In a significant new development, the Egyptian Customs Authority and the National Communications Regulatory Agency have mandated that foreigners registering their phones upon arrival at the airport will be subject to customs fees if they do not pay the fees within 90 days of activating the device, and that Egyptian SIM card services will automatically cease for these phones if compliance is not met.
What has changed?
Previously, holders of foreign passports were granted a temporary exemption of 3 months on their personal mobile phones.
However, it is now stipulated that the phone must be cleared through customs within 90 days of its activation within the country.
If the user does not pay the fees within this period, the phone will automatically have its Egyptian SIM services disabled (i.e. it will lose the ability to use local networks).
How will the decision be implemented?
The decision came into effect in October, meaning that foreigners entering Egypt from that date will be required to clear customs within 90 days to avoid disruption to their telephone services.
The relevant authorities recommend that foreign travellers be aware of these changes and register their devices and pay the fees in due time if they wish to use them permanently.
The impact on foreign travellers
This change effectively nullifies the idea of transferring an exempt phone for a long time without repayment and puts full responsibility on the foreigner after 3 partial months.
Some may pay an additional fee if they forget or are late with their payment, or lose the ability to use their phone within Egypt if they exceed 90 days.
Charges of 37.5% on the second phone
Under the new regulations, a duty of 37.5% of the market value is levied on the second mobile phone brought in by a traveller, whilst standard customs regulations apply to any additional devices.
App«My phone»For registration and payment
The authority indicated that the «Telyfoni» application has become the official means for registering imported phones and paying the due fees, and it is the result of cooperation between Customs and the National Telecommunications Regulatory Agency, with the aim of tracking non-compliant devices and preventing market manipulation.
Objectives of the resolution
Official sources state that the step aims to:
Reducing smuggling and informal imports
Regulating device entry according to legal provisions
Protecting the local market and the end user
Ensuring payment of due customs duties
The Ministry of Finance is expected to issue further executive details in the coming period to ensure the application of the new rules without prejudicing passengers' rights.
