Here you can find the latest updates on the Kabul Airlift’s activities and our appeals to the German government. Together with other organizations, we previously helped launch the federal admission program—today, we continue to advocate for the humanitarian admission of Afghans, efficient implementation of admission procedures, and access to legal rights throughout these processes.
Since the Taliban’s takeover in 2021, the humanitarian and human rights situation in Afghanistan has drastically deteriorated. Particularly women* and minorities suffer under the brutal rule that has largely stripped
On the occasion of the inauguration of the new federal government, we, as part of a broad civil society alliance, demand a responsible migration and asylum policy and a new
Before 2021, pluralistically oriented forces had tried to shape a democratic Afghan state that granted equal rights to all people in the country. Many people had worked together with German
We often receive feedback indicating that many people aren’t entirely sure what we actually do—some even believe our work is already complete. If only that were true! Perhaps our name, “Kabul Airlift,” is somewhat misleading. In fact, most of our evacuations occur by minibus, not by airplane. We have only sent a charter plane to Kabul three times—primarily to prove that it was possible, despite vehement denials by the German government at the time.
Here we explain what our daily work entails and how we concretely support people seeking protection.
Our operations team thoroughly prepares individuals seeking protection for their departure. They receive all essential information for a safe evacuation—from necessary documents to behavioral guidelines during the escape. Most evacuees sell all their belongings, as returning under Taliban rule is not an option for them.
In the past, the Kabul Airlift has evacuated people seeking protection to both Iran and Pakistan. Since June 2023, however, we have primarily focused on evacuations to Pakistan, as humanitarian visa applications for Germany are now only processed through the German embassy in Islamabad.
To date, we are the only NGO evacuating single women and minors safely out of Afghanistan.
After crossing the border, individuals seeking protection switch to buses provided by a Pakistani company, which manages the onward journey.
Islamabad, the capital city of Pakistan, is located approximately 250 kilometers away, and the trip takes an additional four hours.
Only after completing this final leg of their journey can evacuees experience a measure of safety for the first time.
In Islamabad, evacuees with a provisional admission approval for Germany are accommodated in guesthouses run by GIZ, where they wait for their appointment at the German embassy. Since the visa process involves security interviews and thorough background checks, the stay can last several months or even years. For other types of visas—such as family reunification, skilled worker, or student visas—those seeking protection must arrange their own accommodation. The Kabul Luftbrücke assists in finding housing and provides information on legal stay options in Pakistan.
Even after their arrival, our ground operations team continues to support the evacuees. We provide information on visa extensions to prevent deportation and are frequently contacted in emergency situations.
Once evacuees receive their humanitarian visa from the German embassy, they can proceed with their journey to Germany. They are informed about their departure, receive their passports back, and undergo a medical examination before leaving.
The flight from Pakistan to Germany is organized by GIZ, so there are no costs for the evacuees.
Applicants with other types of visas must cover the cost of their travel to Germany themselves.
Although the German government now carries out evacuations itself, we continue our work—because leaving for a neighboring country is often far more complicated than German bureaucracy accounts for. We support particularly vulnerable individuals and families who have been separated by complex procedures. In addition, single women are only allowed to leave Afghanistan if accompanied by a male guardian—a barrier we help them overcome through our support.
In Islamabad, we assist people seeking protection who are unable to continue their journey due to bureaucratic hurdles. Particularly affected are those stuck in family reunification procedures or waiting for their hardship applications to be processed—often leaving them stranded in Pakistan for months or even years.
We have chosen to use donations responsibly, which is why we have decided against renting office space—we operate a virtual headquarters where all efforts come together. Our ground operators report daily to the headquarters about the current situation on the ground in Afghanistan and Pakistan. It is only through these valuable connections that we are able to continue our work.
Our case managers also handle individual cases, working to find solutions for many people and families who have been left behind.
Since the Taliban takeover in August 2021, we have received daily cries for help from people in immediate danger. The German government’s admission lists were opened for about two weeks at that time—access was arbitrary, and the lists were closed at the end of August 2021.
