Kimia, a 25-year-old Afghan journalist and artist, speaking to Reuters, once saw a new life ahead through Germany’s humanitarian admission program designed for vulnerable Afghans at risk under Taliban rule. But now stuck in a cramped guesthouse in Islamabad, she faces an uncertain future after Germany suspended the program following a political shift. Like thousands of others, Kimia remains in legal limbo, her hopes fading with the cancellation of her interview for entry into Germany.
Kimia, 25, an Afghan journalist and artist who was accepted into Germany’s humanitarian admission program for vulnerable Afghans, now stranded in legal limbo, speaks with Reuters at a guest house where she is living, in Islamabad, Pakistan June 13, 2025. REUTERS/Salahuddin
Political changes halt humanitarian admissions
The program began in October 2022 with plans to admit up to 1,000 Afghans monthly, prioritizing human rights workers, women, minorities, and others at risk. Yet, over two years, fewer than 1,600 arrived, hampered by flight cancellations and bureaucratic delays. In February, Germany’s election shifted public debate sharply against migration, and the new center-right coalition government, taking office in May, has gradually suspended and intends to close the program.
Currently, around 2,400 Afghans await travel to Germany, with another 17,000 in early application stages. Germany’s foreign ministry confirmed the program is suspended pending review, continuing support only for those already accepted, but offered no details on the timeline or scope of the suspension.
FILE PHOTO: Afghans, whose asylum applications have been rejected, arrive from Germany in Kabul airport, Afghanistan December 15, 2016. REUTERS/Omar Sobhani//File Photo
The fate of the program reflects a broader tightening of Afghan asylum claims in Germany. Approval rates for Afghan asylum seekers dropped to 52% in early 2025 from 74% in 2024. Officials cite integration capacity limits and concerns over irregular migration as reasons to phase out voluntary admissions. The government denies any policy to reduce Afghan migration specifically, though many Afghans and advocates fear discrimination, especially toward Sunni men.
Taliban forces stand guard a day after the U.S. troops withdrawal from Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan August 31, 2021. REUTERS/Stringer TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
Afghans face insecurity and fears of return
Kimia and others fear returning to Afghanistan, where Taliban rule severely restricts women’s freedoms and activists face threats. Women like Kimia and Hasseina, a journalist and activist also stuck in Pakistan, express deep concerns for their safety and that of their families. Meanwhile, Pakistan is increasing efforts to deport undocumented Afghans, heightening the precariousness of those awaiting safe passage.
epa09440691 Taliban forces rally to celebrate the withdrawal of US forces in Kandahar, Afghanistan, 01 September 2021. The Taliban called for support from the international community to revive an economy battered by two decades of conflict and heavily dependent on foreign aid. chief Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said one of the main objectives after the Taliban’s ‘victory’ is the reconstruction of the country and assured that the international community must trust that the aid to Afghanistan under the Taliban will be directed through ‘proper channels’. EPA/STRINGER
Some Afghans have challenged the suspension legally, arguing that their risk status remains unchanged. Advocacy groups highlight how recent violent attacks involving asylum seekers have shifted public opinion and policy against refugees in Germany, leaving many in uncertainty.
Afghan women’s rights defenders and civil activists protest to call on the Taliban for the preservation of their achievements and education, in front of the presidential palace in Kabul, Afghanistan September 3, 2021. REUTERS/Stringer TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
For Kimia, whose dreams rest in art and advocacy, waiting in Pakistan means stalled life plans and constant fear. Others, like Marina, who fled with her baby to join family already in Germany, feel stuck and powerless as they await a future that seems ever more distant.
