Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly issued the official executive regulations for the new law regulating the refugee residency and asylum status of foreigners in Egypt on Monday. The updated framework introduces a strict six-month deadline for a newly formed permanent committee to collect and verify comprehensive databases of all refugees and asylum seekers who previously registered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
This rollout builds on the state’s ongoing digital transformation push, which targets the estimated 9 million foreign residents and refugees living across the country. Under the new protocols, governmental bodies and public institutions will completely halt all administrative services and daily financial transactions for any foreign resident who does not carry a valid, state-issued residency card or an official exemption certificate.
Government statistics estimate that hosting non-citizens costs the national treasury approximately $10 billion annually in direct and indirect expenses. Consequently, this formal vetting process serves as a step toward aligning humanitarian obligations with rigorous national security and economic oversight.
