UK immigration schemes for Afghan nationals

Two immigration routes specifically cater for people affected by the situation in Afghanistan: the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme and the Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy. A combined total of around 27,000 people had arrived under these schemes by the end of March 2024.

People who are ineligible for those schemes and whose circumstances don’t warrant an application for leave outside the rules must apply under one of the general UK visa routes to be able to come to the UK, for example as a worker, student or family member of someone settled here. There are no functioning UK visa application centres in Afghanistan. Afghans can apply in a neighbouring country if they judge it is safe to travel and can obtain the necessary travel documents and permissions to enter the country.

Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS)

The Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS) was launched in January 2022 with the aim of resettling up to 20,000 people in the UK over the following few years. Around 11,500 people had arrived under the scheme up to 31 March 2024.

Eligible cases are identified through one of three referral pathways. Each pathway has distinct eligibility criteria and processes.

• Pathway 1 is being used to grant long term immigration status to people identified for evacuation in summer 2021. It also provides a route for their close family members to join them in the UK. By 31 March 2024, 9,703 people had arrived in the UK and been recorded under pathway 1. 
• Pathway 2 is for Afghan refugees in neighbouring countries who are referred by the UN Refugee Agency. 663 refugees had been resettled in the UK under the route by 31 March 2024.
• Pathway 3 is for certain at-risk groups currently in Afghanistan or neighbouring countries (Garda World and British Council contractors and Chevening alumni). 1,207 people had arrived under pathway 3 by the end of March 2024. 

ARAP scheme for former HM Government employees

Some Afghan civilians (and family members) who were previously employed by the British government and fear reprisals from the Taliban may be eligible for relocation in the UK.

The Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) is open to any current or former staff employed by HM Government in Afghanistan since 2001 who are assessed to be at serious risk of threat to life. Eligibility is regardless of employment status, rank or role, or length of time served. The scheme is open-ended and there is no limit on the number of people eligible.

15,592 individuals had been relocated to the UK under the ARAP scheme by the end of March 2024. The Ministry of Defence has around 1,700 longstanding complex applicattions under consideration. It is also reviewing around 2,000 ineligibility decisions relating to former members of Afghan speciaist units.

Topical issues and calls for policy change

Issues raised in the last Parliament about the effectiveness of the UK’s immigration provisions for Afghans include:

• The narrow scope of the schemes and Afghans’ continued use of other immigration routes including asylum.
• The slow pace of ARAP decision-making and reviews.
• The low number of arrivals under ACRS pathway 2 and 3 and continued uncertainty over the future  scope and timetable for these routes.
• Practical and procedural obstacles to applying to the Afghan schemes or other visa routes, and the absence of automatic flexibility for Afghans such as over the requirement to attend a visa application centre and the level of supporting evidence required.
• Reception arrangements for newly-arriving Afghans, particularly difficulties finding suitable long term accommodation for them in the UK.