Rules in Egypt: Phone Tax, 90-Day Limit and Why eSIM Is the Safer Option (2026)

Tourists in Egypt pay no phone tax if they keep using a foreign SIM, but if you put an Egyptian SIM in a phone bought abroad, it only gets a 90-day exemption per visit, after which it is blocked from Egyptian networks unless you pay the import tax, which is widely reported at around 38.5% of the phone's value.

Last checked: 15 October 2026

Egypt brought in a system on 1 January 2025 to register and tax mobile phones brought into the country, and tightened it again in January 2026. This guide explains the phone tax, the 90-day limit, what changed in 2026 and why many travellers now use a travel eSIM instead of buying a physical Egyptian SIM. You can browse plans on our Egypt eSIM page.

1. What has changed for phones in Egypt?

Since 1 January 2025, Egypt's National Telecom Regulatory Authority (NTRA) and the Egyptian Customs Authority have tracked every phone that connects to an Egyptian network by its IMEI, the unique number that identifies the handset. Phones brought in from abroad must be registered, and import taxes paid, through the official Telephony app.

• 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.
• Taxes are paid in the Telephony app, at banks or by e-wallet. The Telephony hotline is 15380.

What changed on 21 January 2026

From noon on 21 January 2026, NTRA ended the old exemption that let travellers bring in one personal phone tax-free. It also cancelled registration of personal phones at customs on arrival. NTRA said the 90-day exemption continues for tourists and for Egyptians living abroad. Read NTRA's statement: end of exceptional exemption on imported mobile phones.

What changed after that

• 1 April 2026: Egyptians living abroad were given 120 days instead of 90, according to Egyptian media reports of a joint announcement by the Foreign Affairs and Communications ministries. Tourists were reported to remain on 90 days.
• April 2026: instalment payments for the phone tax were introduced, according to Egyptian business press. NTRA had said in January that instalments would follow.

2. How the 90-day rule works

When a phone bought abroad is activated on an Egyptian network with an Egyptian SIM, a 90-day grace period starts. NTRA describes this as a grace period "effective the date the mobile phone was activated".

• The phone works normally for 90 days.
• For tourists, the 90 days applies to each visit. Egypt's Customs Authority chief told EnterpriseAM in January 2026 that the tourist window resets with each visit.
• If the tax is not paid by the end of the grace period, the phone can be blocked from all Egyptian networks.
• Service is restored once the tax is paid.

This applies across all Egyptian networks: Vodafone Egypt, Orange Egypt, e& (formerly Etisalat) and WE.

One Egyptian news site reported in July 2026 that tourists now get 120 days. We could not find that in any official NTRA or Telephony source, which still say 90 days, so plan on 90 days and check the official Telephony site if you are staying longer.

3. The phone tax (activation fee)

If you want to keep using an Egyptian SIM in a foreign phone beyond the grace period, you pay a one-off import tax to register the device.

• It is widely reported at about 38.5% of the device's value. Some reports give 37.5% or 38%, and we have not found an official breakdown, so the Telephony app is the place to see your exact amount.
• Paid through the Telephony app, at banks or by e-wallet.
• Once paid, the phone is authorised for full use in Egypt.

On a phone worth £1,000, 38.5% would be about £385, which is why most short-stay visitors avoid putting an Egyptian SIM in their own phone.

4. It is the device that gets blocked, not the SIM

The block applies to the handset itself. This means:

• Switching to another Egyptian SIM will not get round the block.
• Buying a new Egyptian SIM later will not work in that phone.
• The phone stays blocked on Egyptian networks until the tax is paid.

A block in Egypt does not affect your phone at home in the UK.

5. Who is affected by these rules?

You are affected when:

• you put an Egyptian SIM into a phone bought outside Egypt;
• you stay longer than the 90-day exemption with that SIM; or
• you are bringing phones in to sell or as gifts. Egyptian press has reported that travellers carrying five or more phones may be treated as traders.

6. Who is not affected?

The official Telephony site says a foreign tourist can use their phone with a foreign SIM normally, without paying any fees. NTRA and customs officials have said the same about visitors who keep using their home SIM on roaming.

• Your UK SIM on roaming: no tax and no registration, but UK networks charge a lot for roaming in Egypt.
• 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. The official rules do not mention eSIMs by name, but the foreign SIM exemption is the one that applies to them.

A travel eSIM is not a way to avoid tax that you owe. It simply means you never put an Egyptian SIM in your phone, so the 90-day rule is not triggered in the first place.

7. Why travel eSIMs are now the preferred option in Egypt

• No Egyptian SIM needed, so the 90-day clock is never started.
• No phone tax and no IMEI registration for a foreign SIM or eSIM.
• No passport check at a phone shop. Egyptian tourist SIMs are sold with a passport at operator shops.
• Data from the moment you land, if you install the eSIM before you fly.
• Cheaper than UK roaming in most cases. Egypt is outside the EU roaming deals on UK plans.

The limit: SimplySIM eSIMs are data-only and come without an Egyptian phone number. You can use WhatsApp, which most Egyptian hotels, guides and drivers use, and keep receiving texts on your UK number.

8. SimplySIM Egypt eSIM prices

These are our Egypt plans and prices in pounds on 15 October 2026. They run on the Orange, e& (Etisalat) and Vodafone networks in Egypt.

A week in Hurghada or Sharm el-Sheikh with hotel Wi-Fi usually needs 3GB to 5GB. If you are touring Cairo, Luxor and Aswan and using maps all day, consider 10GB or an unlimited plan. Visiting the pyramids? See our Pyramids of Giza eSIM guide.

9. Advice for travellers visiting Egypt

• Do not put an Egyptian SIM in your own phone unless you understand the 90-day rule and the tax.
• If you do use one, keep track of the 90 days and pay through the official Telephony app only. Ignore anyone offering to "unblock" a phone for cash.
• Check your phone supports eSIM and is network-unlocked with our compatibility checker.
• Install your eSIM at home on Wi-Fi before you fly, and turn off data roaming on your UK line to avoid roaming charges.
• Check the latest GOV.UK travel advice for Egypt before you go.

Final thoughts

Egypt's rules mean that putting a local SIM into a phone bought abroad starts a 90-day clock. After that, the phone is blocked on Egyptian networks unless you pay a tax of around 38.5% of its value. Since January 2026 there is no longer a one-phone tax-free allowance for returning travellers.

For most visitors, the simplest option is a travel eSIM. You keep your own SIM and your own phone, avoid the registration process altogether and have data as soon as you land.

FAQs

Do tourists have to pay tax on their phone in Egypt?

Not if they keep using a foreign SIM. If a tourist puts an Egyptian SIM in a phone bought abroad, the phone is exempt for 90 days on each visit. After that, the import tax must be paid or the phone can be blocked on Egyptian networks.

What happens after the 90-day limit?

If the phone is still using an Egyptian SIM and the tax has not been paid, it can be blocked from all Egyptian mobile networks. Service returns once the tax is paid through the Telephony app.

How much is the phone tax in Egypt?

It is widely reported at about 38.5% of the phone's value, though some reports say 37.5%. The Telephony app shows the exact amount for your phone.

Does the 90-day limit reset on each visit?

For tourists, yes. Egyptian customs officials have said the 90-day window applies to each visit. Egyptians living abroad were moved to 120 days from 1 April 2026.

Does the phone tax apply if I use a SimplySIM travel 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.

Can I still use my phone if it gets blocked in Egypt?

Not on Egyptian networks until the tax is paid. Changing to another Egyptian SIM will not help, because the block is on the phone's IMEI. You can still use Wi-Fi, and the block does not affect your phone in the UK.