Worldwide: Ramadan to Bring Immigration Processing Delays
March 21, 2025
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.
A closer look
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 |
|
| Azerbaijan |
Office closure dates:
|
| Bahrain |
|
|
Bangladesh |
|
| Brunei |
|
| Cote D’Ivoire |
|
| Egypt |
|
| Gabon |
|
| Indonesia |
Daily operating hours:
|
| Iraq |
|
| Iraqi Kurdistan |
|
| Jordan |
|
| Kenya |
|
| Kuwait |
|
| Lebanon |
|
| Malaysia |
|
| Mauritania |
|
| Morocco |
|
| Oman |
|
| Pakistan |
|
| Qatar |
|
| Saudi Arabia |
|
| Senegal |
|
| Sierra Leone |
|
| Singapore |
|
| Tunisia |
|
| Türkiye |
|
| United Arab Emirates |
|
This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen.
