Egypt has enacted new asylum regulations establishing a state-run committee with total authority over refugees, exposing undocumented arrivals to swift deportation if they fail to register within 45 days.
The decree codifies a transition from the longstanding UN-led refugee framework to a heavily securitized domestic system, marking a critical escalation in the state’s efforts to subordinate humanitarian protections to national security imperatives.
Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly issued the executive regulations for the Foreigners’ Asylum Law yesterday in the Official Gazette, missing a statutory drafting deadline by roughly one year. The original legislation, enacted in December 2024, mandated that these executive regulations be drawn up within six months of the law’s implementation. The newly empowered Permanent Committee for Refugee Affairs will now serve as the sole regulatory authority governing asylum seekers in Egypt.
Under the new measures, individuals who entered the country illegally must voluntarily apply for asylum within 45 days or face immediate expulsion. Legal entrants are granted a six-month window for application processing, while the review period for undocumented arrivals extends to a full year.
Nour Khalil, director of the Refugees Platform in Egypt, said in an interview with Al Manassa that the transition reflects a clear defect in state planning. Khalil noted that the regulations were drafted secretly in closed rooms without consulting civil society or the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees until after approval.
The regulations mandate that asylum seekers sign seven binding legal declarations, including security pledges regarding terrorism and violent crimes. Furthermore, Article 3 establishes a centralized database to store the biometric data and fingerprints of all refugees to ensure strict state surveillance.
The state will also exercise close control over refugee movement, requiring notification of any change in residence or communication methods within 24 hours. Article 26 permits the committee to restrict refugees to specific geographic zones, bar them from border regions, and require travel permits during war or counter-terrorism operations.
Existing UNHCR cards will remain valid only until their expiration or the issuance of new state documents, whichever comes first. The committee intends to coordinate with the UN agency to absorb all registered refugee data by August.
While Articles 22 and 23 guarantee refugees basic education and equivalent emergency healthcare access, rights groups view the overarching framework as a tool for forced deportation. Khalil warned that the security-dominated text lacks genuine protection rules and emerged alongside a systematic rise in public hate speech against refugees.
If an application is definitively rejected, Article 18 compels the committee to notify the Ministry of Interior to initiate immediate deportation. Affected individuals retain the right to appeal these decisions before the Administrative Court of the State Council.
The underlying 2024 law previously drew sharp rebukes from seven UN special rapporteurs who labeled it a retreat from international norms. An in-depth study by the Refugees Platform and the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, titled “A regression on the legal status quo: Bill undermines basic refugees’ protections,” stated that the legislation systematically strips away fundamental safeguards.
