This is to announce that UNHCR’s Headquarters and Cohere Charity are pleased to offer a 6-month part time (8-10 hours per month) online training program for young leaders in refugee situations. This is the third round of the training that UNHCR is leading. The programme targets refugee youth who are currently studying or have graduated from secondary or higher education and are active members in their community. Participants are expected to have a demonstrated interest in expanding access to education for more refugee youth, especially higher education, as well as a commitment to community participation and activism.

Who is eligible:
•             Candidates currently enrolled in secondary or tertiary education, or who have recently graduated
•             Candidates who have public speaking, leadership or advocacy experience
•             Candidates able to write/speak in English
•             Candidates who are enthusiastic about sharing stories, group facilitation, promoting refugee education, community engagement or volunteering
•             Willing to commit to the full 6 months program (8-10 hours per month)
•             Have a campaign or advocacy idea that they would like to lead
•             Commit to remain engaged with the group after the end program, participate in relevant speaking opportunities and content development, as feasible

•             Have access to a device and stable internet connectivity on their own.

Key dates:   
Application deadline: 25th May 2023
Successful Candidates Announced: 19th June 2023  
Programme start date: 28th June 2023 

Course dates:  

Weekly thematic sessions will take place every Wednesday, 1pm CET (to be confirmed with participants).

Interested applicants can submit their application via the following link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSepvuysrW9rkr3bps2o9vt_jCWsJb2Bq5s-HQqTLs5sOj6D6Q/viewform

According to an announcement from Kefalat Centers website, based on the decision of the Commission for the Regularization of Foreign Nationals and the Immigration and Passport Police:

Those Afghan nationals with expired visas (expired between 22 May 2021 to 20 March 2023) can approach Kefalat centers in their area of residence from 30 April 2023, to 30 June 2023 to receive an appointment for extension of their visas. http://kanoonnobat.ir

In case your visa has already been extended before (less than two extensions), please approach the Kefalat centers of the province of extension. Those visas that have been extended for three times will not be eligible for this scheme.

By participating in this scheme those who missed taking part in the 2022 Headcount may have the opportunity to register in the recent Employment Status Determination Scheme which can enable them to possibly longer legal stay in Iran. Non-participation in this scheme may result in lack of legal presence in Iran and may lead to deportation from the country as well as missing the opportunity to benefit from possible government exemptions in fines related to illegal stay after visa expiry.

The 9th Cycle of the UPHI scheme has started countrywide (from 25 February 2023) and the scheme is open and accessible to all Amayesh and Hoviat card holders.

Vulnerable:

Vulnerable refugees (including refugees with Special Diseases – such as Haemophilia, Thalassemia, Renal Failure, Kidney Transplant and Multiple Sclerosis [MS]), similar to previous cycles, can approach Pishkhan centers contracted with Iran Health Insurance Organization (IHIO) countrywide and enroll in the free-of-charge health insurance coverage from 25 February 2023 – 24 February 2024.

Premium payers:

As per previous cycles, other refugees holding Amayesh and Hoviat cards can also approach Pishkhan centers contracted with IHIO countrywide and by paying the ratified premium fee, to enroll in the UPHI scheme and receive health insurance coverage with a duration of 12 months from the date of enrolment.

Note:

1. To know if you fall under vulnerable or premium payer category, please approach your nearest Pishkhan centers contracted with IHIO countrywide or call contact No. 1666 (IHIO’s dedicated operator for UPHI) and check your vulnerability status. Enrollment in the scheme takes place at  Pishkhan centers.
2. Refugees can benefit from a 12-month health insurance coverage.
3. All refugees should ensure that when approaching Pishkhan centers, pre-registration is conducted at the time of enrolment.
4. All diagnostic and treatment services for refugees are covered in all hospitals contracted with IHIO countrywide, similar to Iranians.
5. All refugees who have enrolled in the Universal Public Health Insurance scheme can receive medical services through online prescription services by providing their Identity Cards (valid Amayesh/HoviatCard or Laissez-Passer) and shall be referred to medical centers, who will verify access to UPHI in the system.

The Ministry of Cooperatives, Labor and Social Welfare is calling 18 to 60-year-old Afghan national holders of the 2022 headcount slips to register and obtain an employment ID.

