Switzerland will not accept large groups of Afghan refugees arriving directly from Afghanistan, the government announced today, and will consider asylum applications on a case-by-case basis. The humanitarian visa will be considered for people facing an “immediate, clear, serious and imminent threat to their lives,” the government said as it worked to evacuate local workers who helped the Swiss development office in Kabul. Visa applicants should also have a close and existing relationship with Switzerland, he added, according to the APE.
“Based on these entry criteria, the Ministry of Justice will consider additional applications for the entry of individuals from Afghanistan,” he said. By contrast, Switzerland will not currently accept a larger group of people directly from Afghanistan.
“It is not enough for one person to belong to a potentially vulnerable group,” the government said. The government has said it is working to remove 230 local aid workers and their families from Afghanistan and relocate them to Switzerland. About 40 local officials, who worked for the Swiss Development Agency in Kabul, and their families will be allowed to come to Switzerland on a humanitarian operation, the government said.
The office, which has been in Afghanistan since 2002, has been temporarily closed after the Taliban seized power. The last three Swiss crew members returned to Switzerland yesterday, Tuesday. Switzerland is also in contact with Swiss citizens, who are still in Afghanistan, and about 30 of them have stated that they want to leave the country.
“For the local staff of the Swiss Cooperation Office, the possibility of them leaving the country is being investigated,” the government said in a statement. “This is because Afghan officials in Western countries and organizations are potentially at risk because of their work after the Taliban seized power,” he added. “As an employer, Switzerland has an obligation to care for local officials in Afghanistan and has therefore decided to accept affected people and the closest members of their families.”
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