The International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP) provides free legal help to some refugees and displaced people.
- IRAP helps some people find services and prepare refugee and visa applications.
- IRAP is not part of any government, IOM, or UNHCR.
- IRAP cannot grant refugee status or visas or speed up cases.
- IRAP cannot provide financial help, find or pay for housing, or find jobs.
- All of IRAP’s help is free. No one affiliated with IRAP has the right to ask you for money or any other service.
IRAP decides to help people based on their need and eligibility for immigration status. IRAP does not decide to help people based on any other social or political or religious criteria.
This website provides general information about legal processes available to some refugees. It is not meant as legal advice for individual applications.
This information was revised in August 2023. Requirements may change. Always check for current requirements from the government or agency deciding your request.
The U.S. government has ended its withdrawal from Afghanistan, and the Kabul embassy is closed. It is not possible to complete processing and receive an SIV within Afghanistan. SIV applicants can either transfer their case to another U.S. embassy outside of Afghanistan, or, if they have received COM approval, wait for departure assistance.
As of January 2023, the U.S. government provides departure assistance and relocation flights to a very limited number of Afghans. The U.S. government currently requires all Afghans who receive departure assistance to have a valid passport.
The non-governmental, non-profit organization #AfghanEvac has an infographic with information about eligibility for U.S. government relocation flights here.
The U.S. government has information about eligibility for departure assistance based on family relationships here. The U.S. government has stated that they will contact eligible Afghans about departure assistance. The U.S. government’s Coordinator for Afghan Relocation Efforts (CARE) team has used the email address CARETravelData@state.gov to communicate with Afghans about departure assistance. The U.S. government’s hotline for Afghans who have already been contacted about CARE assistance is +1 833-839-0375. The U.S. government has not provided any way to affirmatively request assistance and has said that they will contact eligible Afghans. It is not clear if they will respond to requests at the email or phone line information above from Afghans who have not already been contacted by CARE. Being contacted by CARE does not mean that the U.S. government will be able to provide departure assistance to help you leave Afghanistan.
There is a very large number of Afghans who are awaiting departure assistance from the U.S. government. It is not possible to estimate whether or when the U.S. government will be able to assist all eligible Afghans to depart from Afghanistan.
IRAP is unable to provide any assistance with evacuation requests.
Travel to other countries
This page provides information about refugee status in countries around Afghanistan. IRAP cannot advise on whether to leave Afghanistan, how to leave Afghanistan, or where to go. People who are applying for visas to the U.S. can continue applications from most countries with a US embassy.
Legal Information and Resources
For information on immigration pathways that individuals may be eligible for,
please visit IRAP’s Legal Information Website and review this page of Legal Resources for Afghans.