Egypt Visa For Cruise Passengers

Cruise passengers must hold a valid Egypt electronic visa when they arrive in the country. Like other tourists to the Arab Republic, they must have the right authorization to be cleared by the Egyptian authorities or they may not be allowed to disembark from a cruise liner or travel to the country’s ports to catch their boat.

Crucially, a Schengen visa or visa waiver cannot be used to enter Egypt. Despite its proximity to Europe across the Mediterranean sea, the North African nation has its own unique immigration policy that is not aligned with the European Union’s.

Nevertheless, Egypt is a tourist-friendly destination and is a favorite for cruise passengers. As this article shows, getting the right visa for Egypt when visiting for a cruise is a simple task that won’t cause many planning headaches.

Do Cruise Passengers Need a Visa to Disembark in Egypt?

A visa is necessary to disembark temporarily from a cruise. Very often the cruise company will handle this step for passengers on ships that will make a stop-off in Egypt.

However, tourists can also make their own visa arrangements and use a prearranged eVisa if they should choose to. This might be the case if they are planning to step off their cruise ship in the Arab Republic for onward travel internationally.

In all cases, tourists must hold a passport that is valid for 6 months from the date of arrival in the country or they may not be granted entry.

Which Nationalities Need a Visa to Disembark from a cruise in Egypt?

Tourists arriving in Egypt must hold a suitable visa. Many foreign nationals meeting the correct Egyptian visa requirements can register online for an eVisa for Egypt that is valid for 30 days. This allows passengers to either enter the country to board a cruise ship or disembark from a cruise ship for further onward travel overland or by plane.

Citizens of several countries however must have a visa acquired from an Egyptian embassy in their country of residence in advance of their arrival in Egypt as cruise passengers. If not, they will not be allowed to disembark. This includes the following nationalities:

What to Do When Arriving in Egypt for a Cruise

Passengers arriving in Egypt by air or land to board a cruise ship or take a river cruise will need a valid visa in order to enter the country to catch their boat. In this situation, an eVisa is recommended as this can be easily procured online as little as 1 week before arrival and permits up to 30 days in the country.

This allows visitors to the region to smoothly transit through Egypt from an airport or land border to take a river cruise or oceangoing ship from one of the major ports such as Alexandria or Port Said.

Alternatively, travelers who are eligible may also acquire a visa-on-arrival at an Egyptian airport. This can however result in slower immigration processing times, which could delay a rendezvous with a passenger ship if time is tight. The visa-on-arrival costs around $25 which must be paid in cash only.

How Cruise Passengers Can Save Time on Arrival With An Egypt Online Visa

The quickest and easiest way to get prepared to travel to Egypt for a cruise is with a valid eVisa. This type of Egypt visa can be completed online in just under 15 minutes and only requires a few key pieces of information from the traveler such as their passport and an email address.

Visas are usually approved within 7 days and are then directly emailed to applicants. From their date of issue, they are valid for 3 months and allow visitors single or multiple entries into the country for up to 30 days.

Once registered and approved for an eVisa, travelers must only visit with the passport that was used during the application process. Dual citizens with multiple passports will not be able to use their electronic visa if they attempt to enter Egypt with a different travel document.

Egypt is a fantastic destination for cruise passengers. It is an ancient land filled with amazing UNESCO heritage sites, such as the Pyramids and the Valley of the Kings, and is a great place to enjoy the culture and sights of the North African landscape.