Refugee Resettlement

Afghan Resettlement

ARAP

The Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) is for Afghan citizens who worked for or with the UK Government in Afghanistan in exposed or meaningful roles and may include an offer of relocation to the UK for those deemed eligible by the Ministry of Defence and who are deemed suitable for relocation by the Home Office.

Afghan citizens who are eligible for relocation to the UK under the ARAP may relocate with a partner, dependent children and additional family members who are also deemed eligible for relocation under the ARAP by the Ministry of Defence and suitable for relocation by the Home Office.

The ARAP was launched on 1 April 2021 and remains open. It follows the former intimidation policy (in place from 2010 to 2013), and ex-gratia scheme (in place between 2013 and 30 November 2022).

For more information on the scheme, please refer to the government website:

Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy: further information on eligibility criteria, offer details and how to apply - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

ACRS

The UK formally opened the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS) on 6 January 2022.

The scheme prioritises:

• those who have assisted the UK efforts in Afghanistan and stood up for values such as democracy, women’s rights, freedom of speech, and rule of law
• vulnerable people, including women and girls at risk, and members of minority groups at risk (including ethnic and religious minorities and LGBT+)

This is in addition to the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) scheme, which has already settled thousands of Afghans who have worked with the UK government, and their families. The ARAP scheme is a separate scheme to the ACRS and offers Afghan nationals who have worked for or alongside the UK government, and meet the ARAP criteria, relocation to the UK.

Anyone who is resettled through the ACRS will receive indefinite leave to remain (ILR) in the UK, and will be able to apply for British citizenship after 5 years in the UK under existing rules.

The scheme is not application-based. Instead, eligible people will be prioritised and referred for resettlement to the UK through one of 3 referral pathways.

For more information on the scheme, please refer to the government website:

Afghan citizens resettlement scheme - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Contact details for support for those in Afghanistan can be found here:

Support for British and non-British nationals in Afghanistan - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

UK Resettlement Scheme (UKRS)

This programme builds on the best aspects of the Vulnerable Persons' and the Vulnerable Children's Resettlement Schemes (VPR and VCR)and the longer running but smaller Gateway programme. It remains a voluntary scheme which will focus on the refugees in most need of settlement protection as recommended by UNHCR. At present, this continues to be those fleeing Syria but it could change over the course of the scheme. The Government has pledged to resettle 5,000 people in the first year of the programme and is currently asking councils to pledge what support they think they can offer. The 5 year funding tariff remains, in line with the VPR and VCR schemes.

Refugee Resettlement - East of England

We have some amazing individuals and organisations who are working on receiving refugees. We are here to support this work and coordinate the resettlement of people in the East of England.

Anyone wishing find out more details of the work in your region including opportunities to volunteer or to donate money or goods to support refugees can check the following website.

www.gov.uk/helprefugees

For more information about the current resettlement schemes, community sponsorship scheme and to find you what you can do in parts of the counties where refugee resettlement is not yet happening, please get in touch with us:

Humeira Yaqub: humeira.yaqub@eelga.gov.uk / 07815 013211