Last modified:
27 July 2022
In response to the present crisis, UKCISA is working with other organisations in the education sector to identify and provide support for Afghan nationals who are studying or planning to study or conduct academic research in the UK.
One of our roles is to propose, and ask government departments for, solutions to immigration problems that we can share with students and our member institutions.
We are in regular contact with the UK Home Office, UK education departments, and other education organisations, and we will update this information or other relevant parts of our website when we can tell you more.
We are limited to helping with student immigration matters. If you need support with other types of immigration applications, including asylum and bringing your family to the UK, please ask your university, college or school to help you find lawyers specialising in asylum, or see the information on seeking immigration advice in Student immigration: the basics.
Your university, college or school is also the best place to ask about help with your studies, financial matters, and counselling. Most will have already contacted you to ask where you are and how you are. If you cannot get in touch with them, please call our Student Advice Line so we can help you do that.
The gov.uk webpage Support for British and non-British nationals in Afghanistan has information for non-British nationals about humanitarian support, the latest position on visa applications, and the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP). There are also details about two separate telephone helplines for people in Afghanistan; one for British nationals and one for non-British nationals.
Completing an immigration application from within Afghanistan is currently not possible. The above page explains:
"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".
We will keep checking for any updates from the UK Home Office about this.
The above page also provides the following link to information about the Government's Afghan citizens’ resettlement scheme.
Afghan students who are outside Afghanistan can apply for a visa in the usual way. If you cannot meet all requirements because of the situation in Afghanistan, for example finances, you might still be able to apply.
Please contact your education sponsor to discuss this with them. We have shared Home Office information about this with sponsors who are UKCISA members, but we cannot provide details of these special arrangements more widely until the Home Office has published them officially.
New gov.uk guidance was published on 17 January 2022. See Concessions to the Immigration Rules for Afghan nationals for work and study routes. The guidance sets out a range of concessions that may apply to Afghan nationals and their dependants applying for permission to stay in the UK under certain specified immigration routes. If you are hoping to apply for permission to remain in the UK under the Student route, read our information on Making a Student route application in the UK which has been amended to include the provisions of the new gov.uk guidance.
If you are in the UK and need support, please contact your university, college or school. If you cannot contact them, or they have not been able to help you, please call our Student Advice Line. However, please be aware that our advice is usually limited to student immigration, fee status, and student finance.
