Egypt Extends Residency Permits for Asylum Seekers to One Year

Egypt will begin issuing one-year residency permits for asylum seekers starting April 13th, replacing the previous six-month validity period. The move, announced by the UNHCR in Egypt, is accompanied by an increase in daily appointment capacity from 600 to 1,000 applicants at the Abbasiya Passports and Immigration Office in Cairo.

The policy shift comes in response to mounting pressure on Egypt’s asylum infrastructure, as the number of refugees and asylum seekers continues to grow. According to the UNHCR, Egypt currently hosts over 480,000 registered refugees and asylum seekers, primarily from Sudan, Syria, South Sudan, Eritrea, and Ethiopia.

As part of the updated procedures, appointment scheduling will now be managed in batches, with applicants notified via SMS. Only the head of household is required to attend the appointment in person, carrying the required documentation for all family members. Residency permits will only be issued to individuals with UNHCR cards that have been active for at least three months.

In recent months, the UNHCR has scaled back several of its medical and financial aid programmes due to budget constraints. With legal status becoming harder to maintain and essential services under strain, the new one-year permits aim to provide greater stability for vulnerable communities living in Egypt.

The decision also reflects broader efforts by Egyptian authorities to streamline administrative processes and improve coordination with international partners, as the country continues to play a central role in regional migration management.