Egypt visa for Russians: cost and rules for Hurghada and Sharm El Sheikh

Egypt visa for Russians: cost in Hurghada

Russian tourists can get a visa after arriving at Hurghada airport. The visa stamp is bought at the bank counter before passport control. The standard cost of a single-entry tourist visa is 30 US dollars.

Prepare money in advance, preferably the exact amount. If you are traveling as a family, take into account the number of separate passports: the cost of processing adds up for each traveler who needs a visa. Do not put off this calculation until the airport queue.

When buying through a representative of the meeting company, check what the service includes and the final amount. Help with processing or accompaniment may be paid separately. Such a service should be compared with the standard visa fee taking into account what exactly you are being offered to pay for.

The free Sinai stamp does not apply in Hurghada. Even if your holiday lasts a week and you plan to spend all the days at the hotel, a regular visa will be needed for this resort.

Sharm El Sheikh: when the Sinai stamp is enough

When flying directly to Sharm El Sheikh for a holiday lasting up to 15 days you can get a free Sinai stamp. It suits those who stay in the permitted tourist zone of South Sinai, including Sharm El Sheikh, Dahab, Nuweiba and Taba.

This is a convenient option for a short beach holiday. For example, if you arrive for a week, stay in Sharm El Sheikh and do not plan to travel to other parts of Egypt, a paid visa is usually not required. When getting your entry processed, tell the passport control officer that you need the Sinai Only.

However, the free stamp does not allow you to move freely around the whole country. A paid Egypt visa for Russians is needed if the trip goes beyond its territorial restrictions or lasts more than 15 days. So it is better to decide before arrival, when the route is already clear.

Count the length of stay by the dates of entry and exit, not only by the number of nights at the hotel. Check your tickets especially carefully if you return on a night flight or the holiday is planned close to the maximum period.

Do you need a visa for an excursion to the pyramids

For a trip from Sharm El Sheikh to Cairo and the Giza pyramids a regular tourist visa is needed. The free Sinai stamp is not enough for such a route. The mode of travel changes nothing: the rule applies to both a bus excursion and a flight.

If the pyramids are already in your plans, it is more convenient to get the visa right at the arrival airport. Then before the excursion you will not need to separately find out where and how to change your entry processing. Tell the trip organizer which document you have before booking.

The same attention should be paid to other trips outside the resort. The name of an excursion does not always help understand its geography. Ask the organizer to confirm whether the whole route is allowed with a Sinai Only mark, including transfers and additional stops.

Egypt visa for Russians: document requirements

The passport must be valid for at least six months from the date of entry into Egypt. Check this period for each traveler before buying tickets. A paid hotel does not replace the document requirements.

Keep the accommodation confirmation, the return ticket and the tourist voucher if you are flying on a package tour. Keep them in an accessible place together with your passport: this will make it easier to show the travel dates and hotel address if clarifications are needed.

An electronic visa for Egypt for Russians is also available through the country's official portal. If you choose this method, prepare a printout of the approved document. Check the spelling of the name, the passport number and other details before submitting the application.

Does a child need a separate visa

If a child travels with their own passport, a regular visa is issued separately. This should be taken into account when calculating the budget for a family trip to Hurghada or a holiday with trips outside the permitted South Sinai zone.

For a holiday in Sharm El Sheikh under the terms of the free Sinai stamp, the corresponding mark is issued to a child as well. Having a separate passport does not in itself mean you must buy a paid visa on this route.

Gather the children's documents together with your own in advance and check the validity of each passport. If family members have different citizenships, check the rules separately: this memo applies to tourists from Russia.

What to check before departure

• Arrival airport. Different processing options are available for Hurghada and a short holiday in Sharm El Sheikh.
• Length of the trip. Compare your ticket dates with the permitted length of stay.
• Excursion plans. A regular visa will be needed for Cairo and the pyramids.
• Passports. Check the validity of the documents of adults and children.
• Insurance and connection. A policy is not needed for a visa, but treatment in Egyptian clinics is paid for immediately, so it is better to arrange travel insurance for Egypt in advance. At the same time, set up an eSIM for Egypt: the internet will work right after landing.
• Costs. Prepare money for visa fees and check whether there are separately paid services.

Before departure, re-check the conditions with your tour operator or the Egyptian consulate. This memo covers tourist arrival in Hurghada and Sharm El Sheikh. For other points of entry and longer stays, the procedure must be checked separately.

A memo on what a tourist must not do in Egyptwill also be useful for the trip: study it before departure together with the entry rules.

Insurance and internet for a trip to Egypt

A visa settles the question of entry, but two other questions are better closed before departure: what to do if you need a doctor, and how to get online right after landing. Both are settled in a few minutes from home.

Questions and answers