Egypt
EGYEgypt is Africa's most populous country with a strategic location bridging North Africa and the Middle East. It offers one of the lowest costs of living among CBI-offering nations, with Cairo serving as a major regional hub for business and healthcare. The country operates a citizenship by investment programme alongside a growing digital economy and free zone infrastructure.
- Naturalisation
- 10 years
- Tax system
- Residence Based
- Currency
- Egyptian Pound (EGP)
- Dual citizenship
- Allowed
- Capital
- Cairo
- Region
- africa
- Population
- 104,000,000
- Cost-of-living
- 22 /100
Passport Rank
#89
Visa-Free
46
destinations
Visa-free travel
A Egypt passport has visa-free access to 46 destinations. See the full Egypt passport breakdown →
Passports that enter Egypt without a prior visa (121)
Visa-free, visa on arrival, or on an eTA.
Community-sourced (passport-index, synced 2026-08-18) — verify with the embassy before travel.
Immigrating to Canada from Egypt
Current IRCC processing times for Egypt nationals, by application type.
| Visitor visa (outside Canada) | 66 days |
| Super visa | 39 days |
| Study permit | 8 weeks |
| Work permit | 9 weeks |
| Sponsor a dependent child | No processing time available |
| Adopted child (citizenship) | Not enough data |
| Government-assisted refugees | 13 months |
| Privately sponsored refugees | sponsor: 27 months / refugee: 26 months |
Your application may take longer than the times shown here. They’re not a maximum or a guarantee.
As of 2026-10-07 (IRCC). See all Canada processing times →
Source: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada — “Check processing times”. This is a copy of the version available at https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/check-processing-times.html. Reproduced under the Government of Canada’s non-commercial reproduction terms; not endorsed by or affiliated with IRCC.
Sources & last verified
Government of Canada — non-commercial reproduction (canada.ca Terms and conditions)
Country Details
- Capital
- Cairo
- Currency
- Egyptian Pound (EGP)
- Languages
- Arabic
- Population
- 104,000,000
- Tax System
- Residence Based
- Dual Citizenship
- Allowed
- Naturalisation
- 10 years
- Schengen / EU
- No
- Climate
- Desert / Mediterranean
- English Proficiency Rank
- #72
- GDP per capita
- $3,086
- Life expectancy
- 71.81 yrs
- Population growth
- 1.56%/yr
GDP per capita, life expectancy, and population growth: World Bank (2025).
Indices
Cost of Living
22
Safety
45
Healthcare
54
Quality of Life
120
Tax Summary
- Tax System
- Residence Based
- Territorial Taxation
- No — worldwide income taxed for residents
- Naturalisation
- 10 years of legal residency
- Dual Citizenship
- Allowed
Cost of Living by City
← scroll the table →
| City | Rent 1BR centre | Rent outside | Groceries | Utilities | Transit pass |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cairo | $350 | $210 | $180 | $45 | $12 |
| Alexandria | $260 | $160 | $165 | $40 | $10 |
Monthly USD figures. Typical central 1-bedroom rent, grocery basket for one, household utilities, monthly transit pass.
Climate
Cairo
Rainfall range: 0–5 mm/month · Daylight 10h (winter) to 14h (summer)
Alexandria
Rainfall range: 0–50 mm/month · Daylight 10h (winter) to 14h (summer)
Visa Categories & Immigration Authority
Major Visa Categories
- Tourist eVisa
- Work Residency Permit
- Investor Residency
- Student Visa
- Family Reunification Visa
- Property Owner Residency
- Business Visa
- Transit Visa
- Authority
- Ministry of Interior - Passports, Emigration & Nationality Administration
- Official Portal
- www.moi.gov.eg
- Phone
- +20 2 2792 0815
- info@moi.gov.eg
Naturalisation Details
- Residence Years
- 10
- Language Test
- Yes (Arabic language proficiency + civics knowledge required)
- Civic Test
- Yes
- Oath Required
- Yes
- Dual Allowed
- Yes
- Fee
- $150
- Processing
- ~24 months
Real Estate
- Avg price/sqm (capital)
- $900
- Transaction taxes
- 3%
Foreign buyers: Foreign nationals may purchase property in Egypt with some restrictions — ownership limited to two properties maximum and located outside protected/Sinai areas. Cairo new-development areas EGP 8,000-25,000/sqm ($500-1,500/sqm) though USD-equivalent values are devaluation-hit following pound depreciation since 2022. New Administrative Capital luxury units command premiums. Registration fees approx. 3% of declared value. Repatriation of sale proceeds permitted but subject to Central Bank of Egypt foreign-currency regulations.
