New Announcement by CAFIA on the Information Update Scheme for Prima Facie Refugees under Amayesh 19

According to the website of the Center of Aliens and Foreign Immigrants Affairs of the Ministry of Interior (CAFIA), the Integrated System for Foreign Nationals and Migrants (SIAM) will be active from 13 December 2025 to 17 December 2025 for the implementation of the information update scheme for prima facie refugees under Amayesh 19.

For more information, please visit the CAFIA website.

Call for Applications: Maastricht University NL-High Potential scholarship

Academic Year: 2026-2027

The University Twente Scholarship (UTS) in The Netherlands is a scholarship for excellent students from non-EU/EER countries, applying for a graduate programme (MSc) at the University of Twente. Students of Afghan nationality are eligible to apply.

Benefits include: 

  • € 3,000 – € 22,000 for one year
  • The scholarship is also available for 2-years programme

📌  Eligibility: 

  • Applications opened to Afghan nationals
  • English language test requirement Academic IELTS 6.5 (or TOEFL iBT of 90) and an additional 6.0 (TOEFL iBT 20) on the subscore of speaking skills
  • A Bachelor’s Degree

⏰  Deadline:

     Application deadline – round 1:

  • Application form opens per 15 October 2025, 09.00 CET
  • Application forms closes per 1 February 2026, 16.00 CET (for programmes starting September 2026)

     Application deadline – round 2:

  • Application form opens per 1 February 2026, 16.00 CET
  • Application form closes per 1 May 2026, 16.00 CET (for programmes starting September 2026)

If you applied in round 1, and your application was rejected, an application in round 2 is not considered. You can only be awarded with one UT scholarship.

Requests for further information contact: [email protected].

Apply here: https://www.utwente.nl/en/education/scholarship-finder/university-of-twente-scholarship#howtoapply

* You have to apply for a Master’s programme first. Once you applied for a Master’s programme and received a (conditional) admission letter, you can apply for the scholarship with your student number. The scholarship is not available for Master’s programmes at the Faculty of Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation (ITC). The scholarship is not available for the pre-Master programme.

Announcement for Irregular Foreign Nationals with School-Age Children 

According to the communication of the esteemed Center of Aliens and Foreign Immigrants Affairs (CAFIA), those irregular Afghans who, for any reason, have not yet returned to their home country may, provided they meet the following conditions, attend Kefalat Offices in the provinces—and in Tehran Province, visit the online appointment system kanoonnobat.com—to obtain an educational referral letter. 

  1. The student must have been registered and studying in schools in the country during the previous academic year. 
  1. A first-year student whose brother or sister is registered and studying in schools in the country during the current academic year, provided that a birth certificate is available. 
  1. No member of the student’s household must have a record of deportation from the country or hold a Return Slip. 
  1. Introduction of one guarantor holding Amayesh Card No. 19, who must sign a commitment to monitor and ensure the household’s departure from the country after the end of the current academic year. 

Association of Kefalat Offices for Residency and Employment of Foreign Nationals 

For more information please visit the Association Website

Important announcement on UNHCR helpline number

Please be informed that UNHCR has introduced a new country-wide helpline number, replacing all previous ones.

🗓️ Starting from Sunday, 2 November 2025, you can only contact UNHCR through the new toll-free number:

📞 90000427

Working hours: Sunday to Thursday, from 08:00 to 16:00

You can also visit the https://help.unhcr.org/iran/ for further information.

All UNHCR services, including calls to this helpline, are completely free of charge.
Please do not share your personal information with any individual or entity claiming to provide UNHCR services through unofficial channels.

Misinformation on visa/immigration programs to third countries

UNHCR Iran has received reports of false information circulating online and among forcibly displaced communities. The misinformation claims that UNHCR is registering individuals for immigration to third countries. Please be advised that this is not true. Do not trust this rumor!

UNHCR is not involved in any visa/immigration programs for any country.

Please do not approach UNHCR seeking visa/immigration programs. 

UNHCR Iran does not conduct registration, does not decide whether someone is a refugee and does not issue documentation. These are the responsibilities of the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Beware of fraudsters who falsely claim to be affiliated with UNHCR and make false promises regarding visa/immigration programs. These fraudsters may reach out to you in person or through messages, calls, emails, mobile applications or social media.

Do not pay these fraudsters any money and do not share any personal information and documentation with them. Instead, report these fraudsters to UNHCR and the police. All complaints to UNHCR are confidential.

Please only rely on official government/embassy channels to receive accurate information regarding visa/immigration programs.

For information about the available UNHCR services in Iran, please visit the UNHCR Iran website (https://www.unhcr.org/ir/) or see the official announcements made on UNHCR Iran’s Help Page (https://help.unhcr.org/iran/en/news/) or follow the UNHCR Instagram account (https://instagram.com/unhcriran).

If you have any questions about UNHCR services, please send your queries through the UNHCR online contact form or contact the UNHCR helpline (https://help.unhcr.org/iran/en/contact/).

Stay vigilant, stay informed, stay safe.

Australian and Brazilian Humanitarian Visa Scams

UNHCR Iran has received reports regarding fraudsters falsely offering to help Afghan refugees in Iran apply for Australian and Brazilian humanitarian visas. These fraudsters have been collecting personal information and documentation from Afghan refugees and charging them money for fake assistance with filling out forms.

