About Ireland visa for Afghan citizens.
For Afghan residents in Ireland, a new scheme permits them to seek temporary residency for specific family members who are attempting to flee the Taliban. This program is expected to start this week.
The Irish Department of Justice has confirmed that applications for the Afghan Admission Program will be accepted beginning Thursday. Eight weeks after the application deadline, on February 10, 2022, the program will close.
There are 500 open seats under this plan, which was launched in September. Afghan residents who are lawfully residing in Ireland before September 1, 2021, are eligible to nominate up to four members of their families under this scheme. It makes no difference if such relatives are still in Afghanistan or in one of the surrounding nations, such as Pakistan, Iran, or Turkmenistan.
This system includes spouses, de facto partners, civil partners, minor children, and adult children who are single and have no dependents, according to the Department of Justice. Other suitable individuals may include the applicant’s grandfather, a relevant kid without a parent, or another single vulnerable individual with no other supports.
Minister for Justice Helen McEntee stated that while reviewing petitions, they will priorities the vulnerable and those whose safety and freedom are in jeopardy. Older adults, children, single women, girls, single female parents, and persons with impairments, according to him, fall into this group. Those who are at danger because of their former job would also be prioritized, he said.
The Minister of Justice stated that she was aware of the difficulties Afghans were experiencing as a result of the prior government’s collapse and Taliban control.
She also expressed her awareness of the problems that the Afghan population in Ireland was experiencing as a result of the former Afghan government’s collapse.
The Afghans residing in Ireland were commended for their patience as the Department of Justice worked out the intricacies of the scheme, according to James Browne, Minister of State at the Department of Justice. He stated that their goal is to ensure that applications are processed quickly and that criteria have been created on this basis. He went on to say that he is looking forward to welcoming Afghan family members to Ireland through this plan in the near future.
About Irish Immigration Visa:
announced date: December 16, 2021.
deadline: February 10, 2022.
the number of seats: 500.
Host Country: Ireland.
Calls on Expanding Scheme
The Irish Refugee Council Executive, Nick Henderson, expressed his enthusiasm at the announcement, but also expressed some reservations about the plans. He expressed worry that, based on the goals of the program that they and other organizations have received from the sponsors, 500 slots are now too few. He also advocated for a four-grantee limit per home… to allow for flexibility in application in order to maintain family unity.
In light of the difficulties Afghans are now experiencing in obtaining travel and ID papers, Mr. Henderson stated that it will be critical to implement the program in such a way that recipients will be able to get Irish travel documents even if a passport is not available.
The Immigration Council praised the scheme’s news as well, citing the hundreds of inquiries it has received from worried Afghans in Ireland since August.
Brian Killoran, the program’s Chief Executive Officer, has petitioned the Department of Justice to extend it beyond 500 spots. He further requested that the qualifying requirements be expanded to include additional family members, such as siblings and other extended relatives, in accordance with Afghan cultural norms. Mr. Killoran continued, “They’re also voicing their worries about other migrant rights groups currently in the midst of the issues for Afghan persons who not only need access to their ID cards but also need to transfer those documents securely to Ireland.”
How to Apply and receive the Application form:
On the above-mentioned opening date, the application form and other guidelines will be available on the Irish Immigration website (16 December 2022).
