Committee publication · Correspondence · 19 May 2026
Correspondence from the Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry relating to changes announced to the Afghan Resettlement Programme. dated 28 April 2026
Summary
Minister Luke Pollard updates the Foreign Affairs Committee on changes to the Afghan Resettlement Programme (ARP), effective immediately. The MOD will end in-country assistance for eligible persons moving out of Afghanistan, requiring self-moves to third countries instead. A December 2028 backstop will conclude MOD support, with enforcement of 12-month visa appointment deadlines. Defence Estate transitional sites are closing; Local Authorities now manage accommodation.
Key findings
- MOD ending third-party in-country support for eligible Afghans to reach visa application centres; eligible persons must self-move to third countries
- Introducing 12-month deadline for eligible individuals to attend visa application centre appointments, with exceptions, and December 2028 backstop for all MOD third-country support
- MOD support in third countries to continue until end of 2028; December 2028 marks end of relocations except in exceptional circumstances
- Defence Estate transitional sites closed; remaining Afghans transferred to Local Authority support; two of six hotel sites to close by May 2026
- ARP costs expected to change; updated estimate to be provided through routine parliamentary reporting
Tone
ProceduralTopics
immigrationdefence-policyafghanistanpublic-spending
Key actors
Luke Pollard MP, Dame Emily Thornberry MP, Ministry of Defence, Home Office, Local Authorities
Notable line
“Eligible Afghans will need to make their own way to a Third Country when they are able to do so.”
Key Quotes
“… we have decided to end in-country assistance for movements out of Afghanistan”
“… we intend to: enforce the provision within the Immigration Rules that requires eligible individuals to attend a VAC appointment within 12 months – save for exceptional …”
“December 2028 will therefore mark the end of relocations to the UK except in exceptional circumstances”
“… the use of the Defence Estate for the ARP was never intended to be a long- term solution.”
Source · parliament.uk record ↗