Egypt has granted “illegal” residents a three-month period to legitimize their stay as per the “conditions and regulations” stated in a cabinet decision.
Among these conditions are the presence of an Egyptian host and the payment of $1,000 fees.
Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly issued a decision stating that foreigners residing in the country illegally must legalize their stay, provided that there is an Egyptian national host, within three months from the date of the decision, in exchange for payment of administrative fees equivalent to $1,000.
This should be in accordance with the rules, procedures, and controls determined by the Ministry of Interior.
The decision stated that foreigners applying to the General Administration of Passports, Immigration and Nationality to obtain the right of residence for tourism or non-tourism, must provide a receipt stating that they have transferred the equivalent of fees in dollars or the equivalent of free currency to the Egyptian pound from one of the banks or authorized exchange companies.
The fees could be for residence, delay penalty, or costs of issuing a residence card.
Egyptian human rights defender Nassem Amin said that this decision covers all foreigners except those registered with the UNHCR or those who obtained a residence permit from the Egyptian government.
He added to Asharq Al-Awsat that this decision wouldn’t impact the refugees and displaced, whether those currently in Egypt or the new arrivals.
Egypt has eased up the residence procedures on its land.
In May, the Interior Ministry decided to grant a five-year renewable residence to foreigners who have one or more real estate in Egypt worth a minimum of $200,000, a three-year renewable residence to those owning $100,000 real estate, as well as a three-year residence for foreigners who have a bank deposit worth $1,000.
Mohamed Mahran, Public International Law Lecturer at Alexandria University, told Asharq Al-Awsat that this decision aims to organize the presence of foreigners in Egypt while taking into consideration the migration and residence-related international laws that seek to facilitate the residence procedures.
