Government offices throughout the Middle East, North Africa and parts of Asia will be closed in observance of Eid-al-Fitr. In most of the world, Eid-al-Fitr is expected to be observed between July 28 and August 1, though the exact dates will vary by country depending on lunar sightings.
Immigration offices in Turkey will be closed July 28 – 30 and application processing is not expected to start again until August 4. Similar closures are expected in Bahrain, Egypt, Kuwait, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates. Government offices in Saudi Arabia are expected to stay closed further into August. The Malaysian Immigration Department (MID) headquarters closed on July 21 and will stay closed until August 8; application processing will not start again until August 11.
What This Means for Employers and Foreign Nationals
Employers and foreign nationals should be aware that immigration processing delays are likely in the weeks after Eid-al-Fitr, due to application backlogs that accumulate during this period.
