Immigration changes in Nigeria and Egypt

Africa’s largest economy is slowly coming out of its worst recession in 30 years, and the Nigerian government continues to modernize its employment-based immigration system in an effort to attract international business. Earlier this year, Nigeria finally adopted the administrative regulations to implement its Immigration Act of 2015, which was the country’s first significant amendment of their immigration law in over 50 years. This year, the Immigration Regulations 2017 made broad changes to the full spectrum of business visas, visas-on-arrival, work and residence permits, entry procedures, identification and registration rules, and administrative processes.

EGYPT | Visa-Free Privileges Suspended for Qatari Citizens, and Updated List of Foreign Nationals Required to Register In-Country Within Seven-Days of Entry
Effective July 20, the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs began denying visa-free entry to Qatari citizens. This is the latest salvo in the ongoing diplomatic and trade war by 16 Middle Eastern countries against the nation of Qatar. Egyptian officials have publicly indicated that exemptions to the visa-free suspension will be considered on a case-by-case basis for Qatari nationals with Egyptian spouses or mothers; however, it is unclear thus far how applicants would exercise that option.

While Qatari nationals are still eligible to apply for visas to enter Egypt, these applications have been subject to heightened scrutiny and high rates of rejection even prior to the current escalated tensions. With the Egyptian diplomatic missions in Qatar having been withdrawn in June, applications will likely need to be lodged at the Egyptian diplomatic posts in Kuwait or Oman, which have thus far elected to remain neutral in the current dispute. Even clearing that hurdle, applications by Qatari citizens will still face greater rejection levels absent close connections to individuals or companies in Egypt.

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