Implementing New Electronic Governance System for Mobile Phones

Deputy Minister of Finance and Head of the Central Customs Administration at Cairo International Airport, Dr. Maged Mousa, announced that import tariffs on mobile phones would take effect starting January 1, 2025. 

Prior to this date, no duties will be levied. Under the new regulation, citizens are granted a significant advantage: a full exemption for one mobile phone, even if they already own a device purchased before January 1, 2025. If a traveler enters the country with two phones, and one is new and unregistered, the unregistered phone will operate without charges for a 90-day grace period. 

Afterward, it will be deactivated unless the necessary fees are paid, as notified through a message from the National Telecom Regulatory Authority. This same rule applies to tourists, allowing them to use their devices for 90 days before being classified as residents, at which point they must pay the required customs duties for their phones.

Head of the Primary Social Interaction Sector at the National Telecom Regulatory Authority (NTRA), Engineer Mohamed Ibrahim, announced that a joint statement had been issued by NTRA and the Ministry of Finance to explain all details concerning the imposition of fees on imported mobile phones. A press conference was organized last Thursday in collaboration with the Egyptian Customs Authority to answer all related inquiries. 

Eng. Ibrahim emphasized that NTRA handled daily citizen questions through the dedicated hotline 15380, along with WhatsApp and email channels, particularly regarding the "Telephony" application. He clarified that the taxes and customs duties applied were not new, as they were stipulated by existing legislation. 

The system’s role is simply to enforce the law, which has been in effect since January 1 of this year, without retroactive application. Furthermore, he pointed out that personally imported phones for individual use were exempted from these fees. Citizens can visit the customs office at the airport to explain and verify their exemption.

Vice President of the Communications and Mobile Division at the Chamber of Commerce, Walid Ramadan, highlighted that incoming travelers must demonstrate that their mobile phone is intended for personal use to qualify for a customs exemption. 

Failure to do so will result in an automatic notification sent upon inserting a SIM card, indicating that a tax must be paid within 90 days. 

Travelers carrying more than one phone will be required to pay customs duties on all additional devices, with the exception of their personal phones. When purchasing a phone from a local retailer in Egypt, citizens are advised to use the "Telephony" application to confirm that the device is not subject to outstanding customs fees.