Brazil updates rules for granting humanitarian visas to Afghans

Afghans seeking temporary visas in Brazil will only be able to apply for humanitarian reception at the Brazilian embassies in Tehran, Iran, and in Islamabad, Pakistan. Previously, authorization was given at the embassies in Moscow, Russia; Ankara, Turkey; Doha, Qatar; or Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

The new norms also concern residence permits for people affected by the resumption of political control by the ultra-conservative Taliban group in Afghanistan in 2021.

Another change is that the granting of temporary visas is subject to shelter capacity in Brazil, which should be regulated through cooperation agreements between non-governmental organizations and the Ministry of Justice and Public Security.

The regulations come into force next Monday (Oct. 2) and are valid until December 31, 2024, with a 180-day period for temporary visas and a two-year period for residence permits for Afghans.

After arriving in Brazil, the 90-day deadline for registering the immigrant with the Federal Police and obtaining the National Migration Registration Card (CRNM) was maintained. The documentation requirements for temporary visas and residence have stayed unaltered.

Applying to stay for an indefinite period is still possible, and must be done 90 days before the final date of residence. For this, the immigrant must meet requirements, such as not being absent from Brazil for over 90 days, always going through immigration control, proving means of subsistence, and the absence of a criminal record. The immigrant must also give up refugee status and renounce the migratory status of humanitarian reception.