Therese Sta. MariaAmidst the disturbing news of the Taliban taking over Afghanistan and the Afghan people pleading with other countries for refuge, there are already glimmers of hope in certain places around the globe willing to welcome the victims of terrorism. Balkan countries such as Albania, Kosovo, and North Macedonia have already agreed to temporarily shelter Afghan refugees as they await their U.S. visas. And just yesterday, 17 Aug 2021, Finland announced they would give residency permits to 220 Afghans.
Finland to welcome 220 Afghan refugees
Image credit: Tapio Haaja
According to Schengen Visa Info, 130 Afghans who work in Finnish, EU, and NATO institutions will be given residency permits in Finland, along with their families; this also includes adult unmarried children living in the same household as their parents. In addition, 40 Afghans including their family members who don’t necessarily work for the mentioned agencies may be granted residency by Finnish authorities. Within this group, Finland has also decided to include a maximum of 10 people, with family members, whose previous employment with the Kabul mission was valid until 1 Jan 2021.
Finally, the Finnish government will permit residency to 50 more people recruited from the European Union Representation in Kabul or the European Union Directorate-General for Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid (ECHO). It’s also possible that Finland will take in 30 people with family members who were employed by the NATO crisis management operation.
The Afghan refugees will be flown to Finland via a charter flight organised by the state.
Also read: Finland Is the World’s Happiest Country for Four Years in a Row
We hope to hear more hopeful news such as this for refugees and victims of war. Despite the ongoing pandemic, it’s relieving to see that there are countries like Finland that still do what they can for displaced people. If you’d like to donate to help protect, feed, and shelter Afghan refugees, click here.
Featured image credit: Tapio Haaja | Unsplash
