Egyptian Passport in 2026: Visa-Free Countries, the US E-2 Visa and Residence Permits

I always say it directly: the Egyptian passport is a mid-strength travel document. Its value lies in the region, in business rights and in the US E-2 visa. Data below are from the BRIDGES passport index of 4 October 2026 and the official portal, checked on 26 October 2026.

Where you can travel

Destination	Entry
Hong Kong	visa-free, 90 days
Malaysia, Jordan, Kenya	visa-free
Indonesia	visa on arrival, 30 days
Maldives, Tanzania, Cambodia, Nepal	visa on arrival
Australia	eVisa
Schengen area, UK, US, Canada	visa required
Japan, South Korea, New Zealand	visa required

The index counts 47 destinations without a prior visa (rank 89 of 199): 20 visa-free, 23 on arrival, and electronic authorisations. A BRIDGES article on visa-free travel speaks of about 50 countries. Rules change, so check each trip.

The US E-2 investor visa

According to BRIDGES, Egypt and the United States have a bilateral investment treaty in force since 27 June 1992, so Egyptian citizens may apply for the E-2 visa. From 21 January 2026 the US suspended immigrant visas for citizens of 75 countries including Egypt (a State Department cable reported by Reuters). Non-immigrant visas, the E-2 among them, were not covered. The E-2 still needs a real enterprise, a substantial investment and a documented source of funds.

Rights inside Egypt

The official portal lists the benefits of citizenship: companies without the 49% cap on foreign capital, purchase of land and other investments without the rules for foreigners, and permanent residence without entry and exit conditions. BRIDGES adds that under Article 9 of the nationality law a naturalised citizen has no political rights for the first five years and cannot be elected to a representative body for ten years.

Dual citizenship and taxes

The official FAQ says Egyptian law allows holding other citizenships. Your other country may not, so check it. BRIDGES notes that citizenship alone does not make you a tax resident: under Income Tax Law No. 91 of 2005 a resident has a permanent home or a centre of business in Egypt, or spends more than 183 days there. Non-residents pay tax only on Egyptian income. See the BRIDGES article on taxes in Egypt.

Residence permit or citizenship

Many people only need the right to live in Egypt. BRIDGES describes residence through property with indicative tiers: from about $50,000 for 1 year, from $100,000 for 3 years and from $200,000 for 5 years, renewable while you own the property. The Ministry of the Interior issues these cards on application, and the thresholds change, so check them before a purchase. A residence permit is not citizenship and gives no passport. Inside the citizenship programme you also get temporary residence: 6 months after preliminary approval, and non-tourist residence during instalments. More in the BRIDGES guide to the Egyptian residence permit.

For Russian citizens

BRIDGES has a separate article on Egyptian citizenship for Russians. As a general point, Russian law requires dual citizens to notify the Ministry of Internal Affairs about another citizenship. Check the current deadline before you get the passport.

How this passport compares with others is in the comparison guide.