COVID-19 Precautionary Measures in Egypt (11 December Update)

Can a resident enter the country?

• Yes

• Citizens and residents are allowed to enter the country.

Can a foreigner enter the country?

• Yes

• Foreign nationals are allowed to enter the country.

Is transit allowed through the country?

• Yes

• Transit passengers with confirmed hotel accommodation and who will not stay in Cairo Airport until their flight must have a negative PCR test performed no more than 72 hours prior to arrival in Egypt.

• Transit passengers who will stay within Cairo Airport until their flight will not require a COVID-19 test certificate.

Is a test required on arrival?

• No with exceptions

• If international passengers are arriving directly at airports in the coastal governorates of the Red Sea (Hurghada and Marsa Alam), South Sinai (Sharm El-Sheikh), Marsa Matrouh, and Taba and fail to provide a negative PCR test they will be subject to a test at their own expense.

Is a test certificate allowed?

• Yes

• A negative COVID-19 test certificate is allowed. The certificate must be obtained from an accredited laboratory. It must indicate the type of test, type of swab taken, and the report must be either in English or in Arabic.

Test certificate required?

• Yes

• Passengers travelling to Egypt from Japan, China, Thailand, North America, South America, Canada, London Heathrow, Paris, and Frankfurt are required to provide a test certificate issued within 96 hours prior to their departure. Children under the age of 6 are exempt from the test certificate requirement.

• Passengers arriving from all other countries (including those who hold Egyptian citizenship) are required to present a negative test certificate obtained within 72 hours of arrival.

Is quarantine required on arrival?

• Yes

• Travellers who are tested on arrival must self-isolate until the test results are available. If the result is positive, they may be asked to self-isolate up to 14 days in a separate room allocated for quarantine in the hotel. If symptoms persist, they may be transferred to a public hospital or to a private hospital if authorized by the Egyptian Ministry of Health.

• Passengers coming to Egypt may have to enter a 14 quarantine upon arrival.

Insurance required?

• Yes

• Passengers from all countries will need to provide confirmation of valid health insurance policy to airport authorities.

Entry form required?

• Yes

• Passengers from all countries will be required to complete a monitoring card with personal details.

Airline restrictions

• Moderate

• Airports are open. International and domestic flights are operating.

Border restrictions

• Minimal

• Borders are open.

Curfew restrictions

• Minimal

• There is no curfew currently in place.

• The state of emergency was extended until 26 January 2021.

Internal travel restrictions

• Moderate

• Masks are required for public transport.

• Public transport is allowed to operate from 04:00 to 23:59 (local time).

Non-essential shops open?

• Yes

• Grocery stores and other shops are required to close by 22:00 (local time).

Accommodations open?

• Yes

• Tourist hotels and their private beaches and pools are open.

Restaurants open?

• Yes

• Restaurants are allowed to open with limited capacity and are required to close by midnight (local time).

Bars and cafes open?

• Yes

• Bars and cafes are allowed to open with limited capacity and are required to close by midnight (local time).

Beaches and tourism sites open?

• No with exceptions

• Public beaches and parks are closed. Private beaches and pools are open.

Museums and heritage sites open?

• Yes

• Heritage and tourist sites are open.

Personal care services open?

• Yes

• Personal care services are open.

Places of worship open?

• Yes

• Mosques are open for daily prayers and Friday prayers. Churches can hold masses every day except Friday. All places of worship are restricting the numbers of people in attendance and practising recommendations for hygiene and social distancing.

Events allowed?

• Yes with exceptions

• Meetings and conferences are allowed to resume with a maximum of 50 people.

Masks required in public?

• Yes

• Face masks are mandatory in public places.

Other

• Egypt Air is operating flights to international destinations.

• Schools across Egypt have been reopened for the new academic year while adhering to several precautionary measures against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Advice

The COVID-19 epidemic is constantly changing worldwide. This information is subject to change as the situation evolves. Travel and border restrictions may change with little or no notice. Some countries are beginning to remove some restrictions gradually. Check with your airline, booking agent, or country’s embassy for information on your specific travel plans.