Registration

All services provided by UNHCR and its partners are free of charge!

UNHCR Egypt continues to provide regular new and continuous registration services to refugees and asylum seekers in the 6 October, Zamalek and Alexandria offices. To ensure a smooth procedure and service for the largest possible number of applicants, UNHCR would like to remind refugees and asylum seekers of the following:

1. Only cases that have been contacted or issued with an appointment in the office or through Infoline will be allowed inside UNHCR offices

2.Scheduled applicants will be contacted by UNHCR via phone and/or SMS. The SMS text includes all the details of the appointment (appointment number, case number, scheduled date and time, the venue of the interview).

3. Unfortunately, we won’t be able to assist you without a prior appointment. You can direct your questions to the Infoline (0227390400 in Cairo, Alexandria and all other governorates) as stated on our Facebook pages for more information.

4. To avoid long waiting times and crowding outside UNHCR offices, we strongly advise you to strictly adhere to the pre-set appointments and be in front of the office only 15 minutes prior to your appointment.

5. We ask for your kind cooperation to follow safety procedures, maintain complete physical distancing, wear a mask and adhere to all safety measures during your visit to the office, to ensure the safety of refugees and UNHCR staff serving you and limit your exposure to any unnecessary health risks.

UNHCR is the only agency that provides registration services and documentation for asylum seekers and refugees in Egypt, following which individuals can obtain their residence permit by approaching the Egyptian authorities. Be mindful that UNHCR does not delegate this function to any third parties.

All services provided by UNHCR and partners are free of charge, If you have concerns regarding the collection and use of your personal data, or if you would like to lodge a complaint about the use of your personal data by UNHCR, you may do so by approaching the UNHCR office or contacting us on [email protected]. You can also make a complaint with the Inspector General’s Office at [email protected].

1. How can I get a registration appointment either for New Registration or for renewing my card?

Appointments for registration services can be obtained through the below channels.

1- Through UNHCR Infoline:

The below registration appointments can be issued through UNHCR Infoline:

New registration appointments
Document renewal appointments: for refugees and asylum-seekers holding expired UNHCR documents or about to expire within 3 months
Add-on of family member
New birth registration (under 2 years)
Lost or damaged identity documents
Closure
For other registration related queries, you may contact the Infoline to register the request.

UNHCR Infoline can be reached from Sundays to Wednesdays from 8:15 am to 3 pm and on Thursdays from 8:15 am to 12 pm on 0227390400 in Cairo, Alexandria and all other governorates.

2- In-person through UNHCR Offices:

The below registration appointments can be issued through UNHCR offices:

New registration appointments
Document renewal appointments: for Refugees and asylum-seekers holding a UNHCR document that is expired or about to expire within 3 months
Add-on of family member
New birth registration (under 2 years)
Lost or damaged identity documents
Closure

UNHCR offices can be approached for the above appointments as per the below addresses and timings.

For Syrian nationals: Zamalek office, 5 Michel Lotf Allah, Zamalek, Cairo
Sunday – Thursday: 08:00 am – 02:00 pm.
For applicants from other nationalities: 6th of October Main building, 17 Mecca El-Mokarama, 7th District, 6th of October City
Sunday – Thursday: 08:00 am – 02:00 pm

2. How long will it take to get registered or to have my documentation renewed?

UNHCR continues to streamline processes and readjusts resources to increase registration capacity and reduce waiting periods. Renewal appointments can be booked up to 3 months ahead of the expiry date of your UNHCR documentation. Persons with specific needs are systematically identified and prioritized. Any specific or urgent need should be highlighted when requesting an appointment which will be taken into consideration— according to set prioritization criteria.

3. How can I update my contact details, and how long does it take for the change to be reflected on my file?

For contact update requests, please contact the Infoline.
For Cairo, Alexandria and all governorates: 0227390400
Updates are reflected on our Database on a weekly basis.

