Egypt Ends Customs Exemption for Mobile Phones Brought From Abroad

Egypt’s National Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (NTRA), in coordination with the Egyptian Customs Authority, has announced the end of the exceptional customs exemption for mobile phones brought into the country from abroad with travelers.

The exemption, which was introduced in January 2025 as part of a broader mobile phone governance system, allowed travelers to enter Egypt with one mobile phone free of customs duties. This temporary measure was put in place until locally manufactured mobile phones — not subject to customs fees — became widely available in the Egyptian market.

According to the announcement, the exemption will officially end at 12:00 PM on Wednesday, January 21, 2026. However, mobile phones belonging to Egyptians living abroad and tourists will continue to be exempt for a period of 90 days.

The authorities stated that the policy has already achieved its goal, helping attract 15 global mobile phone manufacturers to enter the Egyptian market. These companies now operate with a combined annual production capacity of 20 million devices, exceeding local market demand.

Egypt’s mobile phone manufacturing sector witnessed a significant leap in 2025, leading to the local availability of the latest international smartphone models across various specifications and price points. These devices are produced either by the original global manufacturers themselves or under their direct technical supervision, meeting the same international quality standards as phones manufactured abroad — while being sold at competitive prices through official retail outlets nationwide.

This expansion has also created approximately 10,000 job opportunities for Egyptian youth and reduced the need for imported mobile devices or the continuation of exceptional customs exemptions, according to NTRA’s statement. 

To facilitate compliance, citizens can pay the applicable taxes and fees on imported mobile phones through the “Telephony” app, as well as via digital payment options provided by banks and electronic wallets. Users will be granted a grace period of up to 90 days from the device’s first activation to regularise their status before any regulatory action is taken. Authorities also confirmed that instalment payment options for these fees will be introduced in the near future.

The Customs Authority and NTRA emphasized that the decision will not be applied retroactively to devices that were exempt before the enforcement date. They also announced that registering personal mobile phones at customs checkpoints has been cancelled, as it is “no longer required”. All payments must now be made through the designated digital channels.

For further information, citizens can contact the Telephony app hotline at 15380.