Immigration
Entry law overtaken by conflict, with Yemen a country of refuge and exodus
The 1991 Entry and Residence Law remains nominally in force. In practice entry is controlled separately by the authorities holding each airport and port.
Key rules
- Jurisdiction — Immigration, Passports and Naturalisation Authority, operating separately in each control area.
- Deadline — Residence permits nominally valid 1 year and renewable
Governing law
- Law 47 of 1991 on Entry and Residence of Foreigners
- Nationality Law 6 of 1990
In practice
Sanaa airport has operated under severe restriction since 2016 and access to the country is controlled by whichever authority holds the relevant airport or port, so the statutory visa framework describes very little of what actually determines entry. Yemen simultaneously hosts a substantial refugee and migrant population, largely Somali and Ethiopian arriving across the Gulf of Aden, and has produced over four million internally displaced people. Yemen is a party to the 1951 Refugee Convention, which is unusual in the region, and Somalis have historically received prima facie recognition. This entry is research because the operative position changes with territorial control.