4. I received a call from UNHCR inviting me for a document renewal interview. What should I do?

If you are invited to UNHCR for document renewal, please come to the office at the day and time indicated in the confirmation SMS which you have received from UNHCR. Please note that due to limited waiting space in the UNHCR premises, you will be admitted to our office only at the indicated time slot. All registered individuals must be present during the interview for identity and biometric verification. Those who fail to attend their interview will not be issued with a renewed document.

On the date of your interview, please make sure to bring all available relevant documents, including:

Expired UNHCR card(s) for all members of your case,
National passports (if available) for all members of your case,
Any other documents that are providing evidence on your identity, and
All documents that give evidence on any changes of your personal or family status that you would like UNHCR to record.

The document renewal process should not take more than 15 minutes, depending on the size of your family and complexity of your case. During the document renewal process, we will do a visual check and verify biometric information.

Please note that we can swiftly process your document renewal only if all documents are available, and it will be difficult to process your case if any documents are missing.

5. I received a call from UNHCR inviting me for a New Registration Interview. What should I do?

If you are invited to UNHCR for New Registration, please come to the office with all members of your family at the day and time indicated in the confirmation SMS which you have received from UNHCR.

Please note, that due to limited waiting space in the UNHCR premises, you will be admitted to our office only at the indicated time slot. All family members are required to be present during the interviews. Those who fail to attend the interview, will not be registered.

On the date of your interview, please make sure to bring all available relevant documents, including, most importantly:

If available, national passports for all members of your case,
If available, any other documents that are providing evidence on your identity and/or your personal or family status.

The interview will last between 30 and 45 minutes, depending on the size of your family and the complexity of your case. In addition to capturing your biodata and contact information, we will take a picture as well as biometric information (iris and/or fingerprint scan) during your interview. This process takes only a few seconds, is not painful, and has no side effects on your eyes or your health.

6. Why does UNHCR capture our fingerprints and Iris?

Using biometrics (fingerprints and Iris) helps UNHCR to protect the digital identity of refugees and asylum seekers, prevents others from identity theft and thereby maintaining the integrity of the legal status of refugees and asylum seekers.

Biometrics also allow UNHCR to quickly identify someone and retrieve his/her file in any UNHCR office even if documentation is lost or stolen.
With biometrics, UNHCR can quickly verify an individual for assistance delivery, thereby also preventing others from receiving assistance in someone else’s place and ensuring assistance is provided to the targeted beneficiary.
UNHCR takes data privacy and data security seriously and UNHCR’s Data Protection Policy ensures the rights of registered applicants.

7. What is the period for the expiry of the asylum seeker card and the refugee card?

The asylum seeker certificate (white certificate) is valid for 6 months,

The asylum-seeker registration card (Yellow Card) is valid for 18 months,

While the refugee registration card (Blue Card) is valid for 3 years.

8. What documents do I receive after my new registration interview?

If you have presented an authentic and genuine identity document (ID) that includes your picture and nationality, you will be granted a yellow card with a validity of 18 months. If you have not presented any ID document or one without your picture, then you will be granted a white certificate with a validity of 6 months. Kindly note that it is extremely important to be forthcoming about the documents or lack of documents with UNHCR. Please note you have an obligation to be truthful and to provide all relevant information and available evidence to UNHCR, including with regards documentation. Please note that if you fail to provide a full and truthful account to UNHCR, including with regards to documentation, it could have serious negative consequences on the processing of your case and may result in long delays and/or our inability to appropriately assist you.

9. In case I or a family member or friend face a protection problem due to expired UNHCR card or get arrested, how can UNHCR assist?

Refugees and asylum seekers who face any legal issues are encouraged to contact UNHCR directly via e-mail ([email protected]) or the hotline phone numbers:
Greater Cairo, Alexandria and all other governorates: 0227390400

For protection problems related to expired UNHCR documents, the legal unit will follow up case-by-case, to help resolve the issue. Moreover, UNHCR has two legal implementing partners that are available to support refugees with any legal issues/inquiries:
Egyptian Foundation for Refugee Rights: 01272020938 / 0225751118
United Lawyers: 01154526171