The crisis in Afghanistan has left thousands of refugees in a desperate situation, with many fearing for their lives as they wait for a visa to Australia.
According to the latest statistics, over 250,000 Afghans have applied for a visa, but only 20,000 have been granted so far.
A Long and Uncertain Wait
The Australian government has allocated 26,500 dedicated visa places for Afghans under its offshore humanitarian program, but the processing time is slow.
The Department of Home Affairs website warns that it may take several years to finalize applications received in 2021, and at least six years for those lodged in 2022, 2023, or 2024.
Priority is being given to certain groups, including locally engaged employees and their family members, but many others are left in limbo.
Living in Fear
For refugees like Rosina and her family, the situation is dire. They have been trapped inside their home for two years, too afraid to venture out due to the danger and violence outside. “I had to come,” says Sara, Rosina’s family member, who is desperate to find a way out. “They have been inside the house for two years. They can’t go out.
The police are deporting people, beating them. They disappear.” The family has tried to get help from the Australian embassy, but their pleas have been met with silence.
Government Under Fire
The Greens immigration spokesperson, David Shoebridge, has criticized the Australian government for failing to live up to its responsibility to Afghans. “The Iranian regime is brutal,” he says. “People from Afghanistan in Iran right now are not safe.” He believes the government should have learned from the situation in Pakistan and focused on getting people out of Iran.
A Deadly Situation
The danger faced by Afghan refugees in Iran is real. The Iranian and Pakistani governments are rounding up Afghans and sending them back to the country they fled, where they face persecution and even death. “We know people cannot get bread from local bakeries,” says Shabnam Safa from the Australian Hazara Advocacy Network. “They can’t get groceries – there are official signs saying we will not sell anything to Afghan refugees here. Let alone having no access to education, or employment, and constantly living in fear of being deported back to the Taliban.”
A Cry for Help
The Nazar family, who are also waiting for a visa, fear deportation and death. “If you want us to die, we need to know that’s our destiny,” says Faraz. “Once they find us we will be deported. We’re losing faith that we’re going to be rescued.” Their story is just one of many, highlighting the urgent need for the Australian government to act and provide a safe haven for those fleeing persecution and violence.