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The Egyptian government’s decision to end an exceptional exemption for mobile phones brought in from abroad has sparked widespread debate among citizens and visitors, after some visitors’ and expatriates’ phones stopped working immediately upon arrival or when connecting to local networks.
The disruptions prompted parliament and several lawmakers to call for a review of the decision or swift solutions.
The exceptional exemption was the government allowing Egyptians to bring one phone for personal use without fees.
The Egyptian Customs Authority and the National Telecommunications Regulatory Authority announced the end of the exceptional exemption that had allowed travelers to bring mobile phones from abroad without paying fees or taxes, effective noon on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026.
Since then, anyone carrying a mobile phone brought in from abroad has been required to register it and pay the prescribed fees through official applications such as “Telephony” and other approved channels.
The statement highlighted that phones belonging to Egyptians living abroad and tourists will remain exempt for 90 days, a grace period, before payment or regularization becomes required under the rules.
According to local media reports, a number of visitors and tourists were surprised to find their phones had stopped working when they tried to use local SIM cards.
Tour operators described the situation as a “real crisis” that disrupts visitors’ communications and business in Egypt, given that phones are essential for navigation, electronic payments, and staying in touch with family and work while traveling.
The problem did not affect tourists alone. It also extended to some Egyptians living abroad who recently returned to visit the country.
When they tried to use their mobile phones on Egyptian networks, service was cut off, prompting their families and residents to demand clarification or amendments to the decision.
With this move, the Egyptian government aims to end the exemption and regulate the mobile phone market, curb smuggling, encourage local investment, and ensure tax fairness between devices legally imported and those entering the country without registration.
The government has said these measures have helped attract global manufacturing firms and increase local phone production, strengthening industry and jobs in the Egyptian market.
Officials in the telecommunications division said canceling the customs exemption would help reduce duplication and the problems the market has faced since the new system was introduced.
They added that the formal application of customs fees would lead to better regulation of devices, although it could increase the cost of phones in some cases.
In response to the crisis, MP Amr Fahmy submitted an interpellation request addressed to the ministers of finance and communications, as well as the prime minister, calling for the exemption to be reinstated or for the procedures to be amended to ensure Egyptians abroad are not burdened with additional costs.
The lawmaker said Egyptian expatriates make a significant contribution to the economy through remittances and indirect support for their families inside the country, warning that such decisions could negatively affect their relationship with the homeland and the flow of economic support.
On social media, a number of citizens expressed frustration over what they described as the decision’s sudden implementation, saying mobile phones have become an “essential, indispensable tool” in daily life.
They added that ending the exemption without adequate prior notice or sufficient public awareness sparked widespread confusion among travelers and users.
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