Egypt's Telephony App: How to Register a Phone and Pay the Tax (2026)

Egypt's official Telephony app is where phones brought in from abroad are registered and the import tax is paid. You only need it if you use an Egyptian SIM in a phone bought outside Egypt. Tourists who keep a foreign SIM or use a travel eSIM do not need to register their phone or pay anything.

Last checked: 4 November 2026

Since 1 January 2025, Egypt has tracked phones on its mobile networks by IMEI and taxed phones brought in from abroad. This guide explains what the Telephony app is for, who needs it, how the 90-day exemption works and how the tax is paid. For the full background on the rules, read our guide to Egypt's phone tax and the 90-day limit.

1. What is the Telephony app?

Telephony is the official app and website used by Egypt's National Telecom Regulatory Authority (NTRA) and the Egyptian Customs Authority to manage phones brought into Egypt. Since 1 January 2025, every phone that connects to an Egyptian network is tracked by its IMEI, the unique number that identifies the handset.

• Phones brought in from abroad are registered, and import taxes paid, through Telephony.
• It is the phone (IMEI), not the SIM, that is recorded and, if needed, blocked.
• Phones already working in Egypt before 1 January 2025 are not affected.

Only use the official Telephony site and the official app. Ignore anyone offering to "unblock" a phone for cash.

2. Who needs to use it?

You need Telephony if you put an Egyptian SIM into a phone that was bought outside Egypt and want to keep using it on Egyptian networks after the exemption ends. That usually means:

• people living in Egypt who bring in a phone from abroad;
• visitors and Egyptians living abroad who use a local Egyptian SIM in their own phone for longer than the exemption; and
• anyone bringing in a phone for a relative to use with an Egyptian SIM. The old one-phone tax-free allowance for travellers ended at noon on 21 January 2026.

3. Who does not need it?

The official Telephony site says a foreign tourist can use their phone with a foreign SIM normally, without paying any fees.

• Your UK SIM on roaming: no registration and no tax.
• An international travel eSIM: SimplySIM's Egypt eSIMs are not Egyptian SIMs. They connect to Egyptian networks the same way a foreign SIM does when roaming, so the foreign SIM exemption is the one that applies.

4. The 90-day exemption

When a phone bought abroad is activated on an Egyptian network with an Egyptian SIM, a 90-day grace period starts.

• The phone works normally for 90 days. For tourists, this applies to each visit.
• If the tax has not been paid by the end of the grace period, the phone can be blocked from all Egyptian networks. Changing to another Egyptian SIM will not help.
• Service is restored once the tax is paid.
• Egyptian media reported that Egyptians living abroad were given 120 days instead of 90 from 1 April 2026. Check the Telephony site for the limit that applies to you.

5. Registering a phone and paying the tax

The exact screens and the amount for your phone are shown in the Telephony app itself, so follow the steps it gives you. In general:

• Get the official Telephony app, or go to the Telephony website.
• Register the phone you are using with your Egyptian SIM. The app records it by its IMEI.
• Check the tax shown for your phone. It is widely reported at about 38.5% of the device's value, though some reports give 37.5% or 38%. The app shows your exact amount.
• Pay through the Telephony app, at a bank or by e-wallet. Egyptian business press reported that instalment payments were introduced in April 2026.

Once the tax is paid, the phone is authorised for full use in Egypt. To get a rough idea of the cost before you start, try our Egypt phone tax calculator.

6. Help and official links

• Telephony hotline: 15380
• Official Telephony site: telephony.gov.eg
• NTRA announcement on the end of the one-phone exemption: end of exceptional exemption on imported mobile phones
• Before you travel: GOV.UK travel advice for Egypt

7. The simpler option for visitors: a travel eSIM

If you are visiting Egypt, you can avoid the registration process altogether. A travel eSIM is not an Egyptian SIM, so the 90-day clock is never started and there is no phone tax or IMEI registration.

• Keep your own phone and your UK number for texts and WhatsApp.
• Install the eSIM at home on Wi-Fi before you fly and have data as soon as you land.
• Turn off data roaming on your UK line to avoid roaming charges.

SimplySIM eSIMs are data-only and come without an Egyptian phone number. See every plan on our Egypt eSIM page, and check your phone supports eSIM with our compatibility checker.

FAQs

Do tourists need to use the Telephony app?

Not if they keep using a foreign SIM or a travel eSIM. The app is for registering phones bought abroad that are used with an Egyptian SIM beyond the exemption.

How long can I use an Egyptian SIM in my phone before registering it?

Tourists get a 90-day exemption on each visit, starting when the phone is activated on an Egyptian network. Egyptian media reported that Egyptians living abroad were moved to 120 days from 1 April 2026.

How do I pay the phone tax in Egypt?

Through the official Telephony app, at a bank or by e-wallet. The app shows the exact amount for your phone.

What is the Telephony hotline number?

The Telephony hotline is 15380.

Do I need to register my phone if I use a SimplySIM eSIM?

No. A SimplySIM eSIM is not an Egyptian SIM. It connects to Egyptian networks the same way a foreign SIM does, and official guidance says tourists using a foreign SIM pay no fees.