NTRA Confirms Continued Exemption for One Mobile Device per Passenger Amid Ongoing Monitoring Efforts

In response to recent social media discussions regarding the retroactive suspension of imported mobile devices and the alleged cancellation of exemptions for travelers, the National Telecom Regulatory Authority (NTRA) has clarified that the exemption policy remains in place.
The NTRA reaffirmed that passengers arriving from abroad are still entitled to bring one mobile phone device into the country without incurring additional charges, provided it is declared through official customs channels. This policy remains valid during the pilot phase of the newly launched Mobile Device Governance System.
Since the beginning of the year, approximately 650,000 mobile devices brought into Egypt by travelers have benefited from this exemption.
As part of its ongoing oversight of the governance system, the NTRA identified instances of fraud and manipulation. Around 60,000 devices were suspended pending further investigation due to non-compliance with exemption criteria.
Following a comprehensive review in recent days, the NTRA confirmed that 13,000 of these devices were granted exemptions illegally, in violation of regulatory procedures. These devices will remain deactivated.
Conversely, the investigation validated the eligibility of 47,000 devices, which have since been reactivated.
The NTRA urges all incoming travelers to ensure they properly declare their devices at customs in order to benefit from the exemption and avoid complications.