Residence Permit in Egypt
Every foreigner, including refugees and asylum-seekers, staying in the Arab Republic of Egypt is obliged to have a valid residence permit. Without a valid residence permit, s/he would be violating the residency law in the country, which is punishable under Egyptian law. Therefore, you are advised not only to obtain your residence permit after registration with UNHCR but also to renew it when it expires.
UNHCR is pleased to inform you that the Egyptian immigration authorities have allocated immigration branch offices across various governorates in Egypt (listed below for ease of reference), in addition to the Immigration Main Office in Abbasiya, Cairo, for the processing of asylum-based residence permits. This measure is also accompanied by an increase in daily processing capacity to help meet the growing demand for residence permits.
The overall daily quota will be processed across the immigration offices in line with the demographic distribution of refugees and asylum seekers in Egypt. Refugees and asylum seekers will be assigned to specific immigration office based on their registered addresses with UNHCR, ensuring that refugees and asylum seekers are directed exclusively at their assigned office. Therefore, the allocation of immigration offices will be determined based on two factors:
– Your registered address with UNHCR at the time your asylum-based residence appointment is issued.
– The closest immigration office to your registered address with UNHCR.
For example, if you reside in Governorate X, you will be directed to the immigration branch office in your governorate or to the nearest available office.
If you go to an immigration office other than the one assigned in your residence appointment, your application will not be accepted.
To implement these changes, UNHCR will reschedule all residence appointments previously scheduled between September 2027 and February 2029 to earlier dates, based on the principle of “First Issued, First Rescheduled,” starting from 31 October 2026.
As of 27 September 2026, new asylum-based residence appointment dates will be issued using the updated procedures.
Please note that rescheduling will be conducted in batches, and you will be notified of your new appointment date by SMS. Please ensure that your phone number is updated through MyUNHCR, UNHCR Reception, or the UNHCR Infoline. You should also regularly check your residence appointment on MyUNHCR to confirm the immigration office you are required to visit.
If you change your address after a residence appointment has been issued, the previously assigned immigration office will remain unchanged. You must attend the assigned immigration office on the specified date to obtain your permit.
Please note that if you are assigned to the Immigration Headquarters in Abbasiya, only the case focal point is required to attend in person, carrying the family’s UNHCR registration cards and passport-sized photos. In contrast, if you are assigned to any of the branch offices, all family members must attend the designated immigration office on the specified date.
Don’t Forget!
Your application will not be accepted without a prior asylum-based residence appointment.
Make sure to print your appointment from MyUNHCR platform before going to your assigned immigration office.
If you don’t have a residence appointment, please obtain one from MyUNHCR.
Make sure that you are approaching the assigned immigration office. Your application will not be accepted if you approach a different office. Your assigned immigration office will be mentioned in the appointment SMS and slip.
All family members above 12 are required to approach the immigration office at the time of appointment, except for Abbasiya where ONLY the focal point is required to go.
What documents should I bring
All UNHCR registration cards of the family members and dependents.
Copies of UNHCR registration cards and passports.
Original passports of family members and dependents or official documents submitted during registration with UNHCR.
Copies of the most recent UNHCR registration cards that were used to obtain the residency permit.
Printed copy of your residency appointment. Obtained via MyUNHCR.
One passport sized photo of all family members aged 12 and older.
