Before You Travel to Egypt: What to Check

Short answer

Before flying to Egypt, check the passport and visa rules for your nationality and document type, make sure the name on the booking matches the passport, save your accommodation details, and understand how your travel insurance handles treatment. Keep protected paper and digital copies of essential documents, plus insurer, airline and consular contacts.

If you are travelling to Hurghada, do not rely on the free South Sinai entry stamp. That limited arrangement concerns eligible visits to parts of South Sinai, not Hurghada.

Egypt travel document checklist

Check	What to prepare
Passport	Original passport and a protected copy; verify the current validity rule for your route
Visa	eVisa, visa on arrival or consular visa only if that route is available for your passport
Trip details	Tickets, accommodation address, booking confirmation and host contact where relevant
Insurance	Policy number, assistance telephone number, limits, exclusions and pre-approval rules
Child documents	The child’s passport, visa and any consent documents required by the departure country and airline
Medicines	Original packaging and a prescription or medical letter when required

Do not keep the passport, every bank card, all cash and all backup copies in one bag. Never send a passport scan to an unknown person in a public chat.

How do you check passport and visa rules?

Start with the official Egyptian source and then check the rules that apply to your citizenship. Egypt’s official eVisa portal says an eVisa applicant’s passport must be valid for at least six months from arrival. It also lists the supported nationalities and document types; those lists can change.

As verified on 2 September 2026, the portal lists USD 30 for a tourist single-entry eVisa and USD 65 for a tourist multiple-entry eVisa. It asks travellers to create an application at least seven days before departure. Recheck the live amount, eligibility and timing before paying.

Use the official domain visa2egypt.gov.eg. Nabiora’s detailed Egypt eVisa guide explains the application flow and common clone-site warning signs.

An approved visa is not a guarantee of admission. Border officials make the final entry decision, so carry the documents requested for your trip, including accommodation and itinerary information where applicable.

What should families check for children?

Treat every child as a separate traveller. Check:

• whether the child needs a separate passport and visa application;
• whether the country of departure requires consent when the child travels with one parent or without parents;
• the airline’s documents and check-in process for a minor;
• whether every name is written consistently across passport, visa and booking;
• whether insurance covers the child’s planned activities and existing conditions.

The eVisa portal provides for an individual application for each visitor, although a parent can submit a child’s application from the parent’s account. Do not copy another family’s document list without checking your own circumstances.

What should travel insurance cover?

Read the policy before payment, not after an incident. Check the territory, medical and evacuation limits, deductible, excluded activities, existing-condition rules and the need to obtain assistance-company approval before non-emergency treatment.

Save the assistance number and policy number outside your phone. In a life-threatening situation, call local emergency services first; insurance coordination can follow. For a non-emergency problem, contacting the assistance company early may determine which provider to use and which records to collect.

For practical steps in Hurghada, see what to do if you get sick or injured.

How should you prepare medicines?

Keep medicines in original packaging and carry only an appropriate personal quantity. For prescription or controlled medicines, check the current Egyptian import rules and ask the prescribing clinician for a letter or prescription in English when needed.

Do not assume that a familiar brand name has the same ingredients or strength in another country. Record the generic name, dose, allergies and important medical conditions so a clinician can understand them.

Mobile access and an emergency plan

Save your accommodation address in English and, when available, Arabic. Plan how you will get online after arrival. Egypt’s official tourism site notes that passport identification may be required for a temporary tourist mobile line. Nabiora’s SIM card and mobile internet guide explains the practical options.

Before departure, save:

• the insurer’s assistance number and policy reference;
• airline, accommodation and transfer contacts;
• your own embassy or consulate’s official emergency channel;
• Egypt’s official emergency numbers: 112 for general emergencies and 123 for ambulance;
• a trusted contact who knows your itinerary and accommodation.

Use an official government site to find consular contacts. The embassies and consulates in Egypt guide explains how to verify the correct mission without relying on an outdated directory.

Final pre-flight checklist

[ ] Passport validity checked for my nationality and route
[ ] Visa route and current fee confirmed on an official site
[ ] Names match across passport, visa and booking
[ ] Accommodation and itinerary details saved
[ ] Child documents checked separately
[ ] Insurance limits, exclusions and assistance process understood
[ ] Medicines and supporting documents prepared
[ ] Emergency, insurer and consular contacts saved offline
[ ] Copies stored separately from the originals

Common questions

Is the South Sinai stamp valid for Hurghada?

No. Hurghada is on the Red Sea mainland, not in the limited South Sinai area. Check the normal visa options for your passport and route.

Is six months of passport validity always enough?

The official eVisa portal states at least six months from arrival for its process. Other routes and carriers may apply additional checks, so verify the rule for your exact passport and itinerary.

Should I keep only digital copies?

No. Keep protected digital copies and a limited paper backup, stored separately from the originals. The official eVisa process also requires a printed eVisa for arrival.

Official sources and verification date

This guide was checked against Egypt’s official eVisa portal, the Ministry of Tourism’s Experience Egypt site and Egypt’s telecom regulator on 2 September 2026. Entry, document and insurance conditions can change; recheck the original sources before travel.