Switzerland to issue special passports to Afghans

State Secretary for Migration (SEM) spokesman Daniel Bach said in a statement to SRF television in Switzerland that Afghans who live in Switzerland and do not have a valid official document will be granted the right to obtain a special Swiss passport. (green passport). . Bach stated that Afghans who obtain this passport will be able to travel to many countries.

The Immigration Secretariat started this practice after a court decision in July that Afghans could not obtain documents from their country and therefore had to be considered “stateless.”

ABDELHAQ, 24, CAUSED THE DECISION

The decision was due to his refusal to accept that 24-year-old Afghan Farid Abdelhaq would not be allowed to leave Switzerland under any circumstances.

Abdelhaq, who has lived in Switzerland for 7 years and has a valid residence permit, was unable to travel because he was unable to receive the documents he requested from his country after the Taliban came to power in 2021.

Speaking to SRF on the subject, Abdelhaq noted that starting in 2021 he went several times to the Afghan embassy in Geneva to obtain a passport, but found out that it was not possible.

Therefore, Abdelhaq, who applied to the SEM for travel documents and a new passport, but whose application was rejected, started legal action. The Federal Administrative Court decided to grant Abdelhaq a green passport.

Swiss lawyer Sandra Gisler, who represented Abdelhaq in court, said the decision was a turning point. It was also noted that Afghans affected by this can get a special green passport for foreigners.

It is claimed that more than 30,000 Afghans living in Switzerland face problems such as obtaining documents from their country and the inability to travel. (AA)