1. ADMISSIONS
  2. International Students
  3. Visa Matters

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, 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, 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 Office of Business Support: 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.
    1. Afghanistan
    2. Armenia
    3. Azerbaijan
    4. Bangladesh
    5. Cambodia
    6. China
    7. East Timor
    8. Georgia
    9. India
    10. Indonesia
    11. Kazakhstan
    12. Maldives
    13. Nepal
    14. Pakistan
    15. Philippines
    16. Singapore
    17. Srilanka
    18. Taiwan
    19. Thailand
    20. Turkey
    21. Uzbekistan
    22. Vietnam
    1. Algeria 
    2. Angola
    3. Botswana
    4. Burkina Faso
    5. Cameroon
    6. Chad
    7. Congo
    8. Djibouti
    9. Eritrea
    10. Ethiopia
    11. Gambia
    12. Ghana
    13. Guinea
    14. Komoro Islands
    15. Libya
    16. Madagascar
    17. Malawi
    18. Maly
    19. Mauritania
    20. Mauritius
    21. Middle African
    22. Morocco
    23. Niger
    24. Nigeria
    25. Senegal
    26. Somalia
    27. South Africa
    28. Tanzania
    29. Tunisia
    30. Zambia
    31. Zimbabwe
    1. Iraq
    2. Lebanon
    3. Palestine
    4. Qatar
    5. Syria
    6. Yemen
    1. Bolivia
    2. Columbia
    3. Costa Rica
    4. Cuba
    5. Dominican Republic
    6. Ecuador
    7. Guatemala
    8. Haiti
    9. Honduras
    10. Panama
    11. Peru
    12. Salvador
    13. Venezuela
    1. Bosnia
    2. Czech Republic
    3. Croatia
    4. Estonia
    5. Finland
    6. Lituania
    7. Macedonia
    8. Slovakia
    9. Slovenia
    10. Ukraine


Required Procedures for all International Students

  1. Fill out the Business Support form
  2. Business support will send an email with the exact details for your appointment and process at the immigration office.
  3. Note that you must not pay the fees online until you receive an email for residency visa application from the Business Support office.
  4. If the governmental security approval hasn't been received, students that are eligible (according to government regulations) will extend their visa temporarily for one semester
  5. If the students are from the above-mentioned nationalities the university will not be able to extend their tourist visa, but will issue for them letters proving their enrollment and that the University is in the process of finalizing their residency, this is to make sure that the students are legally present in the country

Governmental Residency Visa Fees

All visa costs are against official governmental receipt.

  1. Renewal of tourist visa cost EGP 1,715 (3 - 6 months): Expedite request EGP 1,935 (includes EGP 220 expedite fees)
  2. Residency visa cost: EGP 1,717. Expedite request EGP 1,937 (includes EGP 220 expedite fee)
  3. Syrian nationalities only cost EGP 825
  4. Sudanese nationalities only cost EGP 605
  5. Expedite visa request cost EGP 220
  6. Fine for late application cost EGP 1,680 (Additional EGP 550 per extra three-months delay in visa application)
  7. In case the student didn't have his/her approval and couldn't extend his/her residency as per nationality, he/she will be requested to pay the approximate amount of EGP 1,504 upon departure at Cairo International Airport

Residency Visa Fees Payment

For the payment link, click here.

Tips for Returning Students

  1. Upon arrival, they are required to register their stay in Egypt to avoid late fees by submitting the passport at the Office of Business Support.
  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 by 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 Office of Business Support to start this process
  • If the student has any queries he/she can contact the business support Office by email to business.support@aucegypt.edu
  • 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 an 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 expired 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 with respect to 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 Office of Business Support, 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, Canadian 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 Office of Business Support, 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