In a written assertion made on 28 April 2026, the federal government confirmed that there will likely be modifications to the operation of the Afghan Resettlement Programme. This consists of the top of in‑nation assisted evacuation, enforcement of cut-off dates for relocation to a 3rd nation, modifications to UK lodging preparations, and the closure of sure critiques underneath the Afghan Relocations and Help Coverage.
For the reason that formal closure of the Afghan Resettlement Programme which encompasses the Afghan Relocations and Help Coverage and the Afghanistan Response Route, the federal government estimates that fewer than 9,000 eligible individuals are but to relocate to the UK. In actual fact, they’re discovering that considerably fewer candidates are eligible in any respect in contrast with earlier years. The federal government goals to make all remaining eligibility choices by spring of 2027.
Finish to in-country help for motion out of Afghanistan
Prior to twenty-eight April 2026, individuals who had been discovered eligible underneath the resettlement programme and had been dwelling in Afghanistan might request in‑nation help to depart Afghanistan. This enabled them to attend a visa software centre in a 3rd nation to enrol their biometrics. Help was primarily logistical and included journey preparations, recommendation on viable border routes, steering on the timing of journey to minimise threat, and recommendation or help from third‑social gathering organisations contracted by the Ministry of Defence concerning entry necessities for the third nation.
The written ministerial assertion confirms that folks discovered eligible underneath the programme should now discover their very own approach to a 3rd nation to attend a visa software centre. They’ll now not depend on help from the Ministry of Defence to journey out of Afghanistan.
The federal government has up to date its coverage steering to substantiate that people with a optimistic eligibility choice should take sure steps to allow the Ministry of Defence to finalise their software for entry clearance. First, they have to journey to a 3rd nation, informing the Ministry of Defence of their deliberate journey upfront. They’ll then want to offer the required info to the Ministry of Defence in order that it may possibly guide an appointment at a visa software centre on their behalf. Then they have to attend the visa software centre appointment.
The written assertion made to parliament on 28 April 2026 confirms that the choice to finish in‑nation help for motion out of Afghanistan was based mostly on elevated proof of profitable self‑strikes by eligible Afghan nationals, a reassessment of the dangers to the affected cohort and concerns of worth for cash for the taxpayer. This transformation additionally aligns relocation extra carefully with the self‑transfer coverage used underneath the Afghan Residents Resettlement Scheme.
The federal government has not disclosed its assessments of the dangers and components taken under consideration.
Eligible Afghan nationals underneath the Afghan Resettlement Programme may have demonstrated that they face a minimum of a excessive and imminent threat to their lives. With out help from the federal government, many of those people will expertise important difficulties leaving Afghanistan safely. The challenges confronted by Afghan nationals fleeing the nation are properly documented and embody the danger of being apprehended at Afghanistan’s borders by Taliban officers due to their earlier employment or alignment with the earlier authorities.
They could additionally face challenges in safely acquiring the mandatory journey paperwork, in addition to important monetary constraints. Many eligible Afghan nationals may have been dwelling in hiding and unable to work as a result of doing so would expose them to critical threat to their lives.
New cut-off dates for attending a visa software centre in a 3rd nation
As confirmed within the up to date steering, from 28 April 2026, eligible Afghan nationals and their speedy members of the family have 12 months from when they’re despatched their eligibility letter to attend a visa software centre in a 3rd nation and enrol their biometrics. Eligible further members of the family can even have 12 months from when they’re despatched their very own eligibility letter to enrol their biometrics. Then the Ministry of Defence will finalise making an software for entry clearance on their behalf.
Eligible Afghan residents and their speedy and extra members of the family who acquired their eligibility letter earlier than 28 April 2026 may have 12 months from 28 April 2026 to attend a visa software centre.
A tough backstop date of December 2028 has been launched for submission of entry clearance functions and save for distinctive circumstances, relocations underneath the coverage will finish by this date.
The introduction of cut-off dates for attending a visa software centre is evidently supposed to help the federal government in bringing relocations underneath the programme to an in depth by December 2028. Nevertheless, and notably in mild of the termination of in‑nation help, it’s unclear whether or not the 12-month deadline could be met in follow. That is particularly so given the present properly‑documented difficulties confronted by Afghan nationals in accessing visa software centres in neighbouring third international locations. This consists of Iran and Pakistan, the place there are restrictions on entry and mass deportations of Afghan nationals from these international locations.
Third nation assist
These confirmed as eligible for resettlement within the UK underneath the programme could obtain third‑nation assist whereas they’re being processed for onward relocation to the UK and have travelled to a 3rd nation to enrol their biometrics. This assist could embody lodging, meals, important gadgets (sundries), transport, medical care, and different types of help within the third nation.
The Ministry of Defence has confirmed that this third nation assist will proceed till December 2028, and that people affected by this association will likely be contacted immediately.
Transitional and settled lodging within the UK
Using the Defence Property as transitional lodging for eligible people arriving within the UK has ended, and the remaining Afghan nationals beforehand accommodated on the Defence Property are actually supported by native authorities. The federal government has dedicated to ending using ‘Service Household Lodging’ to accommodate people and their members of the family eligible underneath the programme by the top of 2028. Additionally confirmed is that the federal government is decreasing its reliance on resort lodging, and that two of the six lodges accommodating people relocated underneath the programme will shut by Might 2026.
Conclusion of critiques
The Triples Evaluate, which examined eligibility choices underneath the Afghan Relocations and Help Coverage for members of the Afghan particular forces unit (broadly generally known as the ‘Triples’), has additionally closed.
The Ex‑Gratia Medical Funds scheme assessment, which was established to reassess the instances of former domestically employed workers injured whereas working for Ministry of Defence, has additionally closed.
Abstract
These modifications mark a transparent push by the federal government to convey relocations underneath the Afghan Relocation Programme to an finish and cut back the related prices. Whether or not it may possibly meet the December 2028 deadline is unknown, nevertheless, given the dangers going through the cohort affected and the logistical challenges the modifications create. There’s additionally the necessary query about whether or not the modifications put an already weak cohort at even larger threat.
