Egypt intensifies campaigns to apprehend illegal immigrants and legalize their status
The relevant authorities in the Arab Republic of Egypt have begun to intensify their security and monitoring campaigns in various governorates, with the aim of identifying and apprehending expatriates who violate residency and work laws, within the framework of the state’s plan to legalize the status of foreigners residing on its territory and ensure the rule of law.
Intensive campaigns to apprehend violators
These field operations are being carried out in accordance with recent government decisions calling on all foreigners residing in Egypt without valid residency permits to promptly visit the General Directorate of Passports, Immigration, and Nationality to regularize their status. The campaigns include scrutinizing identification documents and residency permits in areas with high concentrations of foreign residents to verify the legality of their presence in the country.
General context and economic background
These measures cannot be separated from the economic and political context of the region. In recent years, Egypt has received successive waves of refugees and migrants as a result of conflicts in neighboring countries, particularly the recent Sudanese crisis, in addition to the presence of large communities from Syria, Yemen, Libya, and other countries. According to previous statements by the Egyptian Prime Minister, Dr. Mostafa Madbouly, Egypt hosts approximately 9 million guests (migrants and refugees) of various nationalities, which places significant pressure on the country's resources, infrastructure, and public services amidst global economic challenges.
Procedures for legalizing the situation and the specified deadline
The Egyptian government launched an initiative to resolve military and administrative issues, imposing administrative fees (finees) in US dollars or their equivalent in other freely convertible currencies for those wishing to legalize their status and obtain a smart residency card. This step aims not only to generate revenue but also to create an accurate and comprehensive database that enumerates the number of residents and their places of residence, thus facilitating urban, service, and security planning.
Security and organizational importance
These checks are of paramount importance on both security and social levels. From a security perspective, registering newcomers helps prevent the infiltration of individuals who could pose a threat to public safety and ensures that Egyptian territory is not used as a base for any illegal activities. Socially, regularizing the status of newcomers guarantees their rights in official transactions, protects them from exploitation, and allows the state to direct support to those truly in need among its citizens, while providing essential services to guests within the established legal framework.
The Egyptian authorities urge all expatriates to adhere to the specified deadlines for renewing residency permits and to avoid legal accountability, which may include deportation if they persist in violating the regulations, stressing that Egypt welcomes its guests as long as they abide by the country’s laws and regulations.
