WHAT WE DO

CIVIL RIGHTS.

Flight from Plight was established in response to the Taliban taking power in August 2021 and particularly following the ‘not so great escape’ from Kabul Airport to:

Enable bona fide civil, women’s and human rights activists, journalists, former politicians, midwives, women air crew and others in Afghanistan targeted by the Taliban and their families, in hiding and in fear of their lives to reach safe refuge.
Facilitate safe travel to a second country.
We help those in flight to register as refugees with the UNHCR.
Work with others to find third country resettlement, accommodation, and other support.
Raise public awareness.
Raise funds to help evacuate targets in hiding to flee.
Support evacuees with transport, visa, passport, medical and accommodation costs during transition.
Understand and help ameliorate the psychological impacts upon people transitioning from a life in terror to a new life in a free society.

Register With UNHCR.

Registering as a refugee with the UNHCR once in Pakistan:

Any Afghans who travel to Pakistan and want to get registered at UNHCR in Pakistan, will need to contact UNHCR over the phone. If they are settled in Peshawar, they should contact UNHCR Peshawar office but if settled in Islamabad, they need to contact UNHCR Islamabad office.
He or she should introduce herself/himself and let UNHCR know that he/she recently arrived in Pakistan and wants to visit UNHCR explaining the purpose of the visit.
He/she will be given a date on which she/he can turn up at the contacted UNHCR office for an interview. The interview date may be some 4 weeks from the date of contact.
She/ he will be received by the UNHCR. The UNHCR on the given date will conduct a brief interview asking why, when and how she/he travelled to Islamabad. He/she will need to have a national ID (passport/Tazkira) and any other documents including employment ID card etc. The UNHCR will also open a file for the interviewee with a case number and let her/him know that UNHCR will contact them for another interview next.
On the second visit, all family members will go through a comprehensive interview and biometrics process. UNHCR will inform the family members that UNHRC will not be able to resettle them in any third country. UNHCR will only register them and issue refugee ID cards for their protection to not be deported to Afghanistan.
After this visit and the interview in case there is not a need for the third interview, the UNHCR will issue refugee IDs for them. The UNHCR will also provide hotline numbers for them to contact UNHCR in any emergency situations.
It is advised that while visiting the UNHCR, all supporting documents including threat documents be in hand.

Please find below contact details for the UNHCR in Islamabad:

Tel: 📞 +92 334 111 2004

Address: 26B, Street 687, G 13/3, Islamabad

Phone: 📞 +92 (051) 2300809-10

Website: https://sharp-pakistan.org/

SHARP Hotline runs 24/7

Office Hours: 9-4:30pm (Mon-Thurs) 9-12:30pm (Fri)

For Registration: SHARP WILL ONLY BE TAKING APPOINTMENTS FOR NEW APPLICANTS OVER THE PHONE. NO WALK-IN CASES WILL BE ENTERTAINED. To make an appointment please call: 051-2300811 or 051 2300812 between 8-12pm and 2-4pm (Mon-Thurs) and 9-12:30 (Fri)

Talent Beyond Boundaries.

Connect employers with refugees
We match skilled refugees with companies in need of their skills. Employers gain valuable talent and displaced people have a chance to rebuild their careers and lives.

Open migration pathways
We work directly with governments to open skilled migration pathways for refugees that benefit individuals, family members, communities, and the economy.

Scale displaced talent mobility
We collaborate with others and share our learnings so that more people can access the pathways we’re opening and our model can be replicated around the world.

Website: https://www.talentbeyondboundaries.org/

Applying To Brazil.

Brazil must have an open window to apply from Pakistan (Islamabad). You must have a Pakistan visa to apply.

https://www.gov.br/mre/pt-br/embaixada-islamabade/avisos-e-noticias-1/humanitarian-visas-afghanistan

Instructions:

https://ec-islamabad.itamaraty.gov.br

Appointments require 4 documents:

Passport
Pakistan visa
Letter of affirmation of travel expenses
Brazil Humanitarian Visa Form

(The link will not work if a window is not open).

Applying To USA.

Special Immigrant Visas for Afghans (SIVS) –

You must be a national of Afghanistan;
You must have been employed in Afghanistan for a period of at least one year between October 7, 2001, and December 31, 2023:
by, or on behalf of, the U.S. government; or
by the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), or a successor mission in a capacity that required you (1) to serve as an interpreter or translator for U.S. military personnel while traveling off-base with U.S. military personnel stationed at ISAF, or a successor mission, or (2) to perform activities for U.S. military personnel stationed at ISAF, or a successor mission;
You must have provided faithful and valuable service to the U.S. government, or ISAF, or a successor mission, as applicable, which is documented in a positive letter of recommendation or evaluation from your senior supervisor or the person currently occupying that position, or a more senior person, if your senior supervisor has left the employer or has left Afghanistan; and
You must have experienced or be experiencing an ongoing serious threat as a consequence of such employment.