To continue helping those in need, we have, since February 2022, secured additional admissions through individual case applications handled by our cases team. Although there has been an official program since mid-October 2023, it hardly meets the actual need.
That’s why we continue to advocate politically for transparent and public points of contact, the ability to submit individual applications, and a reform of the local staff procedure.
At present, we are so overwhelmed that we are unable to take on any new cases.
People seeking protection from Afghanistan come from all walks of life—including teachers, journalists, students, judges, artists, climate activists, athletes, LGBTQI+ individuals, and many more. Countless others remain on our lists, still trapped in Afghanistan. Some of those who made it out with the help of the Kabul Airlift are now in Germany and are sharing their stories.
We are a family of five and have been living in Germany since July 13, 2022. Leaving our country was emotionally and mentally exhausting, especially because we were fleeing for our lives. Without empathy and support, it would hardly have been possible.
During our escape from Afghanistan to Islamabad, we met the team from the Kabul Airlift. Their humanity gave us courage and hope. We were warmly welcomed in Germany as well, receiving food, supplies, and toys for our children.
Today, I’m learning German, my children go to school and play football—each of us has our own dreams. Inspired by the support of the Kabul Airlift, I hope to work in the field of migration in the future to help others with empathy.
Fatemeh, 28 years old
In Germany since July 2022
What is peace? When you grow up in a country that has been at war for decades, it’s hard to find an answer to that question. Ali Mazlomyar was 12 years old when he first started thinking about it. At that time, activists introduced him to the concept of peace. Soon after, he became a peace activist himself in his war-torn homeland.
In Kabul in 2018, he and his friends wore burqas for a few hours to demonstrate how uncomfortable and exhausting this garment is for women. Photos of the event spread across the world—and led to death threats from the Taliban against the activists. Today, Ali lives in Stuttgart, Germany, with his wife Marsiah. They barely escaped the Taliban. Alex Bühler tells their story and shares the new challenges they face in Germany.
The article from the Stuttgarter Zeitung is available online. Link to the article
I’m five and a half, and I love cookies! I could eat them all day, but my mom always cooks vegetables. Two years ago, I baked cookies for the first time with Grandma and Grandpa in Osnabrück. They showed me how to shape stars and pour chocolate over the cookies. My little brother and I did a lot of tasting and made awesome cookies. I even got to lick the bowl—it was so tasty!
That day was one of my favorites in Germany. We were still new here, and I was often sad. We had to leave Afghanistan quickly and couldn’t take much with us. What I miss most are my cousins who weren’t allowed to come. When I see them again, I’ll bake cookies with them at Grandma and Grandpa’s.
Grandma and Grandpa aren’t my real grandparents, but they’ve helped my family a lot here. They’re as kind as my grandma and grandpa in Afghanistan.
Uzair, 5 years old
In Germany since September 2021
After one year in Germany, I received a recommendation to attend grammar school – thanks to my best friend from the shelter. She’s Afghan too and very strict. We studied together every day, and whenever I made a small mistake, I had to repeat it a hundred times. Suddenly, I was speaking German—even difficult words like Schienenersatzverkehr (rail replacement service).
I have four older, smart sisters. Bahara goes to grammar school with me and wants to become a doctor. Mahnour was a Taekwondo champion in Kabul and trains at the gym here every day. In Kabul, our future would have been over: girls aren’t allowed to attend school after sixth grade, and a relative wanted to marry my 15-year-old sister because she “had no future left.” I don’t even want to imagine what would have become of us.
But sometimes I’m also surprised by Germany: why do German students complain so much? Yesterday, a girl at school said something awful to me—I was shocked. No, don’t ask what it was. After all, you don’t need to know every German word. That goes for you, too.
Hadia, 13 years old
At the beginning of summer, my children’s kindergarten invited us to a summer festival. I was excited to spend a lovely day outdoors with my sons.
In the afternoon, we went to a nearby park with the teachers, parents, and all the children. Many brought picnic blankets—I didn’t, but it didn’t matter because my boys played all day anyway. There were lots of delicious foods, fruits, and sweets. I was especially happy that they even considered providing halal food.
