Spokesperson of the Swiss State Secretariat of Migration (SEM), Daniel Bach, said in a statement to SRF television broadcasting in Switzerland that they will grant the right to a special Swiss passport (green passport) to Afghans living in Switzerland who do not have a valid official document.
Bach stated that Afghans who get this passport can travel to many countries.
IT WAS THE TURNING POINT OF THE DECISION
The Immigration Secretariat started this practice after a court decision in July that Afghans were unable to obtain documents from their country and therefore should be considered “stateless”.
The decision was prompted by his refusal to accept that 24-year-old Afghan Farid Abdelhaq would in no way be allowed to leave Switzerland.
Abdelhaq, who has been living in Switzerland for 7 years and has a valid residence permit, could not travel because he could not receive the documents he requested from his country after the Taliban came to power in 2021.
Speaking to SRF on the subject, Abdelhaq noted that as of 2021, he went to the Afghanistan Embassy in Geneva several times to get a passport, but learned that this was not possible.
Therefore, Abdelhaq, who applied to SEM for travel documents and a new passport, but whose application was rejected, started legal action.
The Federal Administrative Court decided to grant Abdelhaq a green passport.
Swiss lawyer Sandra Gisler, who represented Abdelhaq in court, said the decision was a turning point.
It was also noted that Afghans affected by this can get a green passport for foreigners.
It is stated that more than 30 thousand Afghans living in Switzerland face problems such as obtaining documents from their country and being unable to travel.
Source: AA