The Dutch Ministry of Immigration has recently announced that women and girls from Afghanistan who have applied for asylum in the Netherlands are likely to be allowed to stay in the country.
According to the Holland Times, Bart van den Brink, the Minister of Immigration in the Netherlands, reported that Afghan women and girls will generally receive residency permits in this country.
A section of the Holland Times report states that this decision was made after the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs warned that the situation for women in Afghanistan has deteriorated further.
Under Dutch asylum laws, Afghan women have previously been able to receive residency permits if they cannot comply with the laws of the ruling government and are therefore at risk of harassment.
According to the Holland Times, last year, 760 Afghan citizens applied for asylum in the Netherlands; a figure that is expected to drop to 490 in 2024, compared to 670 the year before.
In 2025, after the Dutch Immigration and Naturalization Service and then David van Wil, the Minister of Immigration, rejected asylum applications from several Afghan women, they faced severe criticism.
Van Wil had stated at that time that women could theoretically adapt to living in Afghanistan.
As reported by the Holland Times, following a strong public backlash and a series of legal challenges, the Dutch Immigration Service changed its position in early 2026 and ultimately granted residency to four Afghan women.