Beware of such fraudsters with false promises regarding humanitarian visa/immigration programs to any country. These fraudsters may reach out to you in person or through messages, calls, emails, mobile applications or social media.

Do not pay these fraudsters any money and do not share any personal information and documentation with them. Instead, report these fraudsters to UNHCR and the police. All complaints and reports to UNHCR are confidential.

Please only rely on official government/embassy channels to receive accurate information regarding visa/immigration programs.

UNHCR is NOT involved in any visa/immigration programs for any country.

For information about the available UNHCR services in Iran, please visit the UNHCR Iran website (https://www.unhcr.org/ir/) or see the official announcements made on UNHCR Iran’s Help Page (https://help.unhcr.org/iran/en/news/) or follow the UNHCR Instagram account (https://instagram.com/unhcriran).

If you have any questions about UNHCR services, please send your queries through the UNHCR online contact form or contact the UNHCR helpline (https://help.unhcr.org/iran/en/contact/).

Stay vigilant, stay informed, stay safe.

Beware of Fraudsters Impersonating UNHCR Personnel

UNHCR services are always free of charge! Do not trust anyone claiming to be able to offer, fast-track or guarantee UNHCR services in exchange for money or favours. They are fraudsters.

Fraudsters may reach out to you in person or through messages, calls, emails, mobile applications or social media. They can be very convincing and may impersonate UNHCR personnel or falsely claim to be affiliated with UNHCR. Fraudsters may also show you fake identification to try to convince you that they work for UNHCR. Never trust them!

Always be suspicious of individuals approaching you outside of UNHCR offices claiming to be connected to UNHCR and offering access to UNHCR services.

Fraudsters may also try to obtain personal information from you or try to gain entry into your homes. Never share your personal information with them and do not allow them into your homes.

Report these fraudsters to UNHCR and the police. All complaints to UNHCR are confidential.

When in doubt, please check directly with UNHCR for accurate information. You may send your queries through the UNHCR online contact form or contact the UNHCR helpline (https://help.unhcr.org/iran/en/contact/).

For information about the available UNHCR services in Iran, please visit the UNHCR Iran website (https://www.unhcr.org/ir/) or see the official announcements made on UNHCR Iran’s Help Page (https://help.unhcr.org/iran/en/news/) or follow the UNHCR Instagram account (https://instagram.com/unhcriran).

Stay vigilant, stay informed, stay safe.

CAFIA Announcement on Commencement of the Scheme for Prima Facie Refugees’ Amayesh and Hoviat for 1404 (Persian Year)

This is to inform all refugees holding valid identification documents of “Foreign National Identification Card” with residence type of Amayesh-18 or Hoviat-17 that, the Prima Facie Refugees’ Information Update Exercise has commenced as of 26 July 2025 (1404/05/04) and will continue for a period of two months.

Accordingly, all prima facie refugees with an Amayesh-18 residency status and Iraqi nationals with a Hoviat-17 residency status are required to visit the designated Offices for Services, Residency, and Employment of Foreign Nationals (Kefalat centers), after receiving an SMS notification, and renew their cards in accordance with the applicable laws and regulations.

For more information please refer the CAFIA Website.

UNHCR does not work with agents or brokers

UNHCR services are always free of charge!

Beware of individuals or groups who may try to exploit you by falsely promising UNHCR-related assistance or services in exchange for money, favours or personal information.

UNHCR does NOT work with any type of agent or broker, including tourism agencies and internet cafés, to provide access to UNHCR services. UNHCR is also NOT involved in any visa/immigration programs for any country.

Do not trust anyone claiming to be affiliated with UNHCR and claiming to be able to fast-track or guarantee UNHCR services in exchange for money or favours. They are fraudsters!

These fraudsters may reach out to you in person or through messages, calls, emails, mobile applications or social media. Do not pay these fraudsters and instead report them to UNHCR and the police.

For information about the available UNHCR services in Iran, please visit the UNHCR Iran website (https://www.unhcr.org/ir/) or see the official announcements made on UNHCR Iran’s Help Page (https://help.unhcr.org/iran/en/news/) or follow the UNHCR Instagram account (https://instagram.com/unhcriran). You may also send your queries through the UNHCR online contact form or contact the UNHCR helpline (https://help.unhcr.org/iran/en/contact/).

Stay vigilant, stay informed, stay safe.

Final Deadline for Booking Appointments for Headcount Slip Holders

All foreign nationals and migrants holding Headcount Slips are hereby informed that the final deadline to book an appointment under the regularization scheme for Headcount Slip holders is 17 Khordad 1404 (7 June 2025). Therefore, the afore mentioned individuals are required to visit the kanoonnobat.ir website to obtain an appointment.

It is emphasized that failure to book an appointment and complete the regularization process will result in these individuals being considered unauthorized and ineligible for any services, and legal action will be taken against them in accordance with the law.

Furthermore, it is reiterated that all official news regarding the regularization scheme for foreign nationals holding Headcount Slips is only published via the website of the Center for Aliens and Foreign Immigrants Affairs (CAFIA) at cafia.moi.ir, and any other sources of information in this regard are invalid.

For more information, please visit CAFIA