As of 2026-11-01, when these rates were verified, garments from India carry a standard customs duty of 40% in Egypt, and no trade agreement applies. Egypt then charges 14% VAT at import on the customs value plus duty. A business registered for VAT normally claims it back as input tax on its return; your customs broker will confirm.
Duty: 40%, with no trade agreement
The duty range on garments from India is a single figure, 40%. Every garment, fibre and construction in the table below shows that standard rate, whether the fabric is cotton, viscose, linen, silk or polyester, and whether it is woven or knitted. For the lines listed, changing the fabric does not change the duty, so it need not drive your fabric choice on customs grounds.
| Garment | Fibre and construction checked | Standard duty | Import VAT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dresses | Cotton, woven; viscose / rayon, woven; cotton, knitted | 40% | 14% |
| Kaftans | Cotton, woven; viscose / rayon, woven; cotton, knitted; cotton, woven, in a loose robe or cover-up cut | 40% | 14% |
| Skirts | Cotton, woven | 40% | 14% |
| Scarves and stoles | Cotton, woven; viscose / rayon, woven; linen, woven | 40% | 14% |
| Tops and blouses, woven | Cotton; viscose / rayon; polyester; silk; linen | 40% | 14% |
| Tops and blouses, knitted | Cotton; viscose / rayon; polyester | 40% | 14% |
A loose robe or cover-up cut was checked separately for woven cotton kaftans and shows the same 40%. The table is limited to the lines we have verified. A silk dress, a viscose skirt or a knitted scarf is not among them, so for those, and for anything else not listed, check with your customs broker.
The agreement entry for Egypt and India is “None”, so there is no preferential rate to show and the standard rate is the one to use. Our data does not cover other reliefs or additional charges at the border. If you want to know whether any could apply to your shipment, check with your customs broker.
VAT: 14% on the customs value plus duty
Clothing carries Egypt’s 14% VAT. It is not calculated on the customs value alone: the duty is added first and the VAT is charged on the total. The 40% duty therefore also raises the amount on which VAT is charged, so the VAT payable comes to more than 14% of the customs value.
When you estimate your landed cost, work through it in this order:
- Establish the customs value of the goods. How it is built up for your shipment, including any freight and insurance, is a point to check with your customs broker.
- Apply the 40% duty rate to find the duty.
- Add the duty to the customs value.
- Apply the 14% VAT to that total.
Recovery is a separate question from the charge. A business registered for VAT normally claims it back as input tax on its return, so the VAT may be a matter of timing rather than a final cost; your customs broker will confirm. This route concerns the VAT only, and nothing here suggests the duty can be claimed back in the same way. If your business is not registered, check with your customs broker, and budget on the basis that the VAT may stay with you until they confirm otherwise.
Reading the official tariff and preparing for clearance
The Egyptian Customs Authority, part of the Ministry of Finance, publishes the tariff on its website. The page is in Arabic with an English option. Clothing is split into two chapters, one for knitted or crocheted garments and one for garments that are not knitted or crocheted, so establish how the fabric is made before you look anything up. The entries shown are worded by garment, by wearer (men or boys, women or girls) and by fibre, with a details link for each.
Those are also the details to have ready for your broker:
- The garment: dress, kaftan, skirt, scarf or stole, top or blouse.
- The fibre: for example cotton, viscose / rayon, linen, silk or polyester.
- The construction: woven or knitted.
- The cut, where it matters, such as a kaftan made as a loose robe or cover-up.
The customs site also shows procedural changes worth raising before you ship. A poll there asks traders whether they have registered on the Nafeza platform ahead of the mandatory stage of the ACI system, and its news items mention advance registration for air shipments and guides meant to simplify procedures. We have not verified how these apply to an individual consignment, so check with your customs broker who needs to register and when.
Check your own garment
We manufacture women’s dresses, kaftans, skirts and scarves in India for importers; Talk to us if you are planning a range for Egypt.
Sources
Indicative information from official sources, written 7 November 2026. Rates verified on against the official tariffs. It is not a customs ruling; confirm with your customs broker before you rely on it.
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