P1 (Priority 1)-

The P-1 program is available to Afghan citizens who:

Are persecuted in ways covered by U.S. refugee law (race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion), and are unable to receive support or protection from the Afghan Government.
Are not eligible for a Special Immigrant Visa (SIV).
Reside in Afghanistan or another country, but have made the decision to depart Afghanistan

An applicant cannot directly refer themselves to the P-1 program. Individuals who believe they are eligible should work with their contacts at the U.S. Embassy, applicable NGO, or the UN High Commissioner for Refugees to initiate the application process. U.S. citizens who are current or former Chief of Mission (COM) or Department of Defense employees who served in Afghanistan are eligible to nominate Afghans for P-1 referrals. The processing time for a P-1 visa is long, and can take several years. People who are referred through P-1 must complete extensive processing, including background security checks.

P2 (Priority 2)–

Individuals Eligible for the P-2 Program:

Afghans who do not meet the minimum time-in-service for a SIV but who work or worked as employees of contractors, [1] locally-employed staff, interpreters/translators for the U.S. Government, United States Forces Afghanistan (USFOR-A), International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), or Resolute Support;
Afghans who work or worked for a U.S. government-funded program or project in Afghanistan supported through a U.S. government grant or cooperative agreement1.
Afghans who are or were employed in Afghanistan by a U.S.-based media organization or non-governmental organization.

https://www.state.gov/u-s-refugee-admissions-program-priority-2-designation-for-afghan-nationals/

SIV Email: CANVCAfghanSIVApplication@state.gov

Applying To UK.

Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS) –

The scheme will prioritize:

those who have assisted the UK efforts in Afghanistan and stood up for values such as democracy, women’s rights, freedom of speech, and rule of law
vulnerable people, including women and girls at risk, and members of minority groups at risk (including ethnic and religious minorities and LGBT+)

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/afghan-citizens-resettlement-scheme

Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy:

This scheme offers relocation or other assistance to former Locally Employed Staff (LES) in Afghanistan to reflect the changing situation in Afghanistan.

Cohort Assistance offered

Category 1 High risk / imminent threat Urgent relocation

Category 2 Eligible for relocation by default Routine relocation

Category 3 Not eligible for relocation Other support offered

Category 4 Special cases Case-by-case basis

Category 1

The cohort eligible for urgent relocation comprises of employees of Her Majesty’s Government (HMG) who are assessed to be at high and imminent risk of threat to life

Category 2

The cohort eligible for relocation by default comprises of those who were directly employed by HMG, or those who were contracted to provide linguistic services in support of the UK’s Armed Forces, on or after 1 October 2001. They must’ve played an important role in the UKs effort and must be publicly recognisable.

Category 3

For those who are neither assessed to be at high and imminent risk of threat to life nor eligible by default due to holding exposed meaningful enabling roles. This cohort are eligible for all other support short of relocation as deemed suitable by the ARAP team.

Category 4

Special cases are deemed as;

on or after 1 October 2001 were directly employed in Afghanistan by an HMG department; provided goods or services in Afghanistan under contract to an HMG department; or worked in Afghanistan alongside an HMG department, in partnership with or closely supporting that department; and
in the course of that employment or work or provision of services they contributed to the UK’s military objectives or national security objectives (which includes counter-terrorism, counter-narcotics and anti-corruption objectives) with respect to Afghanistan; and
because of that employment or work or provision of services, the person is or was at an elevated risk of targeted attacks and is or was at a high risk of death or serious injury; or
hold information the disclosure of which would give rise to or aggravate a specific threat to HMG or its interests
Checks will be made with the HMG department or unit by whom the applicant was employed, contracted to or worked alongside, in partnership with or closely supported or assisted.

The relocation offer:

Applicants can apply from any country, including Afghanistan. Applicants who meet the eligibility criteria for relocation under the ARAP will have the opportunity to apply for indefinite leave to enter the UK. Applicants already in the UK with temporary status under ARAP can apply, free of charge, to convert their status to indefinite leave to remain. Eligible applicants will be able to bring certain family members with them to the UK. The eligibility criteria for family members and dependents seeking to accompany those relocating under the ARAP can be found in the Immigration Rules.

Afghanistan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS)

The UK formally opened the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS) on 6 January 2022.

The scheme will prioritise:

those who have assisted the UK efforts in Afghanistan and stood up for values such as democracy, women’s rights, freedom of speech, and rule of law
vulnerable people, including women and girls at risk, and members of minority groups at risk (including ethnic and religious minorities and LGBT+)

The government will resettle more than 5,000 people in the first year and up to 20,000 over the coming years.

Anyone who is resettled through the ACRS will receive indefinite leave to remain (ILR) in the UK, and will be able to apply for British citizenship after 5 years in the UK under existing rules.

