Author
General (scope, time limits)
UNHCR’s office in Egypt was established in 1954 under a legal agreement with the Egyptian government. On 10 February 1954, the Government of Egypt and UNHCR signed a Memorandum of Understanding allowing the agency to begin its operations and open an office in Cairo. The organization was entrusted with overseeing refugee registration and providing protection. This memorandum served as the legal framework for UNHCR’s presence in Egypt, which was particularly important since Egypt had signed the 1951 Refugee Convention but did not ratify it until 1981. During that interim period, refugee protection in Egypt relied entirely on the 1954 memorandum, which laid out a bilateral agreement defining UNHCR’s role and responsibilities in the country.
According to the memorandum, UNHCR was mandated to act on behalf of the Egyptian government in all matters related to registering asylum seekers, documenting their information, conducting refugee status determination (RSD), and granting refugee status to those who met the criteria. The agency also issued official refugee documentation and coordinated resettlement to third countries or voluntary return in cooperation with the International Organization for Migration. In addition, it provided through its implementing partners a range of support services, including legal, health, education, and financial assistance. Egyptian authorities in return committed to allowing UNHCR unrestricted access to any asylum seeker or refugee detained for irregular entry or stay, and to issuing temporary residence permits for refugees and asylum seekers. The memorandum thus established a formal cooperation framework that clarified the respective roles of UNHCR and the government in managing asylum affairs.
UNHCR’s headquarters office in Egypt is located in the city of 6th of October in Greater Cairo, with several administrative and operational branches also present in Cairo. The agency also operates a field office in Alexandria, which is dedicated to serving refugees living in Alexandria and neighboring coastal governorates.
According to multiple sources, the following challenges are faced by asylum seekers in the asylum procedure:
Lengthy waiting periods: The waiting time between different stages of the asylum process can extend for several months or even years, contributing to prolonged uncertainty for applicants.[1]
Security restrictions: Some asylum seekers face security-related limitations that may affect their freedom of movement or result in detention.[2]
Lack of financial support: During the waiting period, asylum seekers receive insufficient financial assistance, making them vulnerable to economic hardship.
Lack of full legal recognition: Until they are officially granted refugee status, asylum seekers may not enjoy the full range of rights and services available to citizens or individuals with legal residency.
After the interview, the asylum seeker is informed of the decision regarding their application. There are two main outcomes:
Recognition of refugee status: If the application is approved, the individual receives a refugee card from UNHCR, which grants them international protection and access to certain basic rights.
Rejection of the application: If the asylum claim is denied following the refugee status determination interview, UNHCR notifies the applicant of a scheduled date to receive the official decision. The notification includes details such as the location, date, and time of the appointment, giving the applicant an opportunity to understand the reasons for the rejection. On the specified date, the individual must present their UNHCR registration card and any identity documents in their possession, such as a passport or other official ID, to the reception staff. They are then issued a formal letter outlining the reasons for the rejection and are required to sign a receipt confirming that they have received the decision.
Prioritised examination and fast-track processing
In the current practice, there are no regulations to prioritize applications. However, in some cases, UNHCR’s partner institution submits requests to expedite the file for certain cases, such as unaccompanied children, people with disabilities and pregnant women.
Under 2024 Asylum Law, people with disabilities, pregnant women, children, the elderly, victims of human trafficking, torture, sexual violence and unaccompanied children have priority in submitting applications. Nevertheless, the law does not specify the nature of this priority or the support provided to these groups.
Personal interview
Current practice:
There are three main ways to schedule a personal interview with UNHCR.
First, applicants can call the UNHCR information line at 0227390400. The line operates Sunday through Wednesday from 8:15 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., and on Thursdays until noon. Callers will be asked to specify the service they need, whether it’s a new registration, document renewal (especially for documents expiring within three months), adding a family member, registering a newborn (under the age of two), or replacing lost or damaged documents.
Second, appointments can be booked in person at UNHCR offices. The office in 6th of October City (17 Mecca Street, 7th District) handles cases for non-Syrian nationals, while Syrian nationals are used to be referred to the Zamalek office (5 Michel Lutfallah Street). However, at the beginning of May 2025, the office in Zamalek was shut down and all nationalities should approach El Sheikh Zayed premises.
Third, Sudanese nationals have the option to register online via the dedicated portal titled ‘Information for Sudanese Nationals’.[3]
After the request is submitted, UNHCR sends a text message confirming the interview details, including the applicant’s case number, date, time, and location. Entry to UNHCR premises is strictly limited to those with a confirmed appointment.
Preparing for the Interview, applicants for international protection are required to bring all relevant documents, such as passports, national IDs or expired UNHCR cards (if being renewed). In case of changes to family composition, such as marriage or childbirth, supporting documentation must also be presented. All family members listed under the file must attend the interview to complete identity verification and biometric enrollment.
