Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department is taking steps to ensure Afghan Chevening scholars are not forced to leave the UK to go to third countries where they either have (a) no visa or (b) a temporary visa.

Chevening awards were offered to Afghans resident in third countries for 2022-23.

The FCDO will provide a letter of consent to current scholars whose visas in other countries have expired or will expire, allowing them to apply for another UK visa, exempting them from the normal requirement to leave the UK on completion of study, given the situation in Afghanistan.