Quick answer
Yes, New Zealanders need a visa for Egypt. At the time of writing, NZ passport holders can apply online for an e-Visa through the official portal, visa2egypt.gov.eg, or buy a visa on arrival at major airports, and a tourist visa typically allows up to 30 days. Your passport should be valid for at least six months from arrival. Check the portal and SafeTravel before you fly, as rules and fees change.
Do New Zealanders need a visa for Egypt?
Yes. New Zealand passport holders need a visa to visit Egypt as tourists, and at the time of writing can get one either online in advance or on arrival at the airport. A tourist visa typically allows a stay of up to 30 days; single and multiple-entry versions are available.
The rules for Kiwis are, at the time of writing, effectively the same as for Australians, so if you are travelling with Australian friends or family you will go through the same process. Our Egypt visa guide for Australians has a detailed walk-through of arrival at Cairo Airport; this page covers what is different, or worth knowing, when you start from New Zealand. Always confirm on the official portal, visa2egypt.gov.eg, before you travel.
e-Visa or visa on arrival: which is better for Kiwis?
We recommend the e-Visa: after 24 hours or more of travel from Auckland, it is one less queue and one less cash transaction at the end of the journey.
| e-Visa | Visa on arrival | |
|---|---|---|
| Apply | Online at visa2egypt.gov.eg, before you leave NZ | At bank counters in the arrivals hall, before immigration |
| Pay | Visa or Mastercard | Cash, ideally clean US dollar notes |
| Timing | Apply at least 7–10 days before departure | On the day |
| Carry | A printed copy of the approval | Nothing in advance except US dollars |
| Best for | Most travellers, especially families | Last-minute trips |
If you do rely on the visa on arrival, sort your US dollars before leaving New Zealand. Not every bank branch keeps foreign cash on hand, so order it ahead from your bank or a currency exchange, and ask for recent, undamaged notes; Egyptian bank counters can refuse worn ones.
How do NZ passport holders apply for the e-Visa?
Apply on the official portal, choose New Zealand as your nationality, upload a scan of your passport, pay by card and print the approval.
- Create an account at visa2egypt.gov.eg.
- Choose New Zealand and the tourist visa type: single or multiple entry.
- Enter your details exactly as they appear in the machine-readable lines at the bottom of your passport photo page. If your name has macrons, such as a Māori name, the passport's machine-readable zone prints it without them, so match that version.
- Add your travel dates and first hotel in Egypt, and upload a clear colour scan of your photo page.
- Pay by card, wait for the approval email and print it to carry with your passport.
Approval often takes a few days but can take longer, so apply at least a week or two before you fly. Every traveller needs their own visa, including children on their own passports.
How much does an Egypt visa cost for New Zealanders?
The fee is set in US dollars and has changed over the years, so check the current amount on visa2egypt.gov.eg rather than relying on a figure from a forum or an old guidebook.
The fee is the same whether you buy the e-Visa or the visa on arrival, at the time of writing, and a multiple-entry visa costs more than a single-entry one. Beware of lookalike websites: many third-party sites sell Egypt "e-Visas" with service fees that can double or triple the cost. If the site's address isn't visa2egypt.gov.eg, you are not on the government portal. If you are travelling with Noble Travel, your pre-departure information includes the current fee and process.
Can New Zealanders use the free Sinai-only stamp?
Only if you fly straight into Sharm el-Sheikh (or cross at Taba) and stay in the South Sinai resort area, which few Kiwis do, because most trips from New Zealand enter Egypt through Cairo.
At the time of writing, the Sinai-only stamp is a free entry permission for up to 15 days covering resorts such as Sharm el-Sheikh and Dahab and St Catherine's Monastery. It does not allow travel to Cairo, Luxor, Aswan or Hurghada. Here is the catch for travellers from New Zealand: if you land at Cairo first and then fly on to Sharm, you have already entered Egypt at Cairo, so you need a full tourist visa. Only if you arrive in Sharm on an international flight, for example from Europe or the Gulf, does the stamp come into play. See our Sharm el-Sheikh and Sinai guide, and check the travel advice for Sinai.
What are the passport and entry requirements?
Your NZ passport should be valid for at least six months from the date you arrive in Egypt and have blank pages for stamps.
- Return or onward ticket: airlines may ask for proof at check-in in Auckland.
- Accommodation: have your first hotel's address for the e-Visa and arrival.
- Drones: need prior approval in Egypt and are routinely held at customs without it; leave yours at home.
- Medication: some medicines legal in New Zealand are controlled in Egypt; carry a doctor's letter and original packaging.
- Dual nationals: NZ-Egyptian citizens should check SafeTravel for advice on which passport to use.
What happens when you land in Cairo from New Zealand?
With an e-Visa you go straight to the passport queue; with a visa on arrival you first buy the sticker at a bank counter, and either way immigration usually takes 30–60 minutes.
Flights from Auckland via the Gulf often land in Cairo after a long overnight leg, so you will be tired. Keep your passport, printed e-Visa, hotel address and return ticket together in one pocket. A meet-and-assist service, included on our tours, means someone meets you before immigration and walks you through the formalities and out to your driver. Officers may ask where you are staying and how long. A tourist visa usually allows up to 30 days; if you want longer, extensions are handled by the immigration authority inside Egypt and take time, so build your dates around the 30 days where possible. Arrival at Egypt's main airports is covered in our Cairo Airport guide.
What about stopovers and multi-country trips?
Most Kiwis fly via Dubai or Doha, and at the time of writing NZ passport holders can usually stop over in either without arranging a visa in advance; check the UAE or Qatar rules for your dates.
If you connect through an Australian city, New Zealand citizens don't need to apply for an Australian visa in advance. If your trip leaves Egypt and comes back, for example to add Jordan or Dubai between Cairo and the Nile, buy a multiple-entry Egypt visa instead of two singles. Our Egypt and Jordan and Egypt and Dubai journeys are built around these rules. For flights, see Egypt tours from New Zealand.
What should Kiwis check on SafeTravel before flying?
Read the Egypt page on SafeTravel, register your trip, and make sure your travel insurance covers every region on your itinerary at its current advice level.
SafeTravel is run by New Zealand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and lists entry requirements, regional advice and consular contacts; New Zealand has an embassy in Cairo. Registering your travel helps MFAT reach you in an emergency. For how the advice levels and regional map work, read Egypt travel advice explained, and for day-to-day safety, our guide to whether Egypt is safe.
Frequently asked questions
Can New Zealanders get a visa on arrival in Egypt?
Yes, at the time of writing, at major airports including Cairo. Pay in cash, ideally US dollars, and check SafeTravel before you fly in case rules change.
How long can a New Zealander stay in Egypt?
A tourist visa typically allows up to 30 days. Extensions are possible inside Egypt but involve paperwork, so plan longer trips carefully.
What is the official Egypt e-Visa site for Kiwis?
The only official portal is visa2egypt.gov.eg. Other sites are agents that add fees.
Do I need a visa if I fly Auckland to Sharm el-Sheikh via Cairo?
Yes. You enter Egypt at Cairo, so you need a full tourist visa even if you only stay in Sharm. The free Sinai-only stamp applies to arrivals directly into Sharm or Taba.
Is the Egypt visa process the same for Australians and New Zealanders?
At the time of writing, yes: both can use the e-Visa or visa on arrival. Each traveller should still check the rules for their own passport.
