Foreigners in Egypt generally do not pay customs on a personal phone for short stays , but if they use an Egyptian SIM or stay beyond the grace period, they may need to register the device and pay the applicable phone tax through the Telephony system.

How it works

  • Tourists and foreign visitors can usually use a personal phone with a non-Egyptian SIM for up to 90 days without paying customs fees.
  • If a foreigner uses an Egyptian SIM in a foreign phone, the device may need to be registered and taxed to keep working on local networks.
  • The reported customs/tax rate on imported mobile phones is about 38.5% of the device’s value.
  • Payment can be made digitally, including through the Telephony app and bank or e-wallet payment options.

Practical cases

  • Tourist visit under 90 days: usually no customs payment if you keep using your foreign SIM or remain within the exemption window.
  • Longer stay or Egyptian SIM use: likely requires registration and payment.
  • Phones brought in before the rule change: earlier exemptions may still apply, depending on when the device entered the country.

Important note

Rules around imported phones in Egypt have changed recently and some sources describe different grace periods and procedures, so the safest reading is that foreigners should assume a phone may need registration if they plan to use an Egyptian SIM or stay long-term.

HTML version

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Situation Likely result
Tourist, short stay, foreign SIM No customs fee in most cases
Foreign SIM with roaming Usually exempt
Egyptian SIM in foreign phone Registration and tax may be required
Long-term stay Expect to pay the phone tax
If you want the exact steps for paying as a foreigner in Egypt, I can format them into a simple checklist.