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

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.