Egypt will begin a pilot programme for a new automated system issuing visas on arrival at Cairo International Airport from August 1, the tourism and antiquities ministry said Thursday.
The system will be rolled out across all arrival halls at the airport as part of the government’s digital transformation strategy and efforts to streamline services for visitors, the ministry said in a statement.
The new system is intended to speed up visa procedures, reduce waiting times and ease congestion, providing travellers with a smoother arrival experience, it added.
Travellers will be able to obtain a QR code replacing the current paper visa sticker through a mobile application, self-service kiosks at Cairo airport or an official online portal.
The QR code will be valid for seven days from the date and time of issuance, allowing tourists to obtain it before travelling to Egypt. Licensed tourism companies will also be able to issue QR codes for tourist groups.
Travellers may obtain the code before departure, during their journey or upon arrival at Cairo airport, and then proceed directly to passport control to complete entry procedures, the ministry said. The service will be subject to an issuance fee in addition to the applicable entry visa fee.
The ministry said the initiative was part of efforts to improve the visitor experience from arrival to departure and strengthen Egypt’s competitiveness as a tourism destination.
The digital system will initially operate alongside the existing paper visa process during a limited transition period, the ministry added. Further expansion to other airports and entry points will be considered after evaluating the pilot programme.
