Egypt Mandates Smart Residency Cards for Foreigners to Legalize Status, Access Services

Egypt's government has recently mandated that all foreign residents must apply for a smart residency card to legalize their status, or they will be unable to use various public services in the future. This measure reflects Egypt's current challenges with a "rapid increase in foreign population" and "pressure from managing illegal residency."

According to the Egyptian media outlet "Al Ahram" (The Pyramids Newspaper), the Egyptian government recently introduced the "smart residency card" and is urging foreign residents to apply promptly to legalize their status.

The report emphasizes that Egyptian government agencies will cease providing public services to foreigners who do not present a smart residency card in the future.

Egypt has been digitizing public services in recent years, with the smart residency card being a new initiative. Foreigners wishing to reside in Egypt can apply for a smart residency card at the "General Directorate of Passports, Immigration, and Nationality" to handle services such as opening bank accounts, school registration, medical insurance, and purchasing property or vehicles. This also allows the Egyptian government to track the movement of its foreign population.

Egypt was once considered a "paradise for undocumented populations." Although Egypt offers a one-month tourist visa on arrival, in the past, individuals who stayed in Egypt for over a month on a tourist visa could leave normally by paying a very small "fine" to airport customs upon departure, leaving no negative record that would affect future re-entry.

Mr. Chen, a businessman who frequently travels between Taiwan and Egypt for business, told CNA that the application process for an Egyptian business visa is time-consuming and complicated. Years ago, he used to enter Egypt directly with a tourist visa on arrival, stay for two to three months, and then pay only about 150 Egyptian pounds (then equivalent to about NT$900) in fines to easily depart.

A Filipino national named Racquel, who had been illegally residing and working in domestic service in Egypt for several years, also told reporters that on one occasion when she was leaving, the Egyptian customs charged her 1,500 Egyptian pounds (then equivalent to about NT$3,000) for overstaying her visa by two years, after which she was allowed to leave normally.

However, in recent years, due to wars erupting in neighboring countries, including the civil war in Sudan and the Gaza conflict, as well as political instability in other African countries and Libya, many refugees have fled to Egypt, leading to a surge in Egypt's foreign population.

According to data from the International Organization for Migration (IOM), Egypt currently hosts approximately 9.1 million foreign citizens from 133 countries, including a large number of Sudanese, Syrians, Yemenis, and Libyans. The UN Refugee Agency and human rights organizations have pointed out that Egypt is currently under immense pressure from refugees and foreign populations.

Al Ahram reported that Egyptian officials have continuously emphasized the growing problem of "illegal residency" and "unidentified foreigners" (including refugees, immigrants, and expatriates) in recent years. In August 2023, the Egyptian government first stipulated that undocumented foreign residents in Egypt must pay a $1,000 USD administrative processing fee directly to the immigration administration to legalize their residency status, with an Egyptian guarantor.

According to the news page on the Cairo government website, Egypt has faced financial burdens such as foreign exchange shortages and high inflation in recent years. Moreover, Egypt's own population exceeds 110 million, and domestic resources for education, housing, transportation, and healthcare are already strained. The government now intends to strictly "manage the foreign population."

In May 2026, the Egyptian government issued another clear announcement to strictly implement the "smart residency card." This aims not only to track the number of foreign residents and their financial flows, preventing a large population of undocumented individuals, but also to increase Egypt's dollar revenue through the payment of residency fees and a foreign currency payment system.

Additionally, to encourage foreign tourism, Egypt also launched a separate 5-year multiple-entry tourist visa in June 2023, with an application fee of $700 USD (approximately NT$22,000), allowing stays of up to 180 days per entry.

Egypt's desire to control its foreign population has faced challenges over the years due to inconsistent exchange rates and penalties, coupled with many issues arising from "rule by man." Therefore, the effectiveness of these policies and the principles for handling undocumented individuals remain to be closely observed. (Editor: Chen Cheng-kung) 1150524