* People in refugee-like situation refers to a category which is descriptive in nature and includes groups of people who are outside their country or territory of origin and who face protection risks similar to those of refugees, but for whom refugee status has, for practical or other reasons, not been ascertained. In Pakistan, people in refugee-like situations include 146,200 unregistered members of registered families who were being verified at the time of reporting and were recorded through the documentation renewal and information verification exercise (DRIVE). It also includes Afghans who arrived in the country since the Taliban takeover in August 2021 reflecting new population estimates reported by the Government of Pakistan. People in refugee-like situations in the Islamic Republic of Iran include 2.6 million Afghans who were recorded in a Government-conducted exercise. In 2022, the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran conducted a recount of the previously "head counted" population, and extended the scope of this scheme to all undocumented Afghans residing in Iran, including those who had newly arrived due to the Taliban takeover in 2021 in Afghanistan. It is reported that 2.6 million Afghans enrolled in this exercise which provides them with a headcount slip and temporary protection from deportation. The refugee-like category also includes 91,950 Afghan individuals who arrived to Iran post August 2021 and approached UNHCR receptions, indicating not to be in possession of an Amayesh card or 2022 Headcount Slip. For Uzbekistan, people in refugee-like situations include Afghan nationals residing temporarily in Uzbekistan. This is according to publicly accessible information, as there are no official data provided by the Government of Uzbekistan.

On 3 October 2023, Pakistan’s national Apex Committee endorsed a plan to repatriate over a million foreigners without valid documents, largely Afghans. Announcing the plan, Pakistan’s Minister of Interior said that an ultimatum has been issued to illegal foreigners residing in Pakistan, requiring them to leave the country by 1 November 2023. The overall situation inside Afghanistan deteriorated in 2021 and has had significant consequences for the most vulnerable among the population. Some 3.25 million people are currently internally displaced by conflict, over 1 million IDPs have returned to their places of origin, and at least 1.6 million new arrivals have been witnessed in neighbouring countries. UNHCR is responding to this emergency, with needs outlined in a regional Refugee Response Plan (RRP) and Afghanistan’s Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP). Iran and Pakistan, which are neighbours of Afghanistan, also host some 5.5 million Afghan refugees and Afghans in a refugee-like situation. The majority of refugees fled Afghanistan over the years, including from as early as 1979. While 6.2 million refugees returned to Afghanistan in phases since 2002, this trend has been declining in recent times with just over 6,500 people choosing to return in 2022. Since August 2021, UNHCR has maintained a non-return advisory for Afghanistan (reaffirmed in February 2023 in the Guidance Note on International Protection Needs of People Fleeing Afghanistan; Update 1), calling for a halt on forced returns of Afghan nationals. On this page you will find updates on UNHCR's work in support Afghan IDPs, refugees and returnees. Links are also provided below for the individual UNHCR country operation pages for additional information.

In Iran, UNHCR is using an average figure according to various government estimates and continues to follow-up with authorities to receive updated and disaggregated data as well as an estimate of how many presently remain in Iran. Of the average 1 million new arrivals, over 88,000 Afghans have approached UNHCR. Of the 600,000 new arrivals reported by the Government of Pakistan, over 476,000 have approached UNHCR.

Total returns is an umbrella term that includes all returns including deportations, assisted Voluntary Repatriation (VolRep) and other returns of Afghans of all statuses such as PoR cardholders, ACC holders, Amayesh card holders, Headcount Slipholders and the undocumented.