Egypt's phone tax in 2026: what tourists need to know
Since 21 January 2026, phones brought into Egypt pay a fee once used on a local SIM. Tourists keep a 90-day exemption, and a phone on a foreign SIM in roaming pays nothing, according to press reports. Why a travel eSIM keeps it simple.
If you visit Egypt as a tourist, your phone is exempt for 90 days. Since noon on 21 January 2026, Egypt has ended the old exemption for one phone per passenger: phones brought from abroad now pay a fee once they are activated on the Egyptian network. Tourists and Egyptians living abroad keep a 90-day exemption, according to the telecom regulator, NTRA. Press reports add that a phone using a foreign SIM with active roaming pays no fee.
What changed on 21 January 2026
- The general exemption ended for phones carried by passengers.
- Tourists and Egyptians abroad keep an exemption for 90 days.
- A 90-day grace period runs from the day the phone is activated on a local line.
- Fees are paid through the "Telephony" app, banks, e-wallets or the 15380 hotline.
- Phones exempted before are not charged retroactively.
Why a travel eSIM keeps it simple
The fee is tied to using the phone on the Egyptian network with a local line. A travel eSIM is a foreign line that roams onto Egyptian networks, the case press reports describe as paying no fee. NTRA's announcement does not mention eSIMs specifically, so treat that as the reported position, not an official ruling.
Our Egypt eSIM connects to Vodafone, Orange and Etisalat, now branded e&. Your usual number stays in the phone for calls and bank codes.
If you plan to buy a local SIM
That is where the 90-day clock matters: count from the day you activate the Egyptian SIM, and keep your passport entry stamp. For a trip longer than 90 days, check the fee in the Telephony app before you go.
Quick answers
Do tourists pay the phone tax in Egypt?
Not for the first 90 days. Tourists keep a 90-day exemption from the fee introduced on 21 January 2026.
Does a travel eSIM avoid Egypt's phone fee?
Press reports say a phone on a foreign SIM with active roaming pays no fee, and a travel eSIM works that way. NTRA's text does not mention eSIMs, so this is the reported position.
Where do you pay the phone fee in Egypt?
Through the Telephony app, banks, e-wallets or the 15380 hotline, according to NTRA.
Sources: National Telecom Regulatory Authority of Egypt (20 January 2026), Khaleej Times (January 2026), Egyptian Streets (20 January 2026). Checked 21 September 2026.