1. Under Pathway 1, vulnerable and at-risk individuals who arrived in the UK under the evacuation programme have been the first to be settled under the ACRS. Eligible people who were notified by the UK government that they had been called forward or specifically authorised for evacuation, but were not able to board flights, will also be offered a place under the scheme if they subsequently come to the UK.

2. Under Pathway 2, we are now able to begin receiving referrals from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) of vulnerable refugees who have fled Afghanistan for resettlement to the UK. UNHCR has the global mandate to provide international protection and humanitarian assistance to refugees. UNHCR will refer individuals in accordance with their standard resettlement submission criteria, which are based on an assessment of protection needs and vulnerabilities.

3. Pathway 3 was designed to offer a route to resettlement for those at risk who supported the UK and international community effort in Afghanistan, as well as those who are particularly vulnerable, such as women and girls at risk and members of minority groups. In the first year of this pathway, the government will consider eligible, at-risk British Council and GardaWorld contractors and Chevening alumni for resettlement. There are 1,500 places available in the first year under Pathway 3. This number includes the principal applicants and their eligible family members

After the first year of Pathway 3, the government will work with international partners and NGOs to welcome wider groups of Afghans at risk

Applying To Spain.

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) policy about Afghanistan (post-war scenario) stipulates that the international community must keep their border porous for Afghans. Afghans can seek asylum in Spain too; provided the conditions are met. The process for obtaining asylum is as follows:

Coordinate with the Office for Asylum & Refugees (OAR) through the Spanish Embassy in Kabul

Write a letter to OAR explaining the reason, with proof, why you wish to seek international protection
The status is returned to the sender in original along with the receipt.

Each asylum case is dealt with on merit while the lack or absence of documents, finances, and other resources are factored into the process.

Spain embassy email: emb.islamabad.asilo@maec.es

Applying To France.

Priority [1] is given to:

people who have worked with France: ex-auxiliaries, interpreters...

people fearing persecution in Afghanistan for defending human rights, being engaged in civil society, artists and intellectuals
Family members of Afghan nationals exiled in France are not guaranteed to be evacuated as they are not prioritized. They can still try to reach out to the crisis and support center.

Applying To Canada.

Humanitarian program for Afghan nationals in need of resettlement

To be eligible for this program you must meet all of the following requirements:

you’re an Afghan national
you’re outside of Afghanistan
you don’t have a durable solution in a third country and

You’re part of one of the following groups:

women leaders
human rights defenders
persecuted religious or ethnic minorities
LGBTI individuals
journalists and those who helped Canadian journalists

What to do if you think you might be eligible

You should register for refugee status with either the

United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR)
government of the country in which you now live

To resettle in Canada as either a government-assisted refugee or a privately sponsored refugee, you need to be:

referred by one of the following
the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR)
the government of the country in which you now live
one of the other organizations we’re working with for this program
identified by a private sponsor

We’re also prioritizing applications of eligible immediate family members joining Afghans currently in Canada.

Virtual Job Fair for one of Canada's provinces for those in the Middle East and South Asia, a potential pathway for permanent residency and eventual citizenship:

https://newfoundlandandlabradorcanada4.vfairs.ca/

Afghans should not upload their resume until it's in a North American format, and as perfect as possible. It is advised to have this written by an American/Canadian who is skilled at resume writing.

Afghans also often leave off information that could show they have experience working with Westerners, such as mentioning that a particular contract or role was with a foreign/Western country's military project and performed alongside and/or in communication with colleagues from Western countries (note that this should not be included in a *public* profile, such as LinkedIn, until all family members/relatives/associates are safe, but it should be included when applying for jobs in North America, South America, Europe, Australia, etc.).

Schools.

Flight from Plight has now widened its remit and is supporting a school in Kabul, Afghanistan for homeless boys and girls, aged between 5-12, usually orphans, who have to work the streets and beg just to survive. This source of education and hope for these children was previously funded by the Afghan government before the Taliban takeover, they did not continue funding the initiative…

The school equipment is used up and the school principal doesn’t have money to replace broken furniture and buy more chairs, desks, boards, and books. Due to the humanitarian crises, the number of the street begging/working and homeless children are increasing rapidly. New students are admitted to the school weekly since more and more parents can’t afford to send their children to public schools. The children that are fortunate enough to still have their parents are usually unable to feed themselves daily and are usually illiterate. As well as the education, the school also provides the children with one meal a day. Therefore, we feel it is morally responsible to fund the school, at £500 a month, so that this incredibly important hub for the children is allowed to provide the vital services it does. We are helping them fund new resources as well as the rent costs. Those resources include a stove, wood and coal, meals and potentially laptops and boards for classrooms

If you can, please assist our efforts by making a donation, or sharing this with others.