the State Secretariat for Migration announced an adjustment to its asylum and deportation policy regarding Afghanistan. Starting in mid-April 2025, certain single Afghan men whose asylum applications have been rejected may again be returned to Afghanistan under specific conditions.
Based on a new assessment of the situation, the SEM still considers that returns to Afghanistan are generally not reasonable, but it now deems them possible in exceptional cases where favorable factors exist. Eligible individuals must be adult men in good health, without family in Switzerland, and possess a stable and reliable social network in Afghanistan that enables reintegration.
This change does not apply to women, families, minors, or people with health problems. If these groups are denied asylum and no other Dublin state is responsible for their case, they will generally receive temporary admission in Switzerland.
The SEM’s reassessment is based on recent reports showing a marked improvement in security conditions across Afghanistan compared to the situation after the Taliban takeover in August 2021, as well as a slight socio-economic recovery benefiting able-bodied adults with social support networks.
The SEM had suspended deportations to Afghanistan in August 2021 due to the deteriorating situation. However, this suspension did not apply to individuals convicted of serious crimes or posing a security threat. Such cases have continued to result in deportation decisions when legally permissible and in 2024, five Afghan offenders were successfully returned under these conditions.