Afghan government urges its citizens stranded in Qatar while awaiting US visas to return home

Afghanistan on Saturday urged its citizens who are currently stranded in Qatar while awaiting visas from the United States to return home, saying the country is safe and welcoming to all.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Abdul Qahar Balkhi said in a statement that Afghan nationals awaiting travel to the United States have reportedly been asked to either return to Afghanistan or seek resettlement in a third country.

Balkhi said Afghanistan “constitutes the shared homeland of all Afghans” and invited those affected to return “with full confidence and peace of mind,” emphasizing that no citizen is compelled to leave for security reasons.

He added that those wishing to relocate elsewhere could do so through “legal and dignified channels” at an appropriate time.

The ministry also said it is ready to work with other countries under bilateral consular arrangements to safeguard the rights of Afghan citizens abroad.

Thousands of Afghans have been awaiting relocation in various countries since the Taliban regained power in 2021, with many going through third countries like Qatar and Pakistan to obtain visas for resettlement, particularly in the US.