While some of their extended family members may have come to Canada through existing programs over the years, others have not and may now be in a precarious position as a result of their relationship to the interpreters.
To help ensure that these families can come to Canada, Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is introducing a new pathway to permanent residence for extended family members of those who previously came under the 2009 and 2012 policies.
To be eligible, the extended family member must:
- be an Afghan national
- be outside Canada at the time of their application
- have been in Afghanistan on or after July 22, 2021
- be an extended family member—defined as a child (regardless of age), grandchild, parent, grandparent, or sibling—of an individual who was previously granted permanent residence as a principal applicant under the 2009 or 2012 public policies
- provide a statutory declaration from a former interpreter who was previously granted permanent residence under one of the public policies in order to confirm their relationship
- hold a travel or identity document or, if that cannot be obtained, provide a statutory declaration attesting to the applicant’s identity
- submit their application using the forms that will be made available online for this program
Additional information regarding the process will be available on the IRCC website in advance of the opening of the application process on December 9. Applicants are encouraged to start gathering their documents before this date.
In addition to these new measures, we continue to prioritize applications of Afghan nationals who are in the process of sponsoring their immediate family members overseas, and dependents of protected persons abroad.
Read this article as it originally appeared in the Government of Canada on November 24, here.