The British began the warm welcome process today. British Prime Minister Johnson said: “We owe a huge debt to the people who have worked with the armed forces in Afghanistan, and I am determined to provide these people and their families with the help they need to rebuild their lives in the US kingdom.”
Of the more than 15,000 Afghans who have been evacuated by the British from Kabul since August 13, at least 8,000 want to claim residency status. Those who were already in the UK before then can convert their temporary to permanent status for free. After its transfer, about 14 million euros will be made available to make education more accessible, about 6 million euros more for housing and 3.5 million euros for health care.
Temporary resident status in the United States of America
The United States also has a generous policy. That country has taken in many Afghans without US residency papers. They may be granted temporary residence status on humanitarian grounds. It is not clear how many Afghans are allowed to remain in the United States on this basis.
Today, the US Treasury issued a permit allowing the United States to provide humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan, particularly food and medicine. This license is necessary to temporarily bypass US sanctions against the Taliban. It appears once again that the United States has made agreements with the Taliban on leaving Afghanistan.
To get those left out of the country, Kabul airport must reopen, the United States and a number of European countries say. The Taliban themselves would not be able to operate the airport. “They can’t even drive,” said a Kabul resident who saw them rocking in the impounded cars. According to the French government, the Taliban are in talks with Qatar and Turkey to reopen the airport.
