Visa issuance, residency, and work permit procedures are expected to experience a significant slowdown in 26 countries across the Middle East, North Africa, and parts of Asia during Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr 2026. This proactive alert aims to inform travelers, foreign workers, and employers that processing deadlines in March 2026 will be affected by reduced official working hours and long holidays associated with these religious occasions.
The importance of this news lies in the necessity of early planning to avoid any disruptions to study or professional plans, as a decrease in the pace of consular and administrative work typically leads to an accumulation of pending applications. This report will provide precise details on the expected work schedules in the affected countries, clarifying critical periods when electronic systems and in-person services may completely cease operations.
The anticipated timeline for 2026 indicates that Ramadan will begin approximately on February 18 or 19 and end around March 19 or 20, followed by Eid al-Fitr, which is expected to last from March 19 to 21, depending on the moon sighting. The last week of Ramadan and the Eid period are considered the most affected phases, as government institutions close their doors for several consecutive days.
Below are the expected work details and schedules in the key affected countries:
- Morocco: Working hours will be from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM, with a complete closure expected for Eid between March 20 and 23, 2026.
- United Arab Emirates: Reduced working hours from 9:00 AM to 2:30 PM, with a potential suspension of work permit processing around March 19.
- Saudi Arabia: Official working hours from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM, with a complete suspension of government services during the Eid holiday between March 20 and 24.
- Egypt: Limited working hours from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM, which may double residency application processing times.
- Algeria: Approvals and document stamping are expected to be suspended during the estimated Eid holiday between March 20 and 23.
- Qatar: Government offices will close for an extended period starting approximately from March 18 until March 24.
- Turkey: No major Ramadan-related closures are currently expected, but early application is recommended to avoid any seasonal pressure.
The reasons for this slowdown are due to several technical and administrative factors, most notably a reduction in available staff for in-person services, the closure of some online application systems during early hours, and consular offices focusing only on emergency cases. This impact directly affects work visas, residency renewals, document authentication, and the issuance of identity cards for foreigners. Therefore, it is strongly advised to submit applications before the end of February to avoid entering the long waiting queue that typically forms in the second half of March.
In conclusion, it is clear that any delay in submitting applications during March 2026 may lead to a postponement of travel for several weeks. Therefore, employers and those seeking employment abroad should review the expiry dates of their documents now and take immediate action. The effective deadline to avoid disruption is the first week of March, after which most administrations will enter a "peak phase" followed by complete closure for Eid al-Fitr. It is always recommended to monitor official updates from each embassy or consulate individually to ensure the most accurate information regarding schedules.
Source: Fragomen International Immigration Agency (Fragomen Intelligence)