Egypt launches digital visa-on-arrival system at Cairo Airport

Egypt has signed two agreements to operate a new digital visa-on-arrival system at Cairo International Airport, marking a major step toward modernizing airport procedures and improving the travel experience, with plans to expand the system nationwide.

The signing ceremony was witnessed by Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Sherif Fathy, and senior officials from the Central Bank of Egypt (CBE), alongside representatives of the implementing company “SciShield Technology” and service providers the National Bank of Egypt and Banque Misr.

The agreements were signed by Mohamed El-Etreby, CEO of the National Bank of Egypt (NBE), Hesham Okasha, CEO of Banque Misr, and Mostafa Issa, Head of Digital Solutions at SciShield Technology.

Prime Minister Madbouly said the new system supports Egypt’s efforts to upgrade tourism services and streamline procedures for arriving passengers, in line with the state’s broader digital transformation agenda.

He added that the system will help reduce congestion at airports and accelerate arrival procedures by replacing the traditional paper visa stamp with a secure digital alternative.

Under the new mechanism, eligible travelers can obtain a visa on arrival through self-service kiosks at airports, the official online platform, or a mobile application, with payment completed electronically and issuance in the form of a QR code verified at passport control.

The system also allows applications up to 48 hours before arrival or through tourism companies, with full operation set to begin at Cairo International Airport in August ahead of a gradual rollout across all Egyptian airports.