If you want to go abroad, we can help you make an informed decision.

There is so much information out there on Humanitarian admission and resettlement programmes and how to be part of it. Surely, you know someone who lives outside of Afghanistan. Who possibly undertook a difficult journey to get there? Who possibly has troubles abroad and someone who has been returned back. The Migrant Resource Centre (MRC) is here for you, to advise you and your family while taking a decision on leaving Afghanistan.

We help Afghans make informed decisions when considering going abroad. We provide guidance on a number of issues including:

• availlable humanitarian aid programmes in Afghanistan,
• relocation programess for Afghans
• the processes and procedures involved in going abroad,
• employment opportunities abroad,
• education opportunities for Afghans abroad,
• your rights and duties as a migrant in destination countries,
• socio-cultural norms and labour laws of destination countries,
• verification of overseas employment contracts,
• how to protect yourself and where to seek help abroad, if needed,

We have dedicated staff at the Migrant Resource Centre who can answer these questions.
You can discuss your plans and the MRC counsellors will provide you with all the information you need – in a personal session at the MRC or WhatsApp and telegramme.

Our counselling is free-of-charge and strictly confidential.

We will tailor the information to your needs!

Are you planning to leave Afghanistan? Maybe for work, your education or to join your family abroad? If you do, please follow the below points in order to stay safe!

1. Be Informed

   Before deciding to migrate, find out as much as you can about the place where you want to go, living and working conditions there, if you already have a job offer about the work you will do, about other people who will go with you. Talk to your friends and family, local authorities, NGOs and to the Migrant Resource Centre.

2. Migrate legally

   Travelling without visa and other legal documents is a bad decision. Migrate only if you have all the documents you need for this travel, including your visa and work permit. Irregular migration puts you under many risks, for instance exploitation for work without pay.

3. If you are offered or promised a job abroad, know the Recruiter

   Do not trust everyone. Find out as much as you can about the recruitment agency that is assisting you in finding work abroad. What is their reputation? Do they have a license for their work? Are they asking you to lie about your age or to work without a contract?

4. Sign a Contract before you accept an employment offer

   Contracts are important! Ask to have a contract signed with the recruitment agency. When you find work, ask to have a contract signed with your employer. Without a contract, your work is not legal.

5. Protect Your Documents

   Keep your personal documents safe. Make photocopies of your passport, visa, work contract etc. Keep the originals in a safe place and keep photocopies with yourself. Do not give your documents to other people and do not let anyone else keep them.

6. In Emergencies

   Be prepared. Always carry with you a list of important telephone numbers including local police, ambulance, fire department, your friends and family, your embassy or consulate department, NGOs, trade unions, migrants associations and of the Migrant Resource Centre.

7. Keep in touch with other people

   Keep regular contact with your friends and family back in your home country. Let them know that you are well and safe. Befriend and interact with migrants. This way you can help and support one another.

8. Protect yourself

   If you have problems, talk with trusted persons. Seek help from NGOs or authorities for advice and protection.

Our counselling is free-of-charge and strictly confidential.

We will tailor the information to your needs!

Travelling without a visa or work permit or other legal documents or crossing the borders in an irregular way is a bad decision.  If you do not have all the legal documents you need for travelling abroad, you are putting yourself under big risk. If you cross borders without having a visa for the country you are entering, you are breaking the law. 

Be careful!

There are criminal groups or intermediaries/agents operating and taking advantage of people who decide to travel illegally. If you seek help from such intermediaries or agents who sell information, services and documents to go abroad, you may not only go into debt on very harsh conditions. But very often you are also not told the truth and may end up in violent or exploitative situations.

Criminal groups or intermediaries may also promise a job or another good opportunity abroad. If this looks too good to be true, then it is not true. Migrants and refugees are especially vulnerable to trafficking in persons, a crime that exploits women, children and men for numerous purposes including forced labor and sexual exploitation.

Be vigilant!

These criminal groups can charge you a lot of money for your travel and may also put you under life threatening risks during the journey abroad. You may also not arrive at the agreed destination.

Other situations that can put you at risk

Even if you travel legally to another country but then overstay your visa or work permit, this makes you an irregular migrant. Remember that you will always be in a vulnerable situation without proper documentation or legal permit to stay in a foreign country.

Without legal permits, the authorities of the foreign country will expel you and return you to Afghanistan.

Our counselling on these topics is free-of-charge and strictly confidential.

Come and see or call us to find out more at the MRC in Kabul

MRCs provide free of cost sessions to all intending and outgoing migrants (workers, professionals, students, families, young men and women). We put a lot of emphasis on the right and credible information about safe migration whether it is for employment, settlement or education. The orientation sessions highlight the benefits of regular migration and exposes the hazards and consequences associated with irregular migration.

These sessions help you in making an informed decision.

We hold sessions for students at technical and vocational institutions, colleges and professional universities. These classes cover safe migration, the current migration trends and risks and consequences of people smuggling and human trafficking.

MRC counsellors visit technical institutions, colleges, universities and communities to hold awareness sessions on a regular basis.

Please contact us if you want us to visit your school, your community, your village to raise awareness on migration.

Our counselling is free-of-charge and strictly confidential.

