will begin issuing instant digital visas at Cairo International Airport in August, as part of efforts to facilitate tourist entry into the country, ahead of expanding the service to other airports.
President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi affirmed last week Egypt’s keenness to continue developing the tourism sector to reach a target of receiving 30 million tourists a year.
The government says it is working to “strengthen mechanisms to drive more inbound tourism and facilitate procedures related to tourists’ entry and departure through all airports and various points of entry.”
Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly spoke on Wednesday about the importance of the new system during a ceremony to sign two agreements on the “management and operation of the newly introduced digital system” for obtaining visas on arrival at Cairo airport.
He said the system supports the state’s efforts to improve the tourist experience from the moment of arrival and to facilitate procedures at airports, as part of efforts to raise the quality of tourism services and in line with the state’s strategic direction to strengthen digital transformation.
According to a Cabinet statement, the signing of the two agreements marks a step toward the actual launch of the newly introduced system, scheduled to be rolled out across all terminals at Cairo International Airport next August, ahead of a gradual expansion and the generalization of the experience across all airports.
The Cabinet said the system is expected to help reduce airport congestion by allowing travelers to obtain visas on arrival quickly and smoothly, replacing the paper stamp currently in use.
Last month, government data showed that Cairo airport “continued to achieve positive growth rates in travel movement during the first quarter of 2026, both in passenger numbers and flights, compared with the same period in 2025.”
The data showed that the number of flights rose by 10% to 59,400, compared with 54,000, while passenger numbers increased by 9.5% to 8.1 million, compared with 7.4 million.
Facilitating procedures
Ahmed Wahid, a member of the Egyptian Tourism Federation, spoke of the advantages of introducing the instant digital visa, saying it would “help facilitate procedures for visitors and reduce waiting times and congestion inside airports.”
He told Asharq Al-Awsat that procedures for obtaining stamps and entry visas had previously taken a long time, adding that he expected the new facilitation measures to help attract larger numbers of tourists in the coming period.
Asked about the readiness of all airports to implement the system, Wahid said: “The new step aims to restructure and digitize all airports.”
He added: “The renewal will take time, but applying it at Cairo airport as a first phase is an important step.”
Civil Aviation Minister Sameh el-Hefny told a Senate session on Tuesday that efforts were ongoing to modernize the civil aviation sector, including improving the efficiency of the airport system, increasing its capacity, and upgrading services provided to travelers in line with international practices.
Egypt has 23 airports, and the government aims to increase annual passenger capacity from 66.2 million to 109.2 million by 2030, according to official data. Cairo, Hurghada, Sharm el-Sheikh and Marsa Alam airports topped the list of Egyptian airports receiving the largest numbers of tourists in 2025.
Boosting tourism
According to the Cabinet statement on Wednesday, visitors seeking to obtain the digital visa will enter their details via self-service machines at airports and entry points, the system’s official website, or a mobile phone application.
The statement said visitors will pay the visa fee and service charges electronically through the channels available on the system.
The visa stamp will then be issued as a QR code, which passport control officers will scan to verify its validity and match the traveler’s information. The visa can also be obtained 48 hours before arrival or through tourism companies.
On efforts to boost tourism, particularly amid regional tensions, Wahid said: “There are government instructions to companies and all those working in tourism to facilitate all procedures for tourists, in addition to President Sisi’s directives to reach 30 million tourists annually. All of this will help increase arrivals to the country in the coming period.”
He added: “There are therefore major moves underway, especially with the efforts made over the past year, including improving hotel standards and paying attention to archaeological sites.”
Egypt relies on tourism as one of its most important sources of national income. The government announced last week that tourism had recorded a monthly growth of 20% since the start of this year, compared with the same period in 2025.
The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities also said last week that “2025 ended with significant growth in tourism movement, reaching 21% compared with 2024.”
