Deadline: 15-Mar-2026
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) invites partners to facilitate the repatriation of Afghan refugee returnees from neighboring countries. The initiative focuses on protection-sensitive return processes, access to durable solutions, verification and monitoring of returnees, cash assistance, and reintegration support across multiple reception and encashment centres in Afghanistan.
Overview of the Opportunity
UNHCR has issued a Call for Expression of Interest (EOI) to identify partners capable of supporting the assisted voluntary repatriation of Afghan refugees. The initiative targets refugees, IDPs, and returnees to increase access to durable solutions by 2027, focusing on protection, return facilitation, and reintegration support.
Context: Afghan Refugee Returns
Since the launch of UNHCR’s Assisted Voluntary Repatriation program in March 2002, nearly six million Afghan refugees have returned home. Recent developments, including Pakistan’s Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan in October 2023 and mass returns from Iran in 2025, have significantly increased return flows. Over 4.8 million Afghans have returned from Pakistan and Iran since late 2023, with more than 2.5 million returning or being deported in 2025 alone. Approximately 480,000 individuals were assisted directly by UNHCR in 2025.
Returning refugees face heightened protection risks due to limited access to services, shelter, land, livelihoods, and overall safety. Vulnerabilities are exacerbated by the socio-economic crisis, climate-related disasters, and restrictions affecting women and girls, contributing to secondary displacement and negative coping mechanisms, including early marriage, child labor, and irregular migration.
Target Population
The target population includes registered Afghan refugees holding Proof of Registration cards, Amayesh cards, Gorizah documents, UNHCR refugee cards, and those in refugee-like situations in Iran, Pakistan, Tajikistan, and other countries. An estimated 6.6 million Afghans remain in Iran and Pakistan, many of whom are second- and third-generation refugees with limited ties to their communities of origin.
Key Objectives and Activities
The initiative aims to ensure protection-sensitive returns while strengthening access to durable solutions. Key activities include:
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Documentation and Verification: Verification of refugee documentation, vulnerability assessments, and biometric verification using UNHCR’s BIMS system.
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Protection Assessment: Screening returnees for protection needs, including women, children, and persons with specific vulnerabilities.
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Cash Assistance Facilitation: Multi-purpose cash to cover transportation, food, accommodation, and immediate needs.
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Return and Border Monitoring: Systematic monitoring through interviews, phone surveys, and data recording to assess protection risks, reintegration conditions, and reasons for return or departure.
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Reception Centre Support: Deployment of gender-balanced teams across reception and encashment centres in Islam Qala and Herat (Herat Province), Zaranj (Nimroz), Taktapol (Spin Boldak), and Omari (Torkham), including minimal on-site staffing (guards and cleaners).
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Information Dissemination: Providing returnees with guidance and updates to ensure safe, dignified return processes.
Who Is Eligible?
Organizations with experience in refugee protection, assisted voluntary return programs, cash assistance, monitoring, and reintegration support. Partners must be able to deploy gender-balanced teams, work across multiple border and reception centres, and coordinate closely with UNHCR and other protection actors.
Why This Initiative Matters
The program addresses critical gaps in the repatriation process: Ensuring dignified, protection-sensitive returns, reducing secondary displacement, and supporting reintegration and access to services. By strengthening operational and monitoring capacity at reception and encashment centres, the initiative contributes to safe, organized, and sustainable return processes for millions of Afghan refugees.
How It Works / How to Apply
Step 1: Submit Expression of Interest (EOI): Provide organizational profile, experience in refugee protection and repatriation, and capacity to operate across multiple reception centres.
Step 2: Partner Evaluation: UNHCR reviews technical expertise, operational capacity, gender-sensitive deployment, and ability to manage cash assistance and monitoring.
Step 3: Agreement and Implementation: Selected partners implement return facilitation, documentation verification, cash assistance, monitoring, and reception centre support.
Step 4: Monitoring and Reporting: Systematic post-return monitoring surveys and reporting on protection risks, reintegration conditions, and service access to inform adaptive programming.
Common Tips for Successful Applications
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Demonstrate experience in refugee protection, return processes, and cash assistance programming.
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Highlight ability to deploy gender-balanced teams and work in multiple provinces.
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Include strategies for monitoring, reporting, and post-return follow-up.
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Ensure coordination plans with UNHCR and other protection actors.
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Provide evidence of managing reception and encashment centres or similar operational hubs.
FAQs
1. Who are the target populations? Registered Afghan refugees and those in refugee-like situations in Iran, Pakistan, Tajikistan, and other countries.
2. What locations are included for return facilitation? Reception and encashment centres in Islam Qala and Herat (Herat Province), Zaranj (Nimroz), Taktapol (Spin Boldak), and Omari (Torkham).
3. What services will returnees receive? Documentation verification, protection assessment, multi-purpose cash assistance, information dissemination, and monitoring.
4. Are women and vulnerable groups prioritized? Yes, the initiative emphasizes gender-sensitive interventions and inclusion of persons with specific vulnerabilities.
5. How will monitoring be conducted? Through interviews, phone surveys, BIMS data, and border observation to assess protection risks and reintegration conditions.
6. What is the expected impact? Strengthened protection-sensitive return processes, increased access to durable solutions, and safer reintegration of returnees.
7. Who can apply? Organizations experienced in refugee protection, voluntary repatriation, cash assistance, monitoring, and reception centre operations.
Conclusion
This UNHCR initiative provides a crucial framework to facilitate safe, organized, and protection-sensitive repatriation of Afghan refugees. By supporting documentation verification, cash assistance, monitoring, and reintegration, partners will play a key role in improving access to durable solutions and reinforcing sustainable return processes during a period of large-scale displacement and heightened humanitarian need.
For more information, visit UN Partner Portal.