We work closely with some government and non-government agencies that provide support to people like you - to inform Afghans who want to go abroad, who face troubles in another country or who want to return. We refer you to the right  agency or organisation, which can help you in their area of expertise. The following list of institutions/ organisations / programmes and services might be of interest to you:

1. Afghanistan Population Registration and Tazkira Department: You can get your national ID card here; they are located next to Khirkhah gas station, after Tahia Maskan Square, Kabul, Afghanistan. The address of the the Directorate of Foreigners and Vital Statistics is: In front of Nadryia High School, Karte Parwan, Kabul, Afghanistan, more at https://www.facebook.com/705726932797697-ریاست-عمومی-ثبت-احوال-نفوس

2. Passport Office (Ministry of Interior Affairs) : In order to travel abroad legally, you need a passport and visa for the country you want to travel to. According to article 39 of the constitution of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and Passport Law :”Every Afghan, according to law, has the right to travel abroad and return.” The central Passport Office works in order to issue passport for Afghans. Read about the necessary procedures here

3. Sequa’s ARIVET project which is funded by GIZ. This project provides vocational training to build technical skills of the Afghans in Iran, in order for them to have better chances of finding jobs. Afghans contacting MRC from Iran requesting for assistance and livelihood opportunities are referred to our ARIVET focal point. To learn more about ARIVET project, please visit: https://www.sequa.de/en/projects-programmes/arivet/

4. Awaaz Afghanistan project which is funded by UNOPS. MRC acts as referral mechanism to Awaaz humanitarian helpline when Afghans (returnees and IDPs) reach out MRC asking about humanitarian aid. Awaaz also refers Afghans seeking information of migration related topics to MRC. Therefore, there is a complementarity mechanism between MRC and Awaaz project. To learn more about Awaaz Afghanistan project, please visit:  https://awaazaf.org/

5. Miniila Application for missing children. MRC acts as referral mechanism for questions related to Afghan missing migrant children/ unaccompanied minors in Europe. We had in person meeting with Miniila colleagues and agreed to work as referral mechanism for each other when we get questions related to our mandates/ scope of works. To learn more about Miniila, please visit: https://missingchildreneurope.eu/miniila/

6. Abad Foundation, the Afghan Lawyers Association in Denmark and  KEIHAN Foundation which are initiatives funded by DRC. MRC also receives questions from Afghans who are in Europe and have enquiries related to integration in Denmark, the Netherlands and Sweden and other EU countries. Here, the Afghan diaspora communities step up to support the integration of the newly arrived Afghans to the EU countries, in addition to the support provided by respective countries. This is an opportunity for MRC to support Afghans in the EU MS by linking them with the Diaspora organizations.

7. Mixed Migration Centre for exchange of information on smuggling routes, smuggling networks activities and messaging, information on migrants decision etc. MRC also make use of MMC’s (4iM) surveys reports.

8. Talent Beyond Boundaries for referral of qualified Afghans. MRC refers Afghans in the country, region and on the move to colleagues at TBB. I met colleagues from TBB  last October in Geneva at IGC meeting and since then we pass TBB’s messages to qualified Afghans as social media posts. To learn more about TBB’s Afghan initiatives, please visit: https://www.talentbeyondboundaries.org/afghanistan-faq 

9. UNHCR’s Help Afghanistan Initiative for referral of Afghans with enquiries on resettlement and humanitarian readmission programmes  https://help.unhcr.org/afghanistan/   

The MRC can provide you with information on legal migration options, including scholarships available for Afghans to study abroad. Below you can find some useful links. To get more details, feel free to contact the MRC team. 

Scholarship opportunities for Afghans to study abroad:

• http://www.scholars4dev.com

Scholarships for Development, is an updated listing of international scholarships that are open to students from developing countries, including Afghanistan, and international students in general. The site helps you find the best international scholarships abroad so you can become Scholars for Development.

• http://www.o4af.com/

Opportunity for Afghanistan provides you with listings of international scholarships and job opportunities. This portal was specifically created for Afghanistan, to provide its youth with a broad set of options for their personal development. They also provide training for youth and online seminars. 

• https://scholarship-positions.com/

Scholarship-Positions.com was started in 2007 by Oxford University graduates to help international students in finding suitable scholarships to study abroad. The site helps students in securing scholarships and financial aid in the world's top universities.

Job opportunities abroad for Afghans:

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What is a Migrant Resource Centre?

A Migrant Reource Centre - MRC in brief - is a place which provides services directly to migrants to facilitate and promote their recourse to legal, voluntary, orderly and protected migration.

Who can contact us at the MRC?

Intending migrants, migrant workers, returnees, Afghans living abroad, students and family members of migrants can contact us.

Can the MRC secure a job abroad?

No, the MRC cannot secure a job abroad for you. MRC is a resource centre providing information and guidance to migrants. The MRC is not a job placement centre or recruitment agency.

Can the MRC get me a visa?

No, MRCs cannot provide visa facilitation. However, we can guide you in the steps to get a visa.

Are you charging for your services?

No, all of our services are completely free of charge.

Can the MRC conduct orientation sessions for students?

Yes, MRC conducts orientation sessions for students from vocational and technical institutes, colleges and professional universities. MRC counsellor’s visit technical institutes, colleges and universities to hold awareness session on regular basis.

How can the MRC help me in migrating abroad?

The MRC can provide you with information that will be useful for you to make an informed decision about migrating.