The atmosphere was relaxed and warm: music was playing, some kids played soccer, others lined up for face painting. I even got to paint my sons’ faces myself—Spiderman and Hulk. It was a real challenge, but my kids were thrilled. It was a wonderful day and a beautiful memory for us.
Maryam, 30 years old
In Germany since November 2021
My name is Yalda Sadaat. I came to Germany with my family in October 2021. I found the Lantern Festival particularly fascinating because we don’t have anything like it in our culture. It was a new experience for me and my two sons to make a lantern. The kindergarten invited us to create lanterns together with other families. Although I didn’t know how to do it at first, I learned by watching the other parents.
The next evening, we walked together through the church and park, singing along the way. It was the first time I had ever sung in public—a strange but liberating feeling I hadn’t experienced in my 33 years of life. Afterwards, there was food, drinks, and warm conversations at the kindergarten. My son Zubair still sings the lantern song every single day.
“I walk with my lantern, I walk with my lantern, and my lantern walks with me.”
Yalda, 33 years old
In Germany since October 2021
My name is Mansour Haidari, and I’ve been living in Germany since November 2021. After the collapse of the government in Afghanistan, Kabul Airlift helped us when my family and I had lost all hope.
Starting over in Germany was challenging, but my new friends supported me immensely—with housing, language, and education. As a newcomer, I found some things funny—like how people here wait at a red traffic light even when there’s no car in sight, or the German word “Jein” (yes and no at the same time).
I now live in Berlin and have completed my B2 language course after 1.5 years. Soon I’ll begin my training to become a hotel manager. Thanks to my six years of experience in the hotel industry, I can complete the training in just eight months instead of the usual three and a half years. In my spare time, I also volunteer with Kabul Airlift, which helped my family and hundreds of other Afghans.
What has happened—and is still happening—in Afghanistan remains a nightmare for me. I deeply hope that one day, my people will live in peace. Germany has become my second home, and I’m grateful to everyone who helped make that possible.
Mansour, 29 years old
In Germany since November 2021
Do I like it in Germany? Yes and No.
All my life, I heard that Germans are organized and punctual, while Afghanistan is chaotic. But of all people, you invent the word “Jein”—yes and no at the same time. Hope for mutual understanding between peoples? Inshallah.
I miss Afghanistan deeply—my friends, the nature, the sense of familiarity. I didn’t just lose my homeland, I lost a part of myself. In Afghanistan, I was a rebel: I climbed rooftops and mountains, despite war and terror. As a woman, I had to fight twice as hard—against conservative norms and for my freedom. Strangely, in Afghanistan I had almost no rights but felt empowered; here, I’m free, but feel uncertain.
Was it all necessary? Do you really have to risk your life just to be able to climb or go to school? Women in Germany often don’t realize how good they have it—just having rights, just being valued. The chaos in my head still needs time to settle, but when I see my parents sitting on the park bench in front of our apartment in the evening, I feel peace.
Shogufa, 24 years old – Photo: private
In Germany since winter 2021 – Mountaineer and entertainer
Two years ago, Mariam faced the hardest decision of her life: the Afghan women’s rights activist had the chance to flee to Germany. But a life in safety meant leaving her younger sister Saliha behind in Kabul. Since their mother’s death, the sisters had hardly spent a day apart. They were part of Afghanistan’s first all-female mountaineering team, advocated for women’s rights, and were active in Kabul’s arts scene. Separation was unimaginable. Still, Saliha urged her sister to go.
“I almost broke apart,” Saliha says today. For Mariam, the separation “felt like a part of me died.”
With the help of Kabul Airlift, Saliha managed to leave Afghanistan. After weeks of fleeing, fear, and uncertainty, she landed in Berlin last Monday. When Mariam and Saliha reunited at the airport, they held each other for minutes without letting go.
“I finally feel peace again,” says Saliha.