Headcount slip holders should visit the official website to schedule an appointment: http://kanoonnobat.ir

Headcount slip holders who cannot find their province of residence on the official website http://kanoonnobat.ir should physically approach their respective Headcount slip issuing center.

• Participation in this scheme is mandatory for individuals between 18 and 60 years old.
• Registration in the scheme will remain open until 05 May 2023.
• Those who will not be able to register, might be at risk of losing their legal status in Iran and deportation.

Please visit the Ministry of Cooperatives, Labor and Social Welfare here for the original announcement.

UNHCR Iran would regrettably like to inform all refugees/ asylum seekers residing in Iran, that some of the services, including resettlement, cash-based interventions, and voluntary repatriation, would be kept on hold from 31 March until 16 April 2023. However, services such as psychosocial support and legal intervention will continue throughout this period.

The stoppage of all the cases assessment is because of the technical upgradation in the UNHCR data system.

UNHCR services are expected to resume back to normal from 17 April 2023, but with limited functionality, the normal resumption for the services will begin from 20 April 2023.

All UNHCR services will resume back to normal from 26 April onwards.

UNHCR will remain available to respond to any urgent cases through the following hotlines or through email, as stated below:

UNHCR can be contacted by email at [email protected]

UNHCR hotline numbers

Tehran: 021- 88212520 (Sunday to Thursday from 8:30 to 15:30)

Esfahan: 031-3444 2841 & 031-34414201 (Sunday to Wednesday from 08:30 to 15:30)

Mashhad: 051-37685641 (Sunday to Wednesday from 08:30 to 15:30)

Kerman: 034-32476851 and 034-32476850 (Sunday to Wednesday from 8:30 to 15:30)

Shiraz: 071-37229692 and 071-37236014 (Sunday to Wednesday from 8:30 to 15:30)

UNHCR has received reports of fraudsters charging Afghan refugees money for Australian visa application forms in different cities in Iran.

Please be informed that visa application forms for Australia are available online and they can be downloaded free of cost. Availability of forms online is standard practice and is NOT linked to any special scheme for Afghan refugees in Iran.

Australia is NOT processing applications for resettlement received directly from Afghan refugees.

Please also beware of any false promises for resettlement on behalf of UNHCR. UNHCR does not outsource its programmes to individuals, private companies or commercial contractors.

Do not trust anyone asking you to pay for services from UNHCR or its partners as all services provided by UNHCR are FREE OF CHARGE.

Help us stop the cycle of misinformation.

What to do if you are approached by someone promising resettlement or help to submit you for resettlement to an embassy or UNHCR?

• Do NOT transfer or pay money to anyone
• Report anyone suspected of having committed fraud to UNHCR Iran at: [email protected] or please refer to UNHCR Help Page at: https://help.unhcr.org/iran/en/contact/

ALL UNHCR SERVICES ARE FREE OF CHARGE!

Notifying all foreign nationals who have participated in the new headcount and identification plans, the validity of the LPs issued in line with the “conditional protection preparation process”, in order to prepare and finalize the necessary actions, are extended for three more months, until 20 April 2023.

Link to BAFIA website: click here

According to the information and public relations of the Bureau for Aliens and Foreign Immigrants Affairs of the Ministry of Interior:

For the attention of those included in the family passport plan for Aliens and Foreign Immigrants who have one of the following conditions:

• Family passport holders with visa extension valid until 21.12. 2022
• Family passport holders who missed previous extensions from 20.06.2016 to 21.12. 2022
• Issuance of Family Passport visa for:
  • Household members of Afghan nationals where either of the parents have changed legal status from Amayesh to passport and visa, or;
  • Household members of Afghan nationals with Iranian mother.

  It should be noted that the visas will be valid until 21.12.2023.

Sadegh Reza Doust, Director General of BAFIA announced that Afghan nationals who entered the Islamic Republic of Iran after the events of July 1400 and participated in the Headcount scheme and  have not yet succeeded in enrolling their children in schools, can refer to Kefalat offices, from Saturday 14 January to 20 January for issuing and renewing the education support slip.”

to the notice of all those eligible to participate in the Amayesh 17^th registration exercise:

Afghan nationals who for any reason failed to participate in the Amayesh 17th registration, in order to avoid being undocumented and also to benefit from the relevant services, should approach the nearest Kefalat centers of the governorates across the country to renew their cards, from Saturday 10 December 2022 to 17 December 2022.

It should be noted that this time will not be extended at all.