Gold Allowance for Travellers to and from Egypt (2026)
Egypt asks every arriving traveller to list gold and precious metals on the customs arrival declaration, including jewellery being worn. Travellers' personal baggage and effects are exempt from customs duty, and customs officials have said worn jewellery in reasonable quantities is not charged, but there is no official weight allowance. Gold jewellery above personal use is charged 10% customs duty plus 14% VAT on the official making charge, according to customs practice reported in 2024, and, according to the same reports, items not for personal use are held for stamping by the assay authority. The 2023–2024 duty exemption for gold brought by travellers ended on 10 May 2024. Foreign currency above USD 10,000 must be declared, and Egyptian pounds are limited to EGP 5,000 each way. These are the rules as of October 2026; check with Egyptian Customs before you travel.
Reviewed October 2026 from official sources (listed below). Rules change — check with customs before you travel.
Estimate
Valued at today's gold price. Egypt has no published gold allowance; the duty shown is the 10% reported for jewellery above personal use, before VAT on the making charge. An estimate, not a customs assessment.
Duty-Free Gold Allowance in Egypt
| Traveller | Duty-free allowance | Conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Any traveller: jewellery you own and wear | Exempt as personal effects; declare it | No official weight limit. Officials have said worn jewellery in reasonable quantities is not charged. List all gold on the arrival declaration. |
| Any traveller: personal goods and gifts | Exempt if non-commercial | A value cap of EGP 15,000 for goods carried by passengers was reported in 2023; some 2026 guides still quote EGP 10,000. |
| New gold jewellery above personal use | 10% customs duty plus VAT | 14% VAT on the official making charge plus duty, not on the gold value (customs practice reported in 2024). |
| Gold bars and coins | Declare; dutiable | Reported not to count as personal items. We could not confirm the duty rate on bars and coins. |
Duty on gold brought into Egypt
Customs Law No. 207 of 2020 exempts travellers' personal baggage and personal effects with no commercial character. Egypt publishes no official weight allowance for gold: Cairo Airport customs has mentioned about 150 g in past statements, and officials have said that jewellery worn in reasonable quantities is not charged because it is not commercial. Gold beyond that is charged 10% customs duty, plus 14% VAT calculated on the official making-charge value and the duty, not on the full gold value (customs practice reported in May 2024). For July 2026 to June 2027 the official average making charges are EGP 64.41 per gram for 21K and EGP 96.64 per gram for 18K.
Under Law No. 68 of 1976 on precious metals, imported gold, silver and platinum items not for personal use are held until they are stamped by the assay (Damgha) authority, as customs still did in 2024 according to press reports, and unstamped items may not be sold in Egypt. The duty exemption for gold brought by travellers from abroad (Prime Minister's Decrees 1801 and 4283 of 2023) ran from 11 May 2023 to 10 May 2024 and we found no decision renewing it; VAT was never exempted.
Declaring gold and money
Egyptian Customs Circular No. 37 of 2023 tells customs offices to make sure the arrival declaration (Form 45A) lists what passengers carry, especially gold and precious metals, and Cairo Airport customs asks travellers to declare all gold, including jewellery being worn. No value threshold is published for gold. Foreign currency of any amount may be brought in, but amounts above USD 10,000 must be declared on arrival; on departure you may take out up to USD 10,000, or more only if you declared it on arrival. Egyptian pounds are limited to EGP 5,000 per traveller entering or leaving.
Hiding goods from customs on entry or exit is smuggling under the Customs Law: a fine of EGP 10,000 to 100,000 and/or prison, at least three years and EGP 25,000 to 250,000 if it is for trade, plus compensation of twice the duty evaded. Cairo Airport customs has seized undeclared jewellery from arriving passengers.
Taking gold out of Egypt
Egypt publishes no official weight limit on gold you take out. Keep the purchase invoice and make sure the gold carries the Egyptian hallmark stamp; jewellery you registered on arrival, or on which you paid duty, can be taken out again. Large amounts beyond personal use may be held and assessed. The currency limits above apply on departure. The Egyptian Tax Authority announced a VAT refund for non-resident tourists in 2022, on invoices of at least EGP 1,500; we could not confirm whether it covers jewellery, and VAT on gold is charged only on the making charge, so any refund would be small.
Egypt and the Gulf, India and Pakistan
Many Egyptians bring gold home from the Gulf. Before you leave, check the exit rules of the country you are leaving: Saudi Arabia (declare at SAR 40,000), the UAE (AED 60,000), Kuwait, Qatar (QAR 50,000) or Jordan. Travellers leaving Egypt for India or Pakistan should check the allowance there.
Practical tips
Declare all gold on the arrival form, even jewellery you wear, and keep invoices for gold bought abroad. Buy stamped gold in Egypt and keep the invoice. Never carry gold for someone else or in commercial quantities. Rules change, so check with Egyptian Customs before you travel.
Gold price in Egypt today
Live rates →| 24K (999) | E£7,319.04 / gram | E£73,190 / 10 g |
|---|---|---|
| 22K (916) | E£6,710.95 / gram | E£67,109 / 10 g |
| 18K (750) | E£5,494.77 / gram | E£54,948 / 10 g |
Bringing Gold to Egypt: FAQ
How much is 10 grams of 22K gold worth in Egypt today?
About E£67,109 at the international price converted to EGP (Oct 27, 2026, 14:40 UTC). Customs use their own notified or assessed value, and shops charge more, so treat this as an estimate.
Is gold brought into Egypt by travellers still duty-free?
No. The duty exemption for gold brought by passengers from abroad (Decrees 1801 and 4283 of 2023) ended on 10 May 2024, and we found no decision renewing it. VAT was never exempted.
How much gold can I bring into Egypt without paying duty?
There is no official weight allowance. Personal effects are exempt, and officials have said jewellery worn in reasonable quantities is not charged; more is charged about 10% customs duty plus VAT on the making charge. All gold must be declared on arrival.
Do I need to declare my gold jewellery at Cairo airport?
Yes. Customs instructions say the arrival declaration must list items carried, especially gold and precious metals, and customs asks travellers to declare all gold, including jewellery being worn.
How much cash can I take into or out of Egypt?
Foreign currency above USD 10,000 must be declared on arrival; on departure the limit is USD 10,000 unless you declared more on arrival. Egyptian pounds are limited to EGP 5,000 each way.
How much gold can I take out of Egypt?
There is no official weight limit. Keep the invoice and make sure the gold carries the Egyptian hallmark; large amounts beyond personal use may be held.
Gold Travel Allowance in Other Countries
Sources: Customs Law No. 207 of 2020 (English, Andersen Egypt) · Al Mal News: customs duty and VAT on gold brought by passengers (May 2024, Arabic) · Al Mal News: Circular 37 of 2023, declaring gold on arrival (Arabic) · Egypt Independent: official making charges for gold and silver from July 2026 · Mondaq: Decree 4283 of 2023 extending the gold duty exemption to May 2024 · Egypt Independent: EGP 5,000 limit for travellers (Central Bank of Egypt) · Egyptian Tax Authority: VAT refund for non-resident tourists. Information, not legal advice: customs officers decide on the spot, and rules change. See also: gold price in Egypt · gold price by weight.