Aqsa, Yusuf, Hamza, and Marcia arrived in Frankfurt in October 2021 with the help of Kabul Airlift. Although they are German citizens, they were only able to leave the country thanks to Kabul Airlift—because the German government is doing far too little to evacuate even its own citizens, let alone the many at-risk individuals who don’t have the privilege of a German passport and are even more neglected by the German authorities.
As different as Germany and Afghanistan may be, our countries share one thing: when we walk down the street, people look at us like we’re from another planet. When we rode our bikes through Kabul in cycling shorts, we were met with whistles. But how else are you supposed to mountain bike? In Germany, even at weddings, our brightly embroidered dresses still turn heads. We dream of more diversity, more color, more flow in the hem—because the world is gray enough already. The Taliban stormed Afghanistan, and right now, it’s raining in Frankfurt too.
There is so much beauty in the world. We want to discover it and share it. People say: walk a mile in my shoes to understand me. We say: dance a round in our dresses! In Germany, you can wear whatever you want, but jeans and a T-shirt all the time? That gets boring. The Taliban want women to be invisible, but Afghan culture is full of color. We want to be seen—ideally, together with you. Your culture has so much to offer too—ballerinas, for example, wow! When we started our label, we knew we wanted to blend our fabrics with European cuts. Our dream? Hollywood stars wearing our designs on the red carpet—or Angela Merkel in an Afghan pantsuit.
Zahra, 19, and Manizha, 23 years old
In Germany for one year
Hi, I’m Sonia Is-haqzada, a world traveler by accident. I thought moving to Germany would be the biggest surprise of my life. Spoiler: it wasn’t.
After a month of “Guten Tag” practice in Germany, I found out I was pregnant with my third child. I already had two boys—this time, I secretly wished for a little princess to complete the team.
The day of the birth brought another surprise: in Afghanistan, men in the delivery room are about as likely as flying penguins. But in Germany, my husband was suddenly sitting front row with a VIP ticket, watching the drama unfold like a snowman in a sauna. For him, the birth was like a Netflix thriller—drama, pain, minus the popcorn. After two births, I thought I was a pro. Nope! Giving birth isn’t a magic show—it’s a pain marathon.
Afterward, my husband had his “aha moment”: “No more kids! Three is enough, I can’t bear your pain anymore.” As if he speed-read the parenting manual and decided, “Okay, I’ve seen enough.”
Sonia, 31 years old
In Germany since January 2022
My name is Razia, and I come from beautiful Bamyan in Afghanistan. When I received a scholarship offer from the University of Bremen, it brought immense joy—to me and to my family. My journey took me through Iran, Qatar, and Turkey before I finally arrived in Germany, without knowing a word of German. At first, I communicated in English and with gestures; now I understand a lot, but speaking fluently is still my goal.
One thing that really surprised me was that everything is closed on Sundays—and, of course, the roads: sidewalks, bike paths, car lanes, and trams, which I often found myself running after. In the beginning, life was hard, but now I’ve found my rhythm: language exercises in the morning, German class in the afternoon, university studies in the evening. On weekends, I meet friends from different countries to cook and share meals together. In 2024, I plan to begin my Master’s in Artificial Intelligence.
Razia, 27 years old
In Germany since May 2023
Nickname Sultanfar, from Ghazni, Afghanistan. Moving to Kabul was a turning point in my life: at a private school, I discovered my love for psychology. Later, while studying law at Kabul University, I passionately advocated for women’s rights. Through social and media activities, I worked to educate women about their rights and aimed to bring change to Afghan society.
With the return of the Taliban, I lost all my freedoms and had to stop my activities. Still, my goals remained clear: to become Minister for Women’s Affairs, join the Afghan parliament, and write inspiring books.
I reached out to international heads of state and published articles for International Women’s Day, but received little response. I continued actively fighting for women’s rights through the Afghanistan Movement for Justice and Freedom.
For the past six months, I have been living in Germany with a scholarship from the University of Bremen. Here, I have regained my freedom and fundamental rights, am learning German, and continue my path with determination.
Thanks to the Here AHEAD Academy and the Kabul Airlift for their support.
