Our Commitment to People Seeking Protection from Afghanistan
Since August 2021, Kabul Luftbrücke has helped over 4,000 people safely leave Afghanistan. However, more than 10,000 people are still waiting for their promised admission to Germany. According to the German government, they cannot leave Afghanistan until they receive this approval—leaving early would put their admission process at risk.
At Kabul Airlift, we are doing everything we can to support those who are still in danger. From the very beginning, we have been working daily with our partners in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Germany to find safe and legal pathways out of the country. We regularly evacuate people at risk—especially single women and minors.
Currently, we can only evacuate individuals who either have a written admission approval from the German government or hold a valid German residence permit. The decision about who receives such approval is made exclusively by the German government—we have no influence over it.
Requirements
At present, we can only evacuate individuals who are already part of the German government’s admission procedures. This includes people who have received admission approvals under:
§ 22 Paragraph 2 of the Residence Act (bridging program, human rights list, or local staff program), or § 23 Paragraph 2 of the Residence Act (Federal Admission Program).
For those involved in other visa procedures, we offer advisory support. Especially vulnerable groups—such as single women and minors—cannot travel alone, which is why our focus is on ensuring their safe departure.
Preparing for Departure
A safe and legal departure is essential for further travel to Germany or other Western countries. At Kabul Airlift, we support individuals in gathering all necessary travel documents and visas to ensure a secure and smooth journey.
Safe Departure
To ensure the safety of all people seeking protection, we strictly adhere to the regulations of the Pakistani government and Afghan authorities.
Since June 2023, all humanitarian visas for Afghans have been processed through the German Embassy in Islamabad, Pakistan. For everyone’s safety, security interviews were introduced, and the embassy team was significantly expanded. For this reason, we have shifted our focus to departures from Afghanistan via Pakistan, in order to provide support to as many people as possible.
We assist people seeking protection already in Pakistan with preparing for their move to Germany. Many remain there for months or even years. In Islamabad, we support especially vulnerable individuals, help facilitate school attendance and German language courses—to improve their chances of integrating successfully in Germany.
Our team in Pakistan provides on-the-ground support and informs people seeking protection about the necessary steps for a legal stay.
Important arrangements must be made immediately upon arrival to prevent deportation back to Afghanistan. These include: Registering with the police, and Applying for visa extensions in a timely manner.
