Worldwide: Ramadan Will Bring Immigration Processing Delays
March 23, 2026
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
This year, the month of Ramadan is expected to begin on February 18 or February 19 and end on March 19 or March 20, 2026. However, the exact dates will be determined by lunar sighting and announced individually for each country.
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.
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Algeria |
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Azerbaijan |
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Bangladesh |
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Bahrain |
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Brunei |
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Cote D’Ivoire |
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Egypt |
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Indonesia |
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Iraq |
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Iraqi Kurdistan |
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Jordan |
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Kenya |
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Kuwait |
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Lebanon |
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Mauritania |
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Morocco |
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Oman |
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Pakistan |
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Qatar |
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Saudi Arabia |
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Senegal |
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Sierra Leone |
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Singapore |
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Tunisia |
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Türkiye |
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United Arab Emirates |
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This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen.
