Will my phone be blocked in Egypt after using a local SIM card, and does eSIM avoid the 90-day device block?

A discussion report says that in 2026, inserting a new Egyptian SIM may require paid phone registration, estimated at about 40% of the device value. Without registration, the phone is said to work for roughly 90 days before its IMEI may be blocked on Egyptian mobile networks.

One participant argues the block only triggers from continuous 90+ day phone use. If you use a local SIM for just 10–30 days and then don't register the phone on Egyptian networks for 6–12 months, it won't get blocked — the system recognizes a tourist rather than a resident, and you can reuse the same phone on later trips.

Once the 90-day period after inserting an Egyptian SIM expires, not just that SIM but also roaming, eSIM, and other SIM cards in the same phone get blocked — only Wi-Fi keeps working. The issue is limited to Egyptian territory though; the same phone works fine back in Russia, for example.

One traveler reports flying to Hurghada 2-3 times a year for up to 20 days each time, buying local SIMs at the port every time, with no blocking occurring. According to their experience, the block applies specifically to continuous use of a smartphone with the same Egyptian SIM for 90+ consecutive days, not to cumulative short trips.

It's separately noted that for phones which used an Egyptian SIM before 2025, blocking happens randomly, and there's no way to reliably predict in advance whether a given device will be blocked — you just have to check on the spot.

The latest reports say that the 90-day countdown starts as soon as you insert an Egyptian SIM card. After that, the phone can be blocked from Egyptian mobile networks even if you already left the country before the 90 days expired.

According to traveler experience, what matters is inserting the local SIM, not how long you stay in Egypt. For example, even if you stay only 14 days and leave, the device may still get blocked later once the same 90-day period runs out.

A common tip for visitors in Hurghada is to avoid using a physical Egyptian SIM in your main phone if you want to reduce the risk of a block. In the discussion, eSIM is mentioned as the safer alternative.

There is an important repeat-visit detail: if the phone had not previously used an Egyptian SIM before 2025, the SIM slot may already be blocked on your next trip after using a local SIM.

Travelers who have been following this issue for a long time say that in practice the block usually happens after 90 days, and sometimes even earlier once the device is registered after using an Egyptian SIM.

Another reported exception is that if the same phone had already been used with an Egyptian physical SIM before the beginning of 2025, it may avoid the newer blocking pattern.