Egypt has introduced a sweeping entry ban on Syrian nationals, barring them from entering the country from anywhere in the world unless they hold temporary residency permits.
This marks the second such decision targeting Syrians since the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Damascus on December 8, 2024. Two weeks earlier, Egyptian authorities restricted entry for Syrians holding European, American, or Canadian residency permits, requiring prior security clearance from Cairo. Similar restrictions were placed on Syrian Schengen visa holders and Syrians married to Egyptians.
The move has significant implications for the hundreds of thousands of Syrians who fled to Egypt after the Syrian conflict began in 2011. While the Egyptian government claims over a million Syrians reside in the country, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees reports that only around 153,000 are officially registered.
Last week, Egypt also reportedly banned entry for Palestinians traveling from conflict-affected countries, including Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Libya, and Sudan. These restrictive measures reflect tightening immigration policies in response to ongoing regional crises.