Following the court ruling: Federal authorities are obligated to grant a visa to an Afghan female
The Berlin Administrative Court has made a legally binding decision that Germany must issue visas to an Afghan woman and her family stranded in Pakistan, affirming that the government is legally obliged to honor its prior commitment under the federal admission program.
Launched in October 2022, the federal admission program aimed to admit particularly vulnerable Afghans at risk under the Taliban regime. However, in 2025, the new center-right government suspended the program amid political shifts and concerns about integration capacity. As a result, around 2,400 Afghans approved for resettlement remain stranded in Pakistan without visas or flights, and another 17,000 are stuck in earlier stages of the process.
The court ruling states that the government cannot unilaterally revoke visas already promised to specific individuals. Following the court ruling, the German government initially appealed but then withdrew its appeal, making the visa issuance for the Afghan family final. This case sets a precedent for other at-risk Afghans in Pakistan who have received admission commitments.
The dispute is over the federal admission program for particularly endangered Afghans. These Afghans are either former local forces or considered particularly endangered. The identity of the people involved has been clarified. The case involves offers from the federal government to a teaching assistant and her 13 family members who are waiting for visas in Pakistan.
The German government has stated it is in contact with Pakistani authorities and using emergency mechanisms to prevent Afghan deportations. It remains unclear if all similar urgent requests requiring visa issuance by the government will receive visas soon without legal action.
In summary, while Germany’s admission program for endangered Afghans is suspended and under political review, a legal ruling enforces visa issuance for individuals already promised entry, directly impacting the many Afghans waiting in Pakistan with approved admissions but no visas yet granted. There were no security concerns identified in this case.
- The court ruling, based on the federal admission program, has reinforced the government's obligation to honor prior commitments to at-risk Afghans, despite political shifts and concerns about integration capacity.
- Despite the suspension of the federal admission program, policy-and-legislation mandate the German government to issue visas for individuals, such as the Afghan woman and her family, who have already been approved for resettlement, following legal scrutiny in the politics of general-news.
