Questions and answers regarding the situation in Afghanistan

Här hittar du frågor och svar med anledning av situationen i Afghanistan.

Due to the Taliban regime’s increased oppression of women, as of December of 2022, the Swedish Migration Agency assesses that all women risk persecution in Afghanistan solely for being women. Therefore, all Afghan girls and women who apply for asylum in Sweden will receive refugee status.

The Swedish Migration Agency has been monitoring the situation for women and other vulnerable groups in Afghanistan for a long time. Recently, women's rights and freedom of movement have become so restricted that it is now clear that all women's basic human rights are being violated and there is no sign of things improving. This has been shown, for example, in recently published reports from the EU Agency for Asylum and the Swedish Migration Agency's function for Migration Analysis.

Today, it is clear that women and girls risk persecution solely because of their gender, which gives them the right to refugee status. There are other groups who are also assessed as being vulnerable and people who belong to a vulnerable group may be entitled to protection in Sweden but an individual assessment is required.

Yes, the new assessment applies to all women and girls who are Afghan citizens, even if they have never lived in Afghanistan.

Once a person has left Sweden, the Swedish Migration Agency no longer has any responsibility. Unfortunately, the Swedish Migration Agency cannot help someone who is in Afghanistan.

However, the Swedish Migration Agency has not carried out any deportations to Afghanistan during the period August 2021 to November 2022. All Afghan girls and women whose application has been rejected but who have remained in Sweden can apply for a new examination of their grounds for asylum.

When a family is in Sweden together and one or more of the family members receive a residence permit as a refugee, other family members (who are not themselves considered to be refugees) can receive a residence permit due to close family ties. This applies to a wife, husband, cohabiting partner, child under the age of 18 years or a parent of a child under the age of 18 years. Only in exceptional cases will it be possible for other close relatives to receive a residence permit due to close family ties.

As soon as you have received a residence permit as a refugee or a person in need of subsidiary protection, your husband can apply for a residence permit to reunite with you in Sweden. There are no specific rules for people from Afghanistan; the same rules apply to anyone applying on the grounds of close family ties.

The Swedish Migration Agency’s new assessment of Afghan women and girls right to protection in Sweden only applies to those who are in Sweden and apply for asylum. The Swedish Migration Agency cannot help anyone get to Sweden to apply for asylum.

Asylum seekers who are still waiting for a decision do not need to do anything; we will base our examination of their application on the new assessment. Women and girls who have already had their application for asylum rejected but are still in Sweden can apply for a new examination of their case.

No, the Swedish Migration Agency’s new assessment of Afghan women’s and girls’ grounds for asylum does not affect the processing of residence permits based on close family ties. We understand that many people are worried about their relatives in Afghanistan, but applicants for asylum must already be in Sweden, and the Swedish Migration Agency cannot help anyone get to Sweden to apply for asylum.

The Swedish Migration Agency cannot help anyone get to Sweden to apply for asylum. Neither Sweden nor the EU have an “asylum seeker visa” that makes it easier for someone to get to the country where they want to apply for asylum. Entry visas are intended for temporary visits, and an application for an entry visa will usually be rejected if there is a reason to suspect that the purpose of the applicant’s trip is to remain in the host country.

Yes, if you are in Sweden and have grounds for asylum, you can apply for asylum at any time.

Questions and answers regar­ding the situ­a­tion in Afgha­nistan

Why has this new assessment been made now?

Why will only women be assessed as being refugees? The same should apply to all vulnerable boys, LGBTQI people, Hazaras and Shia muslims.

When you say “Afghan women”, do you mean women who are Afghan citizens? Does this also apply to women who are Afghan citizens but have lived all their lives in another country?

What responsibility does the Swedish Migration Agency have for those women and girls who have already been rejected and forced to return?

What about men and boys who are members of the same family as the women and girls who are given refugee status?

My husband is still in Afghanistan. Can he come to me in Sweden once I have got a residence permit as a refugee?

What should women and girls in Afghanistan do to be granted asylum in Sweden, now that the Swedish Migration Agency says that they are all entitled to refugee status?

Will the Swedish Migration Agency speed up the processing of applications of residence permits based on close family ties, to help women and girls leave Afghanistan quickly?

Can you apply for a tourist visa at the embassy and then apply for asylum when you come to Sweden?

I have a residence permit due to close family ties and will soon need to apply for an extended permit, but the relationship has ended. Can I apply for asylum instead?

Questions and answers regarding the situation in Afghanistan