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.
A billion-euro EU aid package to Lebanon, in part to stem migration, caused an uproar in the country and triggered a crackdown on Syrian refugees that advocates warn will only push more to flee abroad
The government of Iraqi Kurdistan has suspended residency renewals for Syrians in its territory without issuing a formal decision, leaving many in a state of chaos and confusion about their future in the autonomous region.
Since 2013, Syrians entering Egypt must apply for a special security clearance that costs $1,050-1,500 each time. The costly requirement has limited Syrian migration to Egypt, prevented many refugees from reuniting with their relatives outside the country and birthed an opaque industry of brokers.
Erbil’s April 4 decision to stop issuing visas to Syrians has been a disaster for those for whom the Kurdistan Region of Iraq was a safe haven from conscription or a place to reunite with family members after years of separation.
