The system, introduced through the recently launched Telephony (My Phone) mobile application, will make it easier for users to register mobile phones imported from abroad.

What are the new measures?

Egypt has launched a new digital system to enforce a 38.5 percent tax on imported mobile phones, effective 1 January 2025.

The system requires all imported devices to be registered at customs and linked to the national phone network.

From now on, imported mobile phones must be registered to activate them in Egypt.

Why the new system?

Nearly 80 percent of mobile phones in Egypt are being smuggled into the country, Mohamed Shamroukh, the executive president of the National Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (NTRA), announced in a press conference on Thursday.

Shamroukh also revealed that the five multinational mobile phone factories in Egypt had complained to the authorities that smuggling was hindering their production capacity.

According to Deputy Finance Minister Sherif Elkilany, the illicit phone trade is estimated to hover around EGP 5-6 billion ($100 million) monthly.

 How to register your device?

• Download the Telephony app from your app store (available for iOS and Android).
• Register your details, including your mobile number.
• Submit fee payments and exemption requests through the app.
• Complete payments securely using the available payment methods.
• Enter your device’s international mobile equipment identity (IMEI) number. IMEI is a 15-digit unique identifier for each device. Phones with multiple SIM cards have a separate IMEI for each SIM.
• You can find your IMEI by navigating to your phone’s settings or dialling *#06#.
• If your phone supports two SIM cards, each one will have its own IMEI number. You can enter either one.
• Click Check to calculate the applicable fees and taxes.
• Select from the available digital payment options to finalize the transaction.

Who is subject to the tax?

The customs tax is due on all imported mobile phones that enter the country and operate on local networks after 1 January 2025. 

Devices activated before that date are not subject to fees and do not need to register on the Telephony app.

Shamroukh clarified that this Telephony system would be applied for a three-month transitional phase and evaluated.

Are there any exemptions?

According to the NTRA and the Egyptian Customs Authority (ECA), passengers can import one personal device without taxation.

To be eligible for the exemption, passengers must report their phones to the customs inspector at the airport.

If they use roaming, arrivals using foreign-issued SIM cards in Egypt will not need to register their devices.

Egyptians and foreigners activating a phone with an Egyptian SIM card for the first time can benefit from a 90-day grace period continuously or intermittently each year, allowing them to use their phones in the country without registration.

Should I register my phone before leaving Egypt to avoid tax upon return?

NO :) Validating a phone’s IMEI number on your passport is not required when travelling abroad.