Travellers flying to Egypt will soon need negative Covid-19 test results

The new rules for foreigners come into place from August 15

Travellers flying to Egypt will need to show negative Covid-19 test certificates on arrival from August 15. Unsplash

Travellers planning to visit Egypt in the near future will need to take a PCR test for the coronavirus before boarding a flight.

New rules introduced by Egyptian authorities mean that all foreign visitors must show negative Covid-19 test results when entering the country.

The regulations are set to come into effect from Saturday, August 15.

Negative test certificates must have been issued no more than 72 hours prior to arriving in Egypt.

These rules do not apply to Egyptian nationals, who can enter the country without a Covid-19 test. Other exemptions exist for foreigners flying directly or transiting to tourist resorts in the Red Sea (Hurghada and Marsa Alam), South Sinai (Sharm El-Sheikh and Taba) and Marsa Matrouh.

Tourists can also travel freely within these governorates, but there are restrictions in place preventing onward travel to other parts of the country without a negative PCR test certificate, obtained within 72 hours prior to travel.

Egypt's rising case numbers

Exemptions exist for travellers flying to coastal governorates of the Red Sea, South Sinai and Marsa Matrouh. Unsplash

Egypt reopened its borders to international visitors on July 1 in an attempt to restart the country's tourism economy. Compulsory temperature scanning and health monitoring cards were introduced for arriving passengers, and foreigners had to have valid health insurance. However, routine Covid-19 tests were not carried out at the airport, nor were they required for entry.

As the airport reopened, virus-related restrictions across the country were also eased, with curfews being lifted and businesses reopening.

The country is now grappling with a resurgence of the virus. On Monday, Egypt confirmed 174 new coronavirus cases, bringing the country’s number of confirmed total cases so far to 95,666.

Those planning to travel to Egypt should be aware of local restrictions in place, which could change with little notice. At the time of writing, these included restrictions on public transport between midnight and 4am. Many cafes, bars, clubs, hotels and tourist locations have reopened, but are operating at a reduced capacity and with new safety rules in place.

The wearing of face masks is mandatory in closed public spaces, including government buildings, malls, shops and on public transport and in taxis.

Egyptian authorities may also impose a mandatory quarantine period for any visitors who test positive for the coronavirus while in the country. Find out more about travelling to Egypt here.