Home Office
The UK evacuation operation has ended. View updates on foreign travel advice.
British nationals
If you are a British national in Afghanistan and you need consular assistance, you should read the Afghanistan travel advice.
You are also strongly encouraged to register your presence to receive important updates.
Non-British nationals
Humanitarian support
If you have fled from Afghanistan to another country looking for humanitarian support, and are seeking resettlement to the UK, you should not make a visa application.
The UK government has announced a new Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme, which will allow Afghans particularly at risk, including women, girls and children, to resettle in the UK. Further details on the scheme will be updated on the Afghan citizens resettlement scheme page. Please check back regularly.
Visa applications
Afghan nationals need to apply for a visa to come to the UK to study, work, visit or join family.
There is currently no Visa Application Centre (VAC) operating in Afghanistan. If you are in Afghanistan and wish to make a UK visa application, you will normally have to submit your biometric information (fingerprints and photograph) in a VAC in a third country to complete your application.
You can view updates on foreign travel advice for Afghanistan on GOV.UK.
You can also view travel advice for countries bordering Afghanistan if you plan to travel to or via any of them. All travel throughout Afghanistan is extremely dangerous, and border crossings may not be open.
You should shelter in a safe location and move towards a departure point only if and when you judge it is safe to do so.
ARAP
The Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) is for locally employed staff who have supported British efforts in Afghanistan, for example interpreters and other personnel. View further details on ARAP.
Helpline
If you are a non-British national in Afghanistan, or are the family member of a non-British national in Afghanistan, and in need of assistance, call: +44 300 790 6268 (or 0300 790 6268 in the UK).
Opening hours: 9am to 5pm UK time, Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays)
This helpline provides information and support on the UKs evacuation efforts, as well as general information about the relocation schemes. It is not for registering interest for the scheme. Please continue checking back on the Afghan citizens resettlement scheme page for updated details of the scheme.
Last updated 5 September 2022 +show all updates
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Updated helpline number.
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Amended helpline opening times.
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Removed FCDO helpline number.
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Updated contact details.
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Added link for British nationals in Afghanistan to register their presence and receive important updates.
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Paragraphs on humanitarian support and visa applications added to 'Non-British nationals' section. The word 'Afghans' replaced by 'locally employed staff' in ARAP section. Wording about the role of the helpline updated.
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The Afghan helpline is not providing advice on eligibility for the full resettlement scheme and it is not for registering interest for the scheme now that the evacuation process has been completed. Please continue checking back on the Afghan citizens resettlement scheme page for updated details of the scheme.
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Added advice on travel to Kabul Hamid Karzai International Airport.
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Updated opening hours for non-British nationals helpline.
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First published.