Visa Matters

Prior to Your Departure

• International students can get a visa application from an Egyptian consulate from their home country for 90 days, do not wait until the last minute to apply. Allow several weeks if you are getting the visa by email
• North American and European citizens, (excluding Canadians) Australians can get a tourist visa upon their arrival at Cairo International Airport valid for one month for $25. Yet it is advisable to apply for an entry visa from your home country
• You must have a valid passport for six months beyond your arrival date. If not, then you need to renew your passport at least three months before your departure date to avoid any unforeseen delays
• Citizens from the following countries have to obtain a visa prior to their arrival: Afghanistan, Algeria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Canada, Chechnya, Croatia, Georgia, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Iran, Israel, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Macau, Macedonia, Malaysia, Moldavia, Montenegro, Morocco, Pakistan, Palestine, The Philippines, Russia, Serbia, Slovenia, Sri Lanka, Tadzhikistan, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan and all African countries
• Before coming to Egypt, it is important to check with the Egyptian consulate or embassy in your country about changing visa regulations
• After your arrival in Egypt, The American University in Cairo (AUC) will work with the Ministry of Higher Education to obtain your student residency
• Your student visa will be issued only after your registration, payment of fees and enrollment verification
• A minimum of 12 credit hours (nine credit hours for graduate students) is required for eligibility

Steps after Arrival in Egypt

• Citizens from the following countries have to register their passports at the business support office: Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Burundi, Chad, Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire), Libya, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Honduras, India, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Liberia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Palestine, The Philippines, Rwanda, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Tajikistan, Trinidad-Tobago, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Yemen.
• Citizens from the following countries cannot extend their tourist visas. If their security approval is delayed the student will take a letter from the business support office confirming his enrollment at AUC and that his/her visa is under processing in this case his status in the country will be legal.

Required Procedures for All International Students

1. Fill out the Business Support form and check at the business support office for details.
2. Business support will email you the exact details for your appointment and process at the immigration office.
3. If the governmental security approval hasn't been received, students who are eligible to, according to government regulations, extend their visa temporarily for one semester.
4. International students who apply for a temporary six-month extension and have travel plans outside Egypt can leave with their residency card, pay $25 upon arrival back in Egypt and will apply for a new visa extension as there are no multiple entry visa applications available as per recent regulations at the immigration office.
5. If the students are from the above-mentioned nationalities, the University will not be able to extend their tourist visa but will issue them letters proving their enrollment and that the University is in the process of finalizing their residency. This is to ensure that the students are legally present in the country.

Important Note: International students who have their residency visa applications pending governmental approvals need to stay in Egypt and are kindly requested to postpone any travel plans outside Egypt until their approval is received and their new residency visa card is issued. Students need to stay until their residency visa application process is finalized by the Immigration authorities.

Governmental Residency Visa Fees

All visa costs are against official governmental receipt.

1. Renewal of a tourist visa costs EGP 7100 for the residency extension.
2. Re-entry visa fee EGP 850.
3. A residency visa costs EGP 7100.
4. Fine for late residency visa application costs EGP 6,685.
5. You'll need to do a foreign exchange from cash to EGP at the bank to be able to apply at the Immigration office.
6. If the student didn't have his or her approval and couldn't extend his or her residency as per nationality, he or she will be requested to pay the approximate amount of EGP 1685 upon departure at Cairo International Airport (Less than six months in Egypt).

Payment of Residency Visa Application Fees

If you'd like to confirm the nearest date at the Immigration office, as per new recent regulations at the Immigration office, you need to do the following to start your residency visa application there:

1. Proceed to National Bank (AlAhli) at the AUC New Cairo campus or Tahrir Square campus to change the equivalent of the residency fee of EGP 7100 from cash USD or any other foreign currency at the bank
2. Receive a stamped bank receipt from the bank in your name and passport number
3. Show the receipt to the Business Support Office in the Administration Building, room G022, to confirm your Immigration office appointment when you will apply with the receipt and pay the requested governmental fees of EGP 7100 there directly.
4. We will receive the passport and residency card for you

Tips for Returning Students

1. Upon arrival, students are required to register their stay in Egypt to avoid late fees by submitting their passports at the business support office. A governmental fee of EGP 110 is requested for registering your stay without going to the immigration office in person.
2. The student will receive a portal message with the details of student visa renewal.
3. After receiving this message, the student must submit his/her passport to the business support office to avoid dropping of courses from the registrar.
4. Students should start the renewal procedures for their residency visa one week before the previous one expires.

Important Information

• National security approvals are valid for four years.
• Renewal of residency must be done every semester.
• It is the student's responsibility to show up at the business support office to start this process.
• If the student has any queries, he/she can contact the business support office by emailing [email protected].
• Link to RSVP for an appointment with the business support office working hours Sunday to Thursday: 9 am - 3 pm.
• If you are not a UK, USA, Canadian, Australian or European Union citizen and your governmental security approval hasn’t been received yet, the business support can’t apply for your visa extension.
• If your entry visa expires and we haven’t received your security approval to process your student visa, the business support office will provide you with an official stamped letter to keep with you as a legal document stating that your residency visa process is under procedure through our office.
• If you are waiting for your residency visa processing, you are not illegal in the country.
• If you applied for a temporary visa extension until your governmental paperwork is finalized, you will need to apply for a re-entry visa a week before any travel plans outside Egypt in order not to lose your extended visa.
• It is advisable to be accompanied by our staff at the office to guide and help you through the process to avoid any problems or misunderstandings.
• Each student has his own file and status for the residency visa application.

For Arabic Language Instruction Students

• An accepted student must have a valid passport and obtain a tourist visa from the nearest Egyptian consulate in his/her home country for entry into Egypt.
• On arrival to Egypt, you are usually given a one-month tourist visa at Cairo International Airport plus a grace period of 14 days. The Department of Arabic Language Instruction, through the University’s business support office, can extend your visa within the month and the 14-day grace period without late fees.
• On arrival to Egypt, if you are an EU, USA, or Australian citizen, you can buy a $25 one-month tourist visa (and a 14-day grace period) upon arrival at Cairo airport.
• Other nationalities must apply for a 90-day tourist entry visa at the nearest Egyptian consulate before arrival to Egypt.
• The Department of Arabic Language Instruction, through the University’s business support office, can support and help with all visa issues.
• As soon as you arrive, check with the business support office for visa status advice and issues.