LONDON
\nAfghan refugees evacuated from Kabul fear they will soon be treated like illegal immigrants because they have not received updated papers, their lawyers have said, adding that it is unclear how many are missing documents required to work legally and rent homes.
\nTemporary visas are due to expire within days, leaving the refugees potentially vulnerable, but the Home Office has said the lawyers\u2019 warnings are \u201cneedless scaremongering,\u201d the BBC reported on Friday.
\nBritish and other NATO armed forces evacuated around 15,000 Afghans from Kabul last year as the country fell to the Taliban.
\nThose evacuees were granted temporary visas lasting six months, with a view to being given the right to settle later \u2014 a commitment that still stands.
\nBut the Law Society, which represents solicitors, said firms across Britain are now receiving calls for help from people whose temporary legal status expires in the coming week \u2014 meaning they have no means of proving they are lawfully in the country.
\nThe Afghans, who either worked alongside NATO forces or are the families of people who did, say they have not received any updated papers and have not been able to get answers from officials.
\nIt is not known how many are affected, and ministers have declined to reveal in Parliament how many Afghans have so far been issued permanent status.
\nWithout such papers they will be unable to work, rent homes, open a bank account or use the National Health Service.
\n\u201cThe Home Office must urgently provide every one of these people with evidence of their continued right to work, study and rent accommodation,\u201d said I. Stephanie Boyce, president of the Law Society.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
LONDON Afghan refugees evacuated from Kabul fear they will soon be treated like illegal immigrants because they have not received updated papers, their lawyers have said, adding that it is unclear how many are missing documents required to work legally and rent homes. Temporary visas are due to expire within days, leaving the refugees potentially […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-245260","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-world"},"yoast_head":"\n