New residency requirements leave Syrians in Egypt in limbo
New residency requirements have plunged Egypt’s 1.5 million Syrians into uncertainty and left many at risk of deportation.
New residency requirements have plunged Egypt’s 1.5 million Syrians into uncertainty and left many at risk of deportation.
As pressure on Syrians in Lebanon grows, Palestinian refugee camps have become a haven for refugees seeking lower rents and relative safety from eviction, street violence and the threat of deportation.
As Lebanon deports and evicts Syrian refugees, pressure on journalists and advocates working to bring violations to light is also increasing, forcing some to leave the country or stop their work, just when it is needed most.
As hate speech and violence against Syrians in Lebanon intensifies, risky smuggling operations to opposition-held parts of northwestern Syria are on the rise.
While Ankara condemns anti-refugee riots and makes arrests in the wake of “the most violent wave of hatred” to date, Syrians in Turkey say the attacks indirectly serve the government’s goal of refugee returns as it signals normalization with Assad.
In April, Turkey tightened conditions for renewing tourist residencies, requiring Syrians to show bank deposits of 1.5 times the minimum wage per family member or obtain work residency instead. The requirements are beyond the reach of many.
The fates of thousands of asylum seekers, including Syrians, hang in the balance in the UK's July elections. The vote will decide the future of the government's Rwanda deportation plan—touted as an “indispensable deterrent” even as boats continue to arrive.
Erbil indicated it would again allow Syrians to renew their residency permits without conditions on Tuesday, reversing a prohibitive social security registration requirement and bringing relief after weeks of uncertainty.
The government of Iraqi Kurdistan is once more granting entry visas to Syrian passport holders, but limits them to those with interviews scheduled at foreign consulates and embassies. Meanwhile, it has set “prohibitive” conditions for renewing residency permits.
As life in Cyprus grows increasingly difficult for many asylum seekers, the number of Syrians opting into the island’s “voluntary return” program is going up. So far this year, 114 Syrians have returned, compared to just around 30 in all of 2023.