Worldwide: Ramadan to Bring Immigration Processing Delays

March 21, 2025

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At a Glance

  • Foreign nationals and their employers can expect immigration processing delays throughout March and April in the Middle East, North Africa, Türkiye and parts of Asia during the observance of Ramadan and Eid-al-Fitr. Many government offices worldwide reduce their hours and/or close during Ramadan and Eid-al-Fitr.
  • Processing delays could continue in the weeks following Ramadan, due to application backlogs that accumulate during the closures.

The situation

Foreign nationals and their employers can expect immigration processing delays throughout March and April in the Middle East, North Africa, Türkiye and parts of Asia during observance of Ramadan and Eid-al-Fitr. Many government offices worldwide reduce their hours and/or close during Ramadan and Eid-al-Fitr.

In most of the world, Ramadan is expected to begin on to begin on March 1 and end on March 29 or March 30, 2025, depending on lunar sightings. The Eid-al-Fitr holiday will begin on the first day following the end of Ramadan, though its exact dates and the duration will vary by country. Processing delays could continue in the weeks following Ramadan, due to application backlogs that accumulate during the closures.

Below is a non-exhaustive list of operating hours and office closures for Ramadan. Government office closures are expected in many countries for Eid-al-Fitr, though there have not been official announcements for most countries.

Country Government Office Operating Hours and Closures
Algeria
  • Daily operating hours: Sunday to Thursday 8:00-15:00 (local time)
  • Office closure dates: March 31-April 2, 2025
Azerbaijan

Office closure dates:

  • All government offices, as well as many private-sector businesses, will be closed from March 20-31, 2025 (due to holidays related to Nowruz and Ramadan). Employers and visa or permit applicants should account for potential processing delays due to this holiday period.
  • Additionally, March 10 and April 1 will exceptionally be regular business days to account for March 27 and 28 being added as public holidays.  
Bahrain
  • Daily operating hours: Sunday to Thursday 8:00-14:00 (local time)
  • Office closure dates: It is anticipated that government entities will be closed from March 30, 2025, and work will resume on April 2, 2025.

Bangladesh
  • Daily operating hours: 9:00-17:30 (local time)
  • Office closure dates: March 28-April 2, 2025
Brunei
  • Daily operating hours: 8:00-14:00 (local time)
  • Office closure dates: February 28, March 31, April 1-2, 2025. Applicants can expect longer processing times during this period, with an estimated delay of one to two weeks. 
Cote D’Ivoire
  • Office closure dates: Government offices will be closed March 27, 2025 for Ramadan; and for Eid-Al-Fitr, either March 30 or 31, 2025, depending on the lunar sighting.  
Egypt
  • Daily operating hours: Sunday to Thursday 9:00-14:00 (local time)
  • Office closure dates: It is anticipated that government entities will be closed from March 31, 2025, and work will resume on April 3, 2025.
Gabon
  • Office closure dates: During Ramadan, government offices will operate normally, and a public holiday will be observed depending on the lunar sighting.
Indonesia

Daily operating hours: 

  • The Ministry of Manpower's TKA Online system operates from 8:00-15:00 (local time).
  • Manual submissions at immigration office counters are accepted between 8:00 and 12:00 (local time), and then from 13:00 to 15:00; however, operating hours may vary by location.
  • The Directorate General of Immigration's Molina system allows access to ITAS applications at any time, though processing occurs during working hours from 8:00 to 15:00. Visa applications through Molina can be accessed at any time.
  • Government office closures: March 31-April 2, 4 and 7, 2025. 
Iraq
  • Daily operating hours: Sunday to Thursday 8:00-14:00 (local time)
  • Office closure dates: Government entities will be closed from March 30, 2025, and work will resume on April 5, 2025.
Iraqi Kurdistan
  • Daily operating hours: Sunday to Thursday 8:00-14:30 (local time)
  • Office closure dates: Government entities will be closed from March 30, 2025, and work will resume on April 5, 2025.
Jordan
  • Daily operating hours: Sunday to Thursday 9:30-15:00 (local time)
  • Office closure dates: It is anticipated that government entities will be closed from March 30, 2025, and work will resume on April 3, 2025.
Kenya
  • Office closure dates: Government entities will be closed March 31, 2025.
Kuwait
  • Daily operating hours: Sunday to Thursday 9:30-14:00 (local time)
  • Office closure dates: It is anticipated that government entities will be closed from March 30, 2025, and work will resume on April 2 or April 6, 2025.
Lebanon
  • Daily operating hours: Monday to Thursday 9:00-14:00 (local time) and Friday 9:00-12:00
  • Office closure dates: It is anticipated that government entities will be closed from March 31, 2025, and work will resume on April 2, 2025.
Malaysia
  • Daily operating hours: Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation: Monday to Friday 8:00-4:00 (local time)
  • Office closure dates: The Expats Service Centre (ESC) will close on March 28, 2025 from 12:00 to 16:00 (local time), with the Front Counter closed for the entire day. The ESC will also be closed on March 31 and April 1 and will fully resume operations on April 2. Minimal support will be available during the festive week. The last day for submitting original passports for pass cancellations and endorsements is March 25, as no passports will be accepted from March 26 to April 2 due to security reasons. Applications submitted after March 25 will be processed only after the holidays. Applicants are advised to plan their submissions in advance to avoid delays. 
Mauritania
  • Daily operating hours: 9:00-16:00 (local time) Monday to Thursday; 9:00-12:00 on Friday
  • Office closure dates: Government offices will be closed March 30 and 31, 2025.
Morocco
  • Daily operating hours: 9:00-15:00 (local time)
  • Office closure dates: It is anticipated that government entities will be closed from March 31, 2025, and work will resume on April 2, 2025.
Oman
  • Daily operating hours: Sunday to Thursday 9:00-14:00 (local time)
  • Office closure dates: It is anticipated that government entities will be closed from March 30, 2025, and work will resume on April 2 or April 6, 2025.
Pakistan
  • Daily operating hours: 9:00-15:00 (except Fridays, 9:00-12:30) (local time)
  • Office closure dates: Government entities will be closed from March 31, 2025, and work will resume on April 3, 2025.
Qatar
  • Daily operating hours: Sunday to Thursday 9:00-14:00 (local time)
  • Office closure dates: Government entities will be closed from March 30, 2025, and will re-open April 8, 2025.
Saudi Arabia
  • Daily operating hours: Sunday to Thursday 10:00-15:00 (local time)
  • Office closure dates: It is anticipated that government entities will be closed from March 30, 2025, and work will resume on April 3, 2025.
Senegal
  • Daily operating hours: 9:00-17:00 (local time)
  • Office closure dates: Government offices will be closed on March 31 and April 1, 2025, depending on the lunar sighting.
Sierra Leone
  • Daily operating hours: Monday to Friday 10:00-17:00 (local time)
  • Office closure dates: Government offices will close on Eid-Al-Fitr, depending on the lunar sighting. If the holiday falls on a weekend (Saturday or Sunday), the government will declare a public holiday on the following Monday.
Singapore
  • Office closure dates: March 31, 2025
Tunisia
  • Daily operating hours: 8:00-14:30 (except Fridays 7:00-13:00) (local time)
  • Office closure dates: It is anticipated that government entities will be closed from March 30, 2025, and work will resume on April 2, 2025.
Türkiye
  • Office closure dates: March 31-April 1, 2025
United Arab Emirates
  • Daily operating hours: 9:00-14:30 (except Fridays 9:00-12:00)
  • Office closure dates: It is anticipated that government entities will be closed from March 31, 2025, and work will resume on April 2 or April 3, 2025.

This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen. 

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