UNHCR Egypt: Daily Quota for Refugee Residency Permits Increased to 1,000, Validity Extended to One Year

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Egypt announced significant updates to the process of issuing refugee residency permits, in coordination with the Egyptian government.

According to a statement posted on UNHCR Egypt’s official social media pages, the daily capacity for issuing residency permits has been increased from 600 to 1,000 individuals. Additionally, the validity of these permits has been extended from six months to one year.

These changes will officially take effect starting Saturday, April 12, 2025.

In its statement, UNHCR confirmed that it will begin rescheduling existing residency appointments to reflect the new procedures. Only those whose appointments have been updated will receive SMS messages with the new date and additional relevant information.

Due to the large number of refugees, the rescheduling process will take place in batches. Meanwhile, the UNHCR will continue to provide new appointments for residency permits both at its offices and through its information helpline.

The agency urged refugees and asylum seekers who receive a new appointment via SMS to attend their scheduled appointment at the Passports, Immigration, and Nationality Administration in Abbassiya, Cairo.

UNHCR emphasized that only the head of household or main file holder is required to attend the appointment. They must bring the UNHCR cards and personal photos of all family members, but the family does not need to be physically present.

According to the latest UNHCR data, as of March 31, 2025, Egypt is hosting more than 941,000 registered refugees and asylum seekers from 58 different nationalities.