Egypt SIM card 90-day phone IMEI block — how to avoid it in Hurghada

If this is a one-time trip and you don't plan to return to Egypt with the same phone, it's simpler to just buy a local SIM at an operator's office — the 90-day block won't matter since you'll be gone by then.

If your phone doesn't support eSIM, you can skip getting a local SIM entirely: use the hotel's WiFi for calls and to order a taxi via the inDrive app, then on the way back ask a shopkeeper to share their phone's hotspot for internet access.

If your phone supports eSIM, get an Egyptian eSIM for at least one day — it's very cheap. If your phone isn't blocked yet, you can extend the usage period from there.

If you first inserted an Egyptian SIM into your phone in 2025 and 90 days have passed, the phone will be IMEI-blocked. You either pay a tax of 38% of the phone's value or use a workaround.

A reliable workaround is buying a portable Wi-Fi router in Egypt with a local SIM and using it as a hotspot for your main phone. This way your main phone never gets an Egyptian SIM and avoids the IMEI block.

Another option: bring a spare phone and buy a SIM before departure. You can order an M8 Egypt physical SIM from Russian marketplaces (Wildberries/Ozon) or get a virtual eSIM via Trip.com. Use the spare phone as a hotspot for your main device.

If your phone has no eSIM and you didn't order a physical SIM in advance, marketplace delivery may only arrive on your departure day. Plan ahead — order at least a week before your trip to avoid this problem.