Afghan Admission Programme To Open With 500 Places Available

The programme will open on December 16 for eight weeks.

The opening of the Afghan Admission Programme has been announced and will open for applications on 16 December for eight weeks.

There will be up to 500 places available on the Programme.

The programme is open to current or former Afghan nationals living in Ireland, who can apply for temporary residence for four close family members.

It will prioritise the most vulnerable including: older people, children, women and girls and people with disabilities.

The Government has said it is a key response to the evolving humanitarian situation in Afghanistan. 

Minister Helen McEntee said:“ I am very conscious of the plight faced by the Afghan people following the collapse of the former Afghan government and the takeover by the Taliban.”

 “A reversal of human rights, increased violence and fear of reprisals has led to a large number of displaced people seeking help.

"Understandably, it has also been a very worrying time for the Afghan community living in Ireland as they fear for the safety of their family members in Afghanistan or displaced to neighbouring countries.”

The Programme is part of a co-ordinated 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, an additional 500 places have been made available through the Irish Refugee Protection Programme for refugees from Afghanistan since 31 August 2021. The Department of Justice has provided the visa waivers to facilitate their travel to Ireland.

The Department has also provided assistance to Afghan nationals through the statutory family reunification provisions.

The Afghan Admission Programme is guided by the previous Syrian Humanitarian Assistance Programme (SHAP) and the IRPP Humanitarian Assistance Programme (IHAP) schemes.

The Programme will open for applications on 16 December 2021 and applications will be accepted for a period of 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.

Chief Executive of Irish Refugee Council, Nick Henderson, discussed the news on Tuesday afternoon's 'Kildare Focus':