The Department of Justice has confirmed that the Afghan Admission Programme will open for applications on Thursday 16 December 2021.
Up to 500 places will be available on the Programme for current or former Afghan nationals living legally in Ireland.
Eligible candidates can apply for temporary residence for four close family members, who are living in Afghanistan or who have recently fled to territories bordering Afghanistan. Eligible neighbouring countries are Iran, Pakistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. The applicant must be able to maintain their nominated family members, including providing them with accommodation. They would also have responsibility for covering travel costs.
The Department of Justice stated that the Programme is part of a coordinated national response, in conjunction with the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, to the crisis in Afghanistan. As part of this response, the Government also provided 500 places through the Irish Refugee Protection Programme, for refugees from Afghanistan since 31 August 2021.
The Department of Justice indicated the new Programme was informed by experience with the previous Syrian Humanitarian Assistance Programme (SHAP) and the IRPP Humanitarian Assistance Programme (IHAP) schemes. It will be open for eight weeks until 10 February 2022. The application form and guidance material to help with completing an application will be available on the Department’s Irish Immigration website (www.irishimmigration.ie) on 16 December 2021.
For more information, see:
Department of Justice press release
EMN Ireland news story: Afghan Admission Programme approved by Government
