Hosting and supporting people seeking asylum in Bristol

We are urgently seeking your support to reunite a father in the UK, with his wife and three teenage daughters, who are stuck in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, waiting for a visa appointment.

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Ahmad* has been a longstanding BHN member. When his asylum claim was refused in 2023, he was hosted by BHN while our Advice team worked on his case for over a year. Since being granted refugee status in 2024, this devoted husband and father has been working tirelessly to bring his family to safety. Ahmad applied for Family Reunion in October 2025, but with no UK visa office in Afghanistan, his wife and daughters were forced to make a dangerous journey out of the country, accompanied by her brother, as women are not allowed to travel without a male ‘guardian’.

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After eventually arriving in Tajikistan, the family should be able to complete the ID checks necessary for the visa application, but must wait for the UK Home Office to arrange the appointment. They are living in temporary accommodation, facing daily costs of around £200 for food and shelter, without income or confirmation about when they’ll be seen.

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Time is running out.

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They must finalise their visa applications before the end of April as the Family Reunion applications will expire. If they miss this deadline, their chance to reunite could be lost entirely, forcing them to return to Afghanistan, where they face serious danger and uncertainty.

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Meanwhile, we have been informed by Bristol East MP Kerry McCarthy’s caseworkers that the Home Office can take up to 20 days to arrange a visa appointment in Dushanbe. 

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If we can cover the costs of the family to stay in Dushanbe, this increases their chances of getting a visa appointment before their deadline of April 30th. Please help bring Ahmad’s family back together. 

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How will this fundraiser work?

Every few days when donations come in, BHN will transfer the amount directly to Ahmad so that he can send it to his brother-in-law in Tajikistan. This way, we can keep the fundraiser open while ensuring the family gets the immediate support they need. We will post updates as their situation changes. ​

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Why your help matters

Your donation will go directly towards:

• Safe accommodation and food in Tajikistan

• Essential travel and documentation costs

• Supporting the wife’s brother, who is helping keep them safe

Every contribution helps this family stay safe long enough to complete the process and reach the UK.

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The impact of your support

If we succeed, a family will be reunited after years of separation and fear:

• A woman will finally be safe, be able to build her life and work if she wishes to

• Three young girls will have access to education and stability

• A father will be reunited with his loved ones

• The brother who escorted them will be able to return home to his own family

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A race against time

This is an urgent, time-limited situation. Without immediate support, the family may have no choice but to return to Afghanistan, rendering this entire journey and the money already spent, pointless. 

Please donate whatever you can and share this appeal. Your support could be the difference between safety and danger, between separation and reunion.

Thank you.

Team BHN x

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*name(s) have been changed to protect the identity of our service user(s)