The United States is facilitating the relocation of endangered Afghans through Germany in a strategic move to support former local forces. These Afghans are flown to Ramstein Air Base in Rhineland-Palatinate and housed temporarily in a U.S. barracks in Kaiserslautern, according to SWR information.

Temporary Stay in Germany

These Afghans, who are eligible to legally immigrate to the U.S., will be accommodated in U.S. facilities in Germany until their immigration procedures are completed. They will receive necessary care and medical support during their stay, as confirmed by a spokesperson for the U.S. Consulate General in Frankfurt. This move was first reported by ‘Spiegel’ magazine.

Special Immigration Visas

The ‘Special Immigration Visas’ are being issued by the Consulate for the Afghans’ onward travel to the U.S. The first group of Afghans arrived in Germany in early December, waiting to continue their journey to the U.S. The U.S. government’s aim is to process these visas as swiftly as possible and complete cases in Germany within a 30-day period. However, there is no information available on the number of Afghans to be flown to the U.S. or the commencement date of the flights.

Efforts to Admit Vulnerable Afghans

From October 2022 to September 2023, the U.S. issued more than 18,000 special immigration visas to Afghan applicants. Germany is among several global locations where Afghan applicants and their eligible family members can undergo visa procedures. In 2021, following the Taliban’s takeover of Kabul, the U.S. conducted one of the largest humanitarian airlifts in its history, evacuating tens of thousands of Afghans through Ramstein. Meanwhile, Germany’s efforts to admit particularly vulnerable Afghans and their families continue. Recently, 188 Afghans with admission promises from Germany were flown from Pakistan to Leipzig. As of November, approximately 11,500 Afghans with admission promises from Germany were awaiting departure.