The Egyptian government announced on Wednesday, May 13, 2026, the signing of two agreements related to the management and operation of the new digital visa on arrival system at Cairo International Airport.
The system is designed to allow eligible travelers to obtain their visa on arrival in the form of a QR code, after entering the required information and paying the visa fee electronically. Its launch is scheduled for August 2026 across all terminals at Cairo Airport. The trial is then expected to be gradually expanded to all Egyptian airports.
Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly attended the signing ceremony, alongside Sherif Fathy, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, and Mohamed Amer, Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Egypt for Banking Operations and Payment Systems.
The agreements were signed with Cy Shield Technology, the company responsible for implementing the system, as well as with two banking service providers, the National Bank of Egypt and Banque Misr. According to the government, the signing marks a step toward the system’s effective rollout.
Egypt’s visa on arrival to be replaced by a QR Code
The new system does not abolish the visa on arrival. Instead, it aims to digitize the way it is issued.
Today, travelers eligible for this facility obtain their visa on arrival as a paper visa sticker issued at the airport and placed in their passport. Under the new system, the procedure will be handled electronically. The visa will be issued as a QR code, which the passport control officer will be able to scan to verify its validity and compliance.
The Egyptian government presents the system as a way to reduce airport congestion, speed up arrival procedures and improve the visitor experience from the moment travelers enter the country.
According to details provided by the Cabinet, travelers wishing to obtain a digital visa on arrival will need to enter their information through one of the channels made available by the system.
Applications will be possible through self-service kiosks installed at airports and arrival points, through the system’s official website, or via its mobile app. Travelers will then have to pay the visa fee and any applicable service charges electronically before the QR code is issued.
Authorities also indicate that the visa may be obtained before arrival, within 48 hours, or through travel agencies.
Cairo launch before wider rollout across Egyptian airports
The operational launch of the system is scheduled for August 2026 across all terminals at Cairo International Airport.
The announcement follows the preparation phase presented by Egyptian authorities in late 2025. In November, the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities had already indicated that the new tourist visa on arrival would enter a testing phase, initially at Terminal 2 of Cairo Airport, before being gradually extended to other points of entry.
The Egyptian government is now confirming a more advanced stage, with a launch timeline for Cairo Airport and plans to later expand the system to all airports in the country.
The new system concerns the visa on arrival, or VOA, for travelers who are already eligible for this facility when entering Egypt.
It should therefore not be confused with Egypt’s e-Visa, which allows certain travelers to apply for an electronic travel authorization before departure through the official visa2egypt.gov.eg portal.
What travelers should know
- Egypt plans to launch its new digital visa-on-arrival system at Cairo International Airport in August 2026.
- The system will allow eligible travelers to enter their information, pay the fee online or at a kiosk, and obtain a QR code to present at passport control.
- The system is expected to apply first to all terminals at Cairo Airport before being gradually extended to other Egyptian airports.
- The government announcement does not modify the eligibility conditions for the visa on arrival. It focuses primarily on how the visa will be issued and checked.
