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Seeing a record 19 million tourists in 2025, the North African nation of Egypt continues to rank alongside Morocco and South Africa as the most-visited countries in Africa.

While the biggest tourism draw remains the Pyramids of Giza, the North African nation, also home to countless other ancient sites, also offers the vibrant culture of Cairo and the all-inclusive resorts on the Red Sea.

According to statistics released by the government’s tourism board, the largest number of tourists to Egypt in 2025 came from Germany, Ukraine, Russia, Saudi Arabia, and the United Kingdom. The country has also seen rising interest from U.S. travelers over the last year.

Egypt to scrap visa upon arrival, offer visa-free entry for Americans

While specific visa rules will vary greatly depending on the passport of the traveler, Egypt is now taking steps to ease entry requirements for nationals of dozens of countries.

These include the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, alongside the 27 nations making up the European Union.

Up until now, travelers from these countries were required to apply for a 30-day visa-upon-arrival that cost $25 USD, mostly paid in cash, after landing at an Egyptian airport.

As first reported by local press, the latest entry changes put in place by the Egyptian government will extend the visa exemptions currently in place for travelers from nearby Gulf countries to more than 30 nations: EU countries, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States, among a number of others.

Luxor is an ancient Egyptian city and UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Image source&colon; Shutterstock

Headed to Egypt? Here is what you need to know about visa requirement changes

This will bring the total number of nationalities that can visit Egypt visa-free to approximately 40. It will also significantly ease the process for those who previously had to line up at a booth after a long flight for a visa that, short of a criminal record or past overstay in the country, is almost always granted automatically.

The new rules will also save travelers the $25 USD they previously had to pay for the visa.

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The moves are all part of the Egyptian government’s efforts to promote the country as a travel destination amid competition for the same tourist days and dollars from neighboring Morocco and Tunisia.

The visa exemption does not, however, fully apply to those intending to travel to the Sinai Peninsula bordering Israel and the Palestinian territory of Gaza. Those traveling to the area, known for periodic breakouts of violence, through entry points such as Sharm El-Sheikh or Taba will still need to apply for a “Sinai Only” visa-upon-arrival stamp, which grants visitors 14 days in the region.

Those who come to the resorts in this region are not permitted to travel beyond to cities like Cairo and Luxor on the same visa, although they were previously able to apply for the mainland Egyptian visa at the same checkpoint.

Details have not yet been released regarding how this process will work, now that tourists from many countries no longer need a visa for most of Egypt.

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Please make a free appointment with TheStreet’s Travel Agent Partner, Postcard Travel, or email Amy Post at [email protected] or call or text her at 386-383-2472.