12 Apr 2022 | 12:43 AM UTC
Egypt: Authorities digitize COVID-19 declaration form as of April 11 /update 36
Egypt digitizes COVID-19 declaration form to ease restrictions for travelers as of April 11.
Event
Egyptian authorities have digitized the COVID-19 declaration form as of April 11. The move comes amid authorities' efforts to improve travelers' experience and ease overcrowding at the country's airports. Travelers will receive a QR code once they fill out the digital registration form, which can be obtained here. Egypt's COVID-19-related domestic measures and international travel restrictions largely unchanged since Jan. 22.
Domestic Measures
A COVID-19 vaccine pass is necessary to access certain facilities. Private-sector employees who do not possess a vaccine pass are prohibited from entering their workplaces unless they take a PCR test each week. The same mandate applies to government facilities. Individuals who do not adhere to the country's safety measures or wear a facemask indoors may face a fine or prosecution. Individuals who test positive for COVID-19 while in Egypt may be subject to a 14-day quarantine period.
Hotels, restaurants, and cinemas may operate at up to 70-percent capacity. Public parks and beaches have reopened but large social gatherings, such as sporting events and concerts, remain prohibited. Places of worship are also open but must adhere to strict public health measures.
International Travel Restrictions
International commercial flights are operating to and from Egyptian airports. Individuals entering the country with proof of vaccination must have received the final dose of an approved COVID-19 vaccine (i.e., second dose of a two-shot vaccine, or single dose of a one-shot vaccine) more than 14 days before arriving in Egypt. Alternatively, arriving travelers who cannot satisfy this requirement may enter the country with a negative result from an accepted COVID-19 test (i.e., PCR test; rapid antigen test; ID NOW rapid molecular test) taken no more than 72 hours before arrival. Individuals traveling from China, Japan, North America, South America, or Thailand, or from Paris or Frankfurt, may be able to present a negative result from a test taken up to 96 hours before departure due to the long travel and transit period from these locations. Children under 12 years of age are exempt from taking a COVID-19 test before arrival.
Travelers to Egypt must also complete a health declaration form and may need to provide proof of health insurance to authorities upon arrival. Travelers arriving from countries in which COVID-19 variants of concern have been identified may be subject to a rapid ID NOW test upon arrival; those who test positive must take a PCR test and may be subject to isolation at a government-approved facility.
Unvaccinated travelers arriving at airports in Hurghada and Marsa Alam on the Red Sea, Sharm El Sheikh in South Sinai, and Marsa Matruh in Matrouh Governorate may take a PCR test upon arrival; the test costs USD 30. Test results are generally available within 12-24 hours, and travelers must self-isolate at their hotels until they receive their results.
Authorities may impose further travel restrictions and other preventative measures depending on the evolution of disease activity.
Advice
Follow all official instructions. Abide by national health and safety measures. Reconfirm all business appointments and travel arrangements. Consider delaying traveling if experiencing symptoms associated with COVID-19, as they may prompt increased scrutiny and delays. Liaise with trusted contacts for further updates and guidance. Ensure contingency plans account for further disruptive measures or extensions of current restrictions. Reconsider and reconfirm nonemergency health appointments.