During the interview, the applicant’s personal data is reviewed and verified. UNHCR staff will take fingerprints, iris scans, and a photo in order to build a secure digital identity. The length of the interview depends on the service: A new registration typically takes 30 to 45 minutes, while renewing documents may take around 15 minutes. Applicants are strongly encouraged to provide truthful and complete information, as omissions or false statements can delay processing or lead to rejection.
After the Interview, applicants receive a document relevant to their case status. If the applicant cannot provide sufficient proof of identity, they are issued a White Certificate valid for six months. Asylum seekers receive a Yellow Card valid for 18 months. Refugees who have been granted status are given a Blue Card, which is valid for three years.
Applicants can update their contact details at any time by calling the information line. The database is updated weekly to reflect any changes.
2024 Asylum Law:
The Asylum Law does not mention any information related to the personal interview and the contact details, this is supposed to be clarified in the bylaws.
Appeal
Current practice:
Under UNHCR standards, asylum seekers have a fundamental right to appeal negative decisions. The United Nations affirms that “every rejected asylum seeker has the right to challenge the decision,” and that no one should be deported before being given a fair opportunity to appeal. In Egypt, UNHCR adopts an internal appeals procedure. When an asylum application is denied after the first interview, the applicant is notified and has the right to submit an appeal or request for reconsideration to the UNHCR office within a specified period, typically 30 days from the date of receiving the rejection notice. In order to maintain some degree of impartiality, the appeal is reviewed by staff or a committee who were not involved in the original decision. This is considered the final opportunity for review within UNHCR’s internal process. If the appeal is also rejected, the asylum file is usually closed.
In order to submit an appeal, the applicant must fill out the designated form, which is available on UNHCR’s official website under the “Forms and Publications” section. The appeal should include a detailed explanation of why the applicant believes the rejection was unfair or incorrect, along with updated contact information to allow the office to reach the applicant for further information or to schedule an interview if needed. Appeals can be submitted by email to: arecaapr@unhcr.org, or delivered in person to the Refugee Status Determination (RSD) building at 44A, Second Neighborhood, Eighth District, 6th of October City, on the days designated for individuals who have received a rejection notice.
Once the appeal is submitted, it is then reviewed by a committee composed of protection staff who are independent from those who made the initial decision. Generally, submitting an appeal does not automatically guarantee a new interview. Each appeal is assessed individually, and the committee decides whether a second interview is necessary. If a follow-up interview is deemed required, the applicant is notified via SMS, and the appointment details can also be checked under the “Refugee Status Determination” section of UNHCR’s website.
Being an international organization with privileges and immunities, UNHCR is not part of Egypt’s administrative or judicial system. Therefore, a rejected asylum seeker, or even a recognized refugee who has had their status withdrawn, cannot file a legal case against UNHCR in Egyptian courts to challenge the decision. This has been criticized by legal experts and human rights advocates as lacking transparency and independent oversight, since the agency acts as both decision-maker and reviewer. In effect, the appellant submits their challenge to the same institution that rejected them, without the oversight of an independent court, which limits the right to a fair and impartial review.
In case the appeal is accepted, the rejection decision is overturned and the applicant is officially granted refugee status, entitling them to UNHCR protection and services. If the appeal is denied, the file is permanently closed, and no further appeal is possible, marking the end of the legal process related to the asylum claim.
2024 Asylum Law:
Article 35 of the Egyptian Asylum Law provides that decisions issued by the Permanent Committee for Refugee Affairs may be challenged before the Administrative Court. This grants refugees the opportunity to seek judicial review of decisions to reject or revoke their asylum claims.
Meanwhile, Article 7 of the same law states that when the committee rejects an asylum application, the competent authority, namely the Ministry of Interior, must be notified to implement the decision immediately. The article raises great concerns by being unclear as to whether the enforcement of such decisions must be suspended until the asylum seeker has exhausted all available legal remedies.[4]
Legal assistance
In Egypt, there is no law that provides or requires legal assistance during the application, appeal, or review stages. In some cases, UNHCR partner organizations offer legal support to asylum seekers, whether in organizing their case files or in drafting appeal submissions. Under the Egyptian Asylum Law, there is no available information or binding legal obligation identifying which authority is responsible for providing legal assistance to applicants or those appealing decisions. Despite this, the law requires that appeals be submitted through a lawyer.
[1] The Refugee Platform in Egypt, ‘Deprived of Access to Services and at Risk: shortcoming of the UNHCR registration system in Egypt’, January 2024, available here
[2] The Refugee Platform in Egypt, ‘What should you know as a migrant during the ongoing security crackdown’, January 2025, available here
[3] UNHCR Egypt: Information for Sudanese Nationals, available here
[4] The Refugees platform in Egypt and the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights: ‘Joint Policy Brief on the Asylum Bill’, available here