Citizenship Areas
Advice on existing Afghan resettlement cases, eligible family matters and immigration status following earlier grants.
Advice on pending applications, earlier referrals and relocation decisions within the relevant transitional arrangements.
We review eligible family cases, previous grants and questions arising before or after relocation.
ARAP closed to new principal applications on 1 July 2025. No further ACRS referrals or pathways are available, and the Afghanistan Response Route has been discontinued.
Some existing cases remain eligible for processing. This page concerns advice on those cases and related immigration matters; it does not offer a new application to a closed scheme.
We begin by establishing which scheme, decision or existing permission applies to your circumstances.
Assess earlier applications, referrals, decisions and correspondence.
Review the procedural position, relevant deadlines and family circumstances.
Help present the relevant information for the appropriate existing-case process.
Explain the outcome and assess the next immigration or status matter requiring attention.
Government authorities determine eligibility and relocation. We cannot guarantee acceptance, travel arrangements or a faster decision.
The Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy concerns eligible people who worked for or with the UK Government. Timely applications lodged before closure continue to be considered.
The Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme was referral-based. Certain earlier cases remain within transitional arrangements, including eligible separated-family referrals and existing resettlement offers.
The ARR was discontinued on 4 July 2025. Processing continues for certain people who had already received an invitation to relocate; it is not open to new invitations.
We review the actual correspondence and scheme history before advising on what remains available.
We assess the position of partners and dependent children under the provisions relevant to the existing case.
Some cases have specific arrangements for additional relatives. Eligibility and procedural deadlines need an individual review.
A principal applicant’s eligibility does not automatically resolve every relative’s position. We review relationship history, earlier decisions and any relevant changes.
Where the scheme provisions do not apply, we can assess a separate family immigration route where appropriate.
We distinguish an eligibility decision from entry clearance or a later immigration decision. The available next step depends on which authority made the decision and its basis.
For an ARAP ineligibility decision, we can assess whether a review request is available, the relevant time limit and any supporting material.
We review other decisions against their particular procedures rather than assuming an automatic appeal right. Send us the decision and its date when seeking advice.
Qualifying ARAP applicants may be granted settlement under the applicable rules. We review the actual grant and any subsequent proof-of-status issues.
Some people with older limited permission under ARAP or the former Ex-Gratia Scheme may need advice on upgrading to settlement. Eligibility depends on the earlier grant and the relevant provisions.
Relocation or settlement does not itself confer British citizenship. We assess any later naturalisation or registration application separately.