UNHCR: guidance note on Afghanistan 

The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has published the "Guidance note on Afghanistan – September 2025″ (which for now is not in Spanish but yes in English) updating the previous UNHCR Guidance Note issued in February 2023.

UNHCR continues to call on all countries to allow people fleeing Afghanistan access to their territories, guarantee the right to seek asylum and ensure respect for the principle of non-refoulement at all times. Furthermore, according to available information, including testimonies provided to UNHCR by people who have fled the country, widespread human rights violations persist in Afghanistan and, for this reason, it is concluded that a large number of Afghans are in need of international protection.

In this regard, UNHCR has identified the following: profiles of persons who would be deserving of refugee status. This list is not exhaustive and therefore an application should not automatically be considered unfounded simply because it does not correspond to any of the profiles identified. UNHCR also notes that family members and others closely associated with those at risk of persecution would generally be at risk themselves.

i. Women and girls;

ii.            Afghans linked to the former government, security forces and allies;

iii.           Journalists and other media professionals;

iv.           Persons perceived as opponents or critics of the de facto authorities;

v. Members of ethnic and religious minorities;

I saw.           Persons with a diverse sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression;

vii.          Survivors of trafficking in human beings or persons at risk of being treated.

Given the obstacles in gathering information and accessing reports on the situation in Afghanistan, UNHCR calls on decision-makers to be aware of the absence of verified country of origin information or documentation attesting to and corroborating all aspects of the evidence provided by applicants originating in that country. UNHCR also considers it inappropriate to deny international protection to nationals or habitual residents of Afghanistan on the basis of the possibility of internal relocation.

Finally, in exceptional cases where it is determined that a person is not in need of international protection, neither under the 1951 Convention nor under other forms of protection, UNHCR recommends extreme caution before forcible returns, in view of the volatile situation and the serious humanitarian crisis that persists in the country.

* You can download this note in its version below in English ‘UNHCR Guidance Note on Afghanistan – Update II.» UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Guidance Note on Afghanistan – Update II, September 2025, https://www.refworld.org/policy/countrypos/unhcr/2025/en/150460 [accessed 13 October 2025]

** Information obtained through Refworld, global platform for refugee status determination as well as the Spanish summary of the note through UNHCR Spain / UNHCR Spain.