Addresses of immigration offices
Main Office – Abbaseya (HQ)
417 Ramses Street, Abbaseya, Cairo
https://maps.app.goo.gl/AA8eBgGmdfnErpaq5
Al Amireya
7 Omar Al Mokhtar street from Al Sawah Street, Al Amireya police station, Cairo
https://maps.app.goo.gl/WGFFhDRgMFn9r5NG6
Heliopolis
82 Abdelaziz Fahmy Street, Al Nozha police station – Heliopolis, Cairo
https://maps.app.goo.gl/ThNYqq6sHqTEFGb67
Agouza
Hasan Mohamed El-Razaz street – Nawal street, Agouza, Giza
https://maps.app.goo.gl/f5WkBfXnDLuhcBHJ8
6th of October
El Horreya Road, 11th district, 6th of October, Giza
https://maps.app.goo.gl/9kPHbhLRiweqWAdx9
New Cairo
Mohamed Naguib Axis,
Industrial Area, 3rd settlement, Cairo
https://maps.app.goo.gl/UeoEgT5mW5rKNmmL9
10th of Ramadan
Central Street, 10th of Ramadan, Al Sharqia
https://maps.app.goo.gl/dYhW8T9TQByRjtej7
Alexandria
28 Talaat Harb street, intersection with El Falaky street, El Raml Station, Alexandria
https://maps.app.goo.gl/FAiWiTRTFd1dqvDHA
Tanta
El Nady street, Next to Tanta Security Directorate, Al Gharbeya
https://maps.app.goo.gl/rdGZqg7nLwgkMFgU7
Kafr Elsheikh
Al Gomhoureya street – Inside Security Directorate downtown, Kafr Elsheikh
https://maps.app.goo.gl/efJxGVo4sagA3vTKA
Port Said
5 Ard El Gabal, Al Manakh district, Port Said
https://maps.app.goo.gl/DrL2FbptHF4f1Adc8
Al Mansoura
10 Fakhr Eldin Khaled street – Inside Al Mansoura 2nd police station, Al Mansoura, Al Dakahleya
https://maps.app.goo.gl/ywLP9P2oADztUP748
El Zagazig
26 El Gawazat buildings, El Zeraah square, El Zagazig, Elsharkeya
https://maps.app.goo.gl/di5mu7bweFPF7Czs9
Assiut
Security Directorate Street from Riad Street, Al Hamra Alola – Assiut 2nd police station, Assiut
https://maps.app.goo.gl/XA2q1j8pcYtXQkRP7
Luxor
Khaled Ibn El Walid street, Al Awamyah Island, Luxor
https://maps.app.goo.gl/g25t7LSFUFEb2Y1x7
- Refugees and asylum seekers who are scheduled to renew or obtain their UNHCR cards at UNHCR Offices, can pick up the (MFA) number for residency processing during their interview at UNHCR Offices, along with an appointment date to approach the Residency Office of the Passports and Immigration Administration in Abbasiya.
- For those who have a valid UNHCR card, the MFA reference number and the appointment date could be obtained via UNHCR’s Infoline (0231330000). The Infoline agent will communicate the appointment over the phone. In order to get a printout of your appointment, please visit https://eg.myunhcr.id/.
- On the day of your appointment, please approach the Residence Office in Abbasiya, where you will be asked to submit all documents, including the residence permit application form. Other family members are not required to be present at the scheduled appointment. Only the Case Focal Point / Head of Household should be present with UNHCR registration cards and personal photos of the family. You will then be given an appointment to receive the residence permit card. Please ensure that your UNHCR document is valid for at least 3 months on the day of the appointment.
- Please return on the given appointment to the Residence department of the Passports and Immigration Administration, where you will obtain the residence permit card and stickers issued by the Egyptian government.
- The residence permit is issued only at the Passports and Immigration Administration in Abbasiya. You must go there in person to complete all procedures regardless of your place of residence in Egypt.
- Please approach the Residency Office of the Passports and Immigration Administration in Abbasiya on the appointment date given.
- All UNHCR registration cards of the family members and dependents registered with you in Egypt.
- Original passports of family members and dependents registered with you in Egypt.
- Copies of both your UNHCR registration document(s) and your passport(s).
- The reference number/ residence appointment which you obtained from UNHCR Office or MyUNHCR website, or printed copy of the SMS you received from UNHCR with your residence appointment.
- One passport-sized photo of yourself and other dependents in your case over aged 12 years old and older.
In case you lost your residence appointment date, please visit https://eg.myunhcr.id/. To learn more about login to MyUNHCR, please check this link: My UNHCR – UNHCR Egypt
Yes, you will be required to pay a basic administrative fee of EGP 155 – EGP 85 for each family member aged 12 years or older, if any, at the bank located in the building when submitting your application to the Residence Unit.
Please retain a copy of your old UNHCR registration cards and asylum-based residence, as the Immigration authorities might request them to renew your asylum-based residence permit.
The headquarters of the administration is located at 417 Ramses Street in Abbasiya, which is easy to reach by public transport by following these instructions:
For refugees living in Greater Cairo:
Cairo Metro: The nearest station to the new headquarters is Abbasiya Station (Green Line; Imbaba – Airport). After exiting the metro station, the Administration will be a five-minute-walk away.
For refugees residing in other governorates:
Ramses Train Station: You can take the train/public transport from any governorate to Ramses station. When you arrive at the station, go to Al Shohadaa metro station and get off at Ataba metro station where you will change to the green metro line (Imbaba – Airport) and get off at Abbasiya station. After exiting the metro station, the Administration will be a five-minute-walk away.