Nazdana also known as Sultanfar, 22 years old
In Germany since June 2023
Mohammad Mohseni, a former pharmacist and journalist from Afghanistan, now lives in Berlin with his family, having found refuge there after the fall of Kabul. In Germany, the eight-member family finally enjoys peace, freedom, and new opportunities—Mohammad is especially happy that his four daughters now have the same rights and opportunities as his four sons.
Mustafa (14) impresses with his guitar playing and football talent and has already performed publicly four times. His sister Hussnia (13) stands out as a passionate footballer and talented violinist. Both siblings harmoniously combine their hobbies and daily life with Islamic and Quranic studies, which the family practices together four times a week.
Mohammad Alim Mohseni, 45 years old
In Germany since August 2021
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 risk their admission process (Federal Admission Program).
At Kabul Luftbrücke, we are doing everything we can to support those still in danger. From the very beginning, our teams in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Germany have worked daily to find safe and legal ways out of the country. We regularly evacuate people at risk—particularly single women and minors.
Currently, we can only evacuate individuals who have received a written admission approval from the German government or hold a valid German residence permit. Who receives such approval is decided solely by the German government—we have no influence over that process.
Primarily, this is the responsibility of the German government. At the moment, we can only evacuate a limited number of people who have a written admission approval from the German government, are German citizens, or hold a valid German residence permit. Unfortunately, obtaining such approval on short notice is currently very difficult, as there is a lack of political will within the government. We advocate politically for more people to receive admission approvals, but we are not able to secure them ourselves in individual cases.
Even if we are currently unable to evacuate you or those you support, please feel free to share your case with us via email at cases@kabulluftbruecke.de. We will inform and advise you as best we can within our capabilities. However, please note:
– We may not be able to respond to all inquiries promptly,
– We do not decide who receives admission approvals, and
– We have no influence over official decisions made by authorities.
We kindly ask that you refrain from sending repeated or one-sided follow-up inquiries, as these only delay our work and do not speed up the process.
This depends on the group to which the person belongs:
German citizens and holders of a German residence permit:
They do not need an admission approval. They can be evacuated by us, book a flight themselves, and contact the German Foreign Office or the German embassies in Tehran, Islamabad, or elsewhere directly.
Former local staff of German organizations:
The (former) employing organization can theoretically obtain an admission approval through the Federal Ministry of the Interior. Due to the high volume of requests, however, the current waiting time is several weeks.
Spouses, children, and parents of people living in Germany:
An admission approval may be granted under the family reunification process via the IOM:
https://germany.iom.int/de/familienzusammenfuehrung.
However, this process also runs through the Federal Ministry of the Interior, so a waiting time of several weeks is to be expected.
Other particularly vulnerable individuals:
The current Federal Admission Program, which started in October 2023, was intended to continue until the end of the legislative period. Due to the collapse of the governing coalition, it is now being renegotiated as to whether and in what form the program will continue. For more information and the current status, see [here].
We have been advocating at the political level for the continuation of this program since it was suspended in September 2024, as around 17,000 people are still in the process and have received neither approval nor rejection.
Other people seeking protection without specific vulnerability:
There is no government admission program for this group, but other organizations may still be able to help. Additionally, other types of visas may be considered for departure.
We ask ourselves the same question—but instead of waiting for an answer, we’ve already started taking action. We do work in cooperation with the responsible government agencies. However, a lack of political will and the highly bureaucratic processes of the German system prevent the kind of flexibility that, evidently, we are more able to provide.
Unless a specific purpose is stated, we use all donations to evacuate people at risk from Afghanistan and to support those seeking protection in Pakistan—so they are not deported back to Afghanistan.
In Pakistan, we provide on-the-ground assistance, especially to single women and minors who fall through the cracks of the German government’s system. Within our means, we fund accommodation, basic necessities, medical care, education, and legal support—particularly in hardship cases or when admission approvals are withdrawn.
If direct support in this form is no longer possible at some point, we will continue to use donations purposefully for humanitarian aid and for people seeking protection on the move. Our goal remains to help those in need as effectively as possible.