International Schools
← scroll the table →
| School | City | Curriculum | Tuition (USD/yr) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cairo American College | Cairo | US + IB | $12,000–$22,000 |
Daily Life Logistics
Internet
35 Mbps median
30% fibre coverage
eSIM: Vodafone Egypt, Orange Egypt, Etisalat Egypt (e&), WE (Telecom Egypt)
Driving
IDP required
Local licence required after 12 months
Exchange eligible: Drives on the RIGHT. IDP valid for foreign visitors; expatriate residents must obtain Egyptian driving licence. No widely publicised bilateral exchange agreements — local test generally required after residency.
Pet Relocation
Quarantine: none
Rabies titre required
EU pet passport: not accepted
Safety
GPI Rank
#97
Global Peace Index ranking (lower is safer)
Common Risks
- ⚠taxi overcharging from Cairo International Airport — use metered cabs or ride-hailing apps (Uber/Careem)
- ⚠"papyrus shop" redirect scams around Pyramids and Khan el-Khalili
- ⚠fake tourist police requesting unofficial fees
- ⚠currency exchange scams offering unofficial "better rates"
Examples of areas to avoid: Informal settlements (ashwaiyat) in Cairo periphery after dark, Downtown Alexandria waterfront late at night, Areas near political gathering points during demonstrations
LGBTQ+ Legal Status
- Same-Sex Marriage
- Not legal
- Civil Partnerships
- Not recognised
- Anti-Discrimination Law
- No
- ILGA Rank
- #131
Religious Life
- Halal Food
- Widely available
- Kosher Food
- Limited
- Prayer Facilities
- Common
Sample Citizenship Test Questions
Q1. What is the name of the ancient Egyptian writing system using pictorial symbols?
Answer: Hieroglyphics
Source: Ministry of Interior — Egyptian Citizenship
Q2. The Suez Canal connects which two bodies of water?
Answer: Mediterranean Sea and Red Sea
Source: Ministry of Interior — Egyptian Citizenship
Regulators & official sources
Bodies that regulate immigration advice in Egypt, and the official sources indexed for it by Visa Atlas. Descriptions are verbatim; each links to its source.
Egyptian Bar Association
EBASyndicate regulating lawyers in Egypt. There is no dedicated immigration-adviser regulator; verify any representative is a licensed lawyer.
Related Guides
Related on The Citizenship Desk
Visa routes
Official visa and residence routes for Egypt, indexed from Visa Atlas. Each links to its government source. This is a licensed external index, distinct from our own curated visa guides.
Residence
Residence Permit via Bank Deposit (Egypt)
ResidenceA renewable residence permit for foreigners who place a qualifying deposit in an Egyptian state-owned bank, with the validity period scaling by the size of the deposit; renewable but never permanent.
Residence Permit via Real Estate (Egypt)
ResidenceA renewable residence permit granted to foreigners who own qualifying property in Egypt, with the validity period scaling by the value of the property; renewable but never permanent.
Work (sponsored)
Work-based Residence Permit (Egypt)
Work (sponsored)An employer-tied residence permit issued by the Ministry of Interior on the back of a work permit, allowing a foreign employee to live in Egypt for the duration of the employment, renewable but never permanent.
Family
Family Residence Permit (Egypt)
FamilyA residence permit for the spouse and dependent children of an Egyptian national or a foreign resident, tied to the family relationship and renewable, but never permanent.
Study
Student Residence Permit (Egypt)
StudyA residence permit for foreign nationals enrolled at an Egyptian school, university or institute, valid for the study period and renewable, but never permanent.
Investor
Citizenship by Investment (Egypt, Law 190 of 2019)
InvestorEgypt's programme under Law 190 of 2019 granting naturalisation to foreign nationals who make a qualifying investment - real estate, a bank deposit, a business contribution or a treasury contribution - going straight to citizenship with no permanent-residence step.
Sources & last verified
Route index from Visa Atlas (CC BY 4.0), as of 2026-10-15. Each route links to its official government source.
Citizenship by Investment
Sources & last verified
- Last verified