Recommendation 24

The government has not adequately explained how it will protect eligible Afghans who cannot safely, lawfully or affordably self-move to a third country for UK entry-clearance checks. This is a serious gap in the current model. A policy that works for many applicants may still fail the most vulnerable, including those who have already waited years because of government delay or error. If the government is to honour its obligations in 73 substance, not merely in process, it must identify those for whom self-move is not realistic and set out what alternative support or exceptions will apply. If the government does not identify and support those unable to self-move, the 12-month deadline risks becoming in practice an exclusion mechanism for eligible people who are too poor, too vulnerable or too exposed to travel independently. (Conclusion, Paragraph 215)