Iqama in Egypt, How to Get a Residence Permit in 2026

What an iqama is and why you need it

An iqama, or residence permit, lets a foreigner live in Egypt legally beyond the length of a visa. Students, workers, family members and property owners need one.

In 2026 life without it became noticeably harder. In May the authorities warned that state institutions, including hospitals, schools and banks, will serve only foreigners with a valid iqama or exemption card, and urged everyone to get the new smart residence card. Since late July, real estate registration and notary offices (shahr al aqari) do not process documents for foreigners without a residence or exemption card, under Circular No. 92 of 2026 of the Ministry of Justice.

In December 2025 the Embassy of Uzbekistan in Cairo reported stricter checks and advised always carrying your passport and iqama.

Types of iqama

Law No. 89 of 1960 on the entry and residence of foreigners divides residence into special, ordinary and temporary. Most newcomers get a temporary iqama for a specific purpose.

• Student. For students of Al-Azhar and of public and private universities, usually for one year and renewed for the whole period of study. It is based on a proof of enrolment.
• Tourist. For those who want to stay in Egypt longer than a visa allows without working or studying. You cannot work on it.
• Property owners. Under a 2023 decision of the Minister of Interior, property worth at least 50,000 dollars gives a one year iqama, at least 100,000 a three year one and at least 200,000 a five year one, all renewable. There is also an option based on a bank deposit. The thresholds may have changed, so check.
• Family. For spouses of Egyptian citizens and for family members of a foreigner who has their own iqama. You need documents proving marriage or kinship.
• Work. Arranged through the employer after a work permit from the Ministry of Labour.

If you rent your home

If you rent a flat, your lease will be useful for almost any type of iqama as proof of address. For tourist residence you are often asked to register it at the shahr al aqari and attach a recent electricity bill.

So agree on an official contract with the landlord right away, not when the application deadline is close.

Where to apply

The iqama is issued by the General Administration of Passports, Immigration and Nationality of the Ministry of Interior of Egypt. Since 2019 its head office has been in Abbassia, before that it was in the Mogamma building on Tahrir Square. Other passport offices also handle residence: in Cairo, for example, in Nasr City, New Cairo, Heliopolis and the Al-Bouth office, and on the Red Sea in Hurghada.

Al-Azhar students get help from the Center for the Development of Education of Foreign Students, which runs a one-stop service for issuing and renewing the iqama. Since spring 2026 they can apply at any passport office in the country, and the Al-Bouth office still accepts them. In February 2026, after the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar contacted the Ministry of Interior, students were allowed to get the iqama on a copy of their passport if they do not have the original with them.

Students of other universities get their papers from the foreign students office of their university.

Documents you need

The exact list depends on the type of iqama and can change, as it is set by the head of the passport administration. Usually you are asked for:

• A valid passport and copies. The passport must be valid for the whole term of the iqama.
• Photos on a white background.
• The official application form.
• A document proving the purpose of your stay: proof of enrolment, marriage certificate, property purchase contract or work permit.
• Proof of address, usually a lease or a property document.
• A bank receipt for the fee.

How to pay the fee

Since 2023 the iqama fee has been calculated in dollars. You exchange the amount into Egyptian pounds at a bank or a licensed exchange office and attach the receipt to your application. The receipt is valid for no more than 15 days, so do not exchange the money too early. The card fee and overstay fines are paid the same way.

The amount depends on the type and length of the iqama, and there is no clear official table available to the public. Ask the passport office or your university for the amount before going to the bank.

Step by step, from documents to the card

• Collect your documents and copies. Students need a letter from their university or from the Al-Azhar Center.
• Find out the fee, exchange the money at a bank and keep the receipt.
• Submit the documents at the passport office and keep the submission receipt.
• Collect your passport with the iqama and ask there how to get the new smart residence card.

Renewal and common mistakes

You must renew the iqama before it expires. Apply at least two weeks ahead: queues are long in peak season, and while your passport is at the office you cannot leave the country. Students renew every academic year with a new proof of enrolment. Overstaying means a fine when you renew or leave, and a long overstay can lead to detention and deportation.

For those who have already lost their status, the government gave one more year to regularise in September 2026 (Prime Minister decision No. 2807 of 2026). Under the 2023 rules you need an Egyptian host and a fee equal to 1000 dollars.

• Waiting until the last day. Holidays and weekends easily eat up time.
• Exchanging money too early. A receipt older than 15 days will not be accepted.
• Handing your passport to middlemen who promise an iqama «without documents».
• Working on a student or tourist iqama. It breaks the purpose of your stay.
• Citizens of Uzbekistan coming on a tourist visa and planning to switch to study later. According to the Embassy of Uzbekistan, from 1 November 2026 a tourist visa cannot be changed to another type inside Egypt.

How Tullab can help

The documents, visas, translations section has translators and helpers with paperwork, and in legal services you can find a lawyer. Check the provider before paying and do not pay everything upfront.

Look for a home with a proper contract in apartment rentals, and read tips on the contract in our article how to rent an apartment in Cairo. If you are just applying to study, see university admission.

Iqama rules change often. Before applying, check them with the General Administration of Passports, Immigration and Nationality of the Ministry of Interior of Egypt or with your university.