Unlawful Foreign Residents Have Six More Months to Legitimise Status

Foreigners residing in Egypt without a residency permit have an additional six months to legitimise their status. This decision extends the grace period granted to foreigners until September 15th, 2024.

The grace period was formerly set to expire on March 15th, 2024, which was an extension of a grace period that was originally set to end on December 15th, 2023.

A 2022 report by the International Organization for Migration estimated that roughly 9.1 million foreigners from 133 countries are living in Egypt. This number has only grown, with pressures in the region like the Sudanese civil war sending more and more people into Egypt.

Foreigners who need to legitimise their residency must pay their fees in hard currency, such as USD. Foreigners then must submit an invoice for the transaction from a local bank or registered foreign exchange house to the proper authorities.