A court in Germany has ruled that the government must issue visas to Afghan nationals and their families who were previously approved under a humanitarian admissions programme, even though the current centre-right administration plans to discontinue the initiative.
A spokesperson from the foreign ministry noted that the government is currently reviewing the court’s decision, which has not yet taken full legal effect.
Following the rapid withdrawal of Western forces from Afghanistan in 2021, Germany introduced several resettlement schemes for former local employees and vulnerable individuals. Since May of that year, approximately 36,500 at-risk Afghans have been accepted through various channels.
Around 2,400 Afghans who have already been approved are currently in Pakistan, waiting to travel to Germany. Their departure has been delayed due to the temporary suspension of the programme, which is under government review, according to the foreign ministry.
The court’s decision was issued in response to an urgent request from an Afghan woman and her family. It concluded that the government had made a binding commitment and must uphold it.
“The applicants argue they have a right to a visa and can no longer stay in Pakistan. They risk being deported to Afghanistan, where they fear for their safety,” the ruling stated.
However, the court also clarified that the government retains the authority to terminate the programme and stop issuing further approvals for admission in the future.
Human rights organisations say roughly 17,000 other Afghans are still in the early phases of applying under the now-halted scheme.
The decision may still be challenged through an appeal.
Germany’s new leadership has adopted a stricter approach to immigration, following a series of violent incidents and increasing support for far-right parties, which made migration a major issue in the national elections held in February.
As part of this shift, the conservative Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt has committed to ending refugee admissions and resuming deportations to countries such as Afghanistan and Syria.
