Please note that the announcement made by the UK Prime Minister on 18 August 2021 in the House of Commons regarding the 35 Chevening Scholarship students due to start in September 2021, suggested they would be evacuated as part of the ARAP scheme.

Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP)

A scheme that offers relocation or other assistance to current and former Locally Employed Staff in Afghanistan to reflect the changing situation in Afghanistan.

The ARAP scheme launched on 01 April 2021 and remains open and operate indefinitely. The scheme will be delivered by the MOD in the new Afghan Threat and Risk Evaluation Unit (ATREU) in the British Embassy Kabul. Full details.

To follow-up on an ARAP application/related queries

email Arap.correspondence@fcdo.gov.uk where you can also send in details of urgent ARAP applications/follow up. Please be as detailed as possible with background information including:

• Forename 
• Any middle names 
• Surname 
• Date of Birth dd/mm/yyyy. E.g. 01/01/1990 
• Job title  

**Please note a dependent is defined as: a) Your spouse and b) Your children under the age of 18

Available hotlines

• British nationals or family member of a British National in Afghanistan:  +44 (0)1908 516666 and select the option ‘Consular services for British Nationals’ or email help@fco.gov.uk
• Non-British nationals: +44 (0)2475 389980

You should be prepared to provide as many details as possible including:

• your full name as printed on your travel document / identity card or passport
• your date of birth

You should also provide these details for any dependants or immediate family members you may have such as your spouse and children.

Call lines may be busy but they will answer your call as soon as they can.

If you are calling on behalf of any individual or individuals in Afghanistan please ensure you have the same details available as requested above to provide.

New resettlement route for Afghan refugees announced by the Home Office, 18 August 2021

This scheme is not yet open with further details to be announced in due course (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/afghan-citizens-resettlement-scheme).

The Home Office have published policy guidance on the resettlement scheme for Afghan refugees. The full guidance in terms of accommodation and security etc can be found here. The UK scheme will rely on the UNHCR to help to identify and process vulnerable refugees who would benefit from resettlement. Details for UNHCR Afghanistan: https://www.unhcr.org/uk/afghanistan.html

The policy states that it is accessible to refugees who have been assessed for resettlement by UNHCR against their resettlement submission categories:

• Legal and/or Physical Protection Needs;
• Survivors of Violence and/or Torture;
• Medical Needs;
• Women and Girls at Risk;
• Family Reunification;
• Children and Adolescents at Risk;
• Lack of Foreseeable Alternative Durable Solutions.
   

The Home Office state that the ambition is to resettle 5,000 Afghan refugees in the first year, with priority being given to women and girls, and religious and other minorities.

It states that the scheme will be kept under review for future years with a total of 20,000 refugees being resettled in the long term. This new route is modelled on the Syrian vulnerable persons resettlement scheme.

Latest contact information for and advice from the British Embassy Kabul: https://www.gov.uk/world/organisations/british-embassy-kabul

Other related news from IDS & UoS includes:

IDS calling on the UK Government to provide urgent support for those from Afghanistan to take up their places as students in the UK under the Chevening Scholarship

UoS statement urging the UK Government to provide support for new Chevening Scholars from Afghanistan and confirming continuing support for existing Afghan students