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Current situation
The situation in Afghanistan remains highly uncertain and changing rapidly.
The security situation is extremely dangerous and may become increasingly volatile at short notice. There is an ongoing and extreme risk of terrorism throughout Afghanistan.
With the withdrawal of all US military forces from Hamid Karzai International Airport and the end of the evacuation operation on 31 August, our ability to help individuals on the ground is very limited.
We will continue to work with the utmost urgency with our close partners to assist New Zealand citizens, permanent residents and their immediate families who remain in Afghanistan. We will remain in close contact with those who have registered with us and we encourage these people to register their details at SafeTravel.govt.nz(external link)
Requests for resettlement if you are an Afghan national are now closed
Afghan nationals who helped the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) or other New Zealand Government agencies in Afghanistan, and their immediate family (partner and dependent children), were able to request resettlement in New Zealand. This resettlement offer has now closed.
Requests received before 11.59pm 25 August 2021 (New Zealand Time) will continue to be processed.
If you have already submitted your request, we will endeavour to respond to your request as soon as possible.
Further information for New Zealand Critical Purposes Visa Holders in Afghanistan
Given the security situation on the ground, the evacuation operation at Kabul Hamid Karzai International Airport has ended. The New Zealand Government will keep under review options to best assist Afghan nationals who hold a critical purposes visa for New Zealand due to their association with the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) or other New Zealand Government agencies’ activities in Afghanistan. However, there is no New Zealand diplomatic presence in Afghanistan and the ability to provide assistance in the current environment is severely limited.
If you already hold a critical purposes visa for New Zealand due to your association with the NZDF or other New Zealand Government agencies in Afghanistan please register your details with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade by emailing: VisaHoldersAfghanistan@mfat.govt.nz. Please note that inbox is for those who already hold a critical purposes visa.
We will provide further information as it becomes available.
If you want further information about your visa status, you can also visit: www.immigration.govt.nz(external link).
Privacy statement
By providing personal information to the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, you acknowledge that we are collecting and will use this personal information for the purposes of considering and assessing requests for resettlement to, and if necessary a visa for travel to, New Zealand or other related or similar services. Read more.