Summary
Afghan citizens who worked on behalf of the United Kingdom (UK) government in Afghanistan may be eligible for help from the UK government. Benefits can include:
- Financial help: 18 months of salary
- Training/education: up to five years in an accredited Afghanistan-based institution and a salary during the education; or
- Relocation: a UK visa or relocation within Afghanistan.
Follow the checklist below to determine if you are eligible for any of these programs.
Path I: “Ex Gratia” eligibility
You are eligible for assistance from the UK government if you:
- Are an Afghan citizen.
- Are 18 years or older.
- Worked for at least 12 months for
- The UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) OR
- The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) (or previously the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCD)) OR
- The Department for International Development (DFID).
- Were made “redundant” (no longer employed) on or after:
- If you want to receive financial and training offers: December 19, 2012
- If you want to receive a relocation offer: May 1, 2006.
- Are currently in Afghanistan.
- This is ordinarily required, but if you are outside the country, contact an attorney to see if this applies to you. A list of private attorneys is available here.
If these statements all apply to you, you should be eligible for UK government help. You must choose the kind of help that you want.
In addition, if you worked in Helmand Province for 12 continuous months, you may be eligible for the UK Relocation Offer.
Before submitting a request, make sure:
- You can prove the following information through documents:
- Identity document (taskera, passport) numbers.
- Names and dates of birth of your dependents.
- Dates of employment with the UK government.
- Precise location of employment.
- You have read information about the program.
If you have checked off these boxes, call the UK Ministry of Defense office in Kabul at 93799726321. The UK will attempt to verify your work information. Try calling several times over several days at different points in the day.
If you still cannot reach the person by phone, email LocalStaff-Afghanistan@mod.gov.uk and tell them:
- Your name
- Your contact information
- Your dates of employment
- All identifying information about your work—the employing department and staff number
- That you believe you qualify for the Ex Gratia Scheme
Note that this scheme will close on November 30, 2022 and the Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy (ARAP) will be the only path for relocation to the UK.
Path II: Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy (ARAP):
This policy replaced the “Intimidation” scheme, which ran until March 21, 2021. It will replace the “Ex Gratia” scheme, which will close on November 20, 2022.
Under ARAP, you may be able to relocate to the UK if you are:
- A current or former locally employed staff, and
- Your current employment status, rank or role in your work, and length of time served does not matter.
- At a serious risk of threat of life in Afghanistan.
If you qualify for relocation, you will be able to bring your immediate family members, including children with you to the UK.
ARAP has different channels for relocation. ARAP can fast track priority cases in some situations.
To apply, call the Afghan Threat and Risk Evaluation Unit (ATREU) in Kabul on 0093 (0) 792 907 303 or email them at LocalStaff-Afghanistan@mod.gov.uk. You should be ready with evidence of threats and your employment with the UK government.
If you do not wish to relocate to the UK or you are not eligible for relocation, you may be offered other kinds of support. This support could include security advice and relocation within Afghanistan.