10-year-old boy still separated from parents, brothers 8 months after fleeing Kabul for Canada
CBC
The last time young Hadis Afghanfar saw his parents, they were wading through the crowds at Kabul International Airport last August, desperately trying not to get trampled in their quest to flee Afghanistan as the Taliban took over.
Hadis, who is now 10, his parents, two young brothers, grandparents and aunt were among thousands trying to board flights. His step-grandfather, Mohad Asef Faqiri, says they spent two nights sitting on floors covered in litter and urine with the sound of gunfire all around them.
The boy's mother, who was nine months pregnant, finally had to leave the airport with her husband and other children, fearing for their safety. Hadis and the others made it out and he now lives in Toronto with his grandparents.
"I love my parents so much, I want them to be here," Hadis told CBC News.
Hadis's parents have been working with immigration consultant Kimia Moshiri since October to get the rest of the family to Canada. They were able to cross the border into Pakistan in January but since then, they've been waiting for temporary resident visas from the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
WATCH | Video shows chaos at Kabul airport in August as thousands attempted to flee:
Moshiri says they've already completed the mandatory paperwork, and gotten mandatory fingerprint ID and retinal scans but they were told by IRCC that their application had been placed on hold.
"No matter how many times we follow up with IRCC or call, we're just getting automated replies," she said.
"There's really no one to hold accountable for this case."
Hadis's loved ones aren't the only refugees stuck in limbo. One of IRCC's policies since the Taliban took over was to prioritize those visa applications for Afghans that have immediate family in Canada. But since August of last year, just 11,500 Afghans have arrived in Canada — far fewer than the 40,300 the federal government made a commitment to resettle.
Moshiri says she was told by IRCC that the application would be fast-tracked, considering Hadis is a minor. That hasn't happened.
"It usually takes a few months," she said. "I'm not sure what else we can do."
In an email statement, IRCC wouldn't give any specifics about Hadis's family, but said its commitment to providing protection to at least 40,300 Afghans "has not wavered."
"The timelines for arrival are based on the individual's or families' current location and whether we can process their applications accordingly," the statement reads.
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