Biden administration now says evacuation flights for Americans and Afghans fleeing Kabul will be free

• The Biden administration walked back earlier statements and said Afghanistan evacuation flights would be free.
• "We have no intention of seeking any reimbursement from those fleeing Afghanistan," the State Department said.
• US law says repatriation flights usually aren't free and the government could seek repayment.

The Biden administration walked back previous statements that evacuation flights for Americans and Afghans in Kabul were not guaranteed to be free, now stating that those fleeing the country do not have to pay for their flights.

It comes after the administration previously said passengers fleeing the country would have to cover the cost, which could come out to $2,000 per person.

People are desperately fleeing Afghanistan after Taliban forces regained control of Kabul, reinstating their rule after more than two decades.

"In these unique circumstances, we have no intention of seeking any reimbursement from those fleeing Afghanistan," State Department spokesperson Ned Price told CNN on Friday.

Thousands of US troops have been working to evacuate US citizens and Afghans at the Hamid Karzai International Airport earlier this week, according to Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby. But those looking to leave the nation grew worried they could face a large bill upon arriving in the US.

In a security alert posted on August 14, the day before Kabul fell to Taliban forces, the Overseas Security Advisory Council said, "Repatriation flights are not free, and passengers will be required to sign a promissory loan agreement and may not be eligible to renew their US passports until the loan is repaid."

"The cost may be $2,000USD or more per person," the bulletin post continued.

The US government could have requested reimbursement payments for evacuation flights out of Afghanistan, as "US law requires that departure assistance to private US citizens or third-country nationals be provided 'on a reimbursable basis to the maximum extent practicable.'"

"By taking a US government coordinated transport, evacuees are obligated to repay the cost of their transportation," the State Department website says.

A State Department spokesperson told Politico on Thursday that the situation in Afghanistan remains "extremely fluid, and we are working to overcome obstacles as they arise."

An FAQ on the State Department website said it does "understand that you may not be able to access your own money during a crisis" and that "emergency financial assistance in the form of a loan may be available."

"For evacuation transportation that we arrange to transport you out of a crisis location, you do not have to pay before you board," citing the FAQ response.

"To board these transports, you will need to complete and sign a form promising to repay the U.S. government," the response continued. "The amount billed to evacuees is based on the cost of a full fare economy flight, or comparable alternate transportation, to the designated destination(s) that would have been charged immediately prior to the events giving rise to the evacuation."

On Monday, President Joe Biden signed off on allocating $500 million to aid the evacuation effort of Afghans looking to flee the country after Taliban forces took over Kabul.

In a memorandum to the Secretary of State Anthony Blinken Monday evening, Biden authorized that the money, taken from the US Emergency Refugee and Migration Assistance Fund, be used "for the purpose of meeting unexpected urgent refugee and migration needs of refugees, victims of conflict, and other persons at risk as a result of the situation in Afghanistan, including applicants for Special Immigrant Visas."

But repaying evacuation flights would have been easier said than done. In Kabul, Afghans have been waiting in long lines outside of banks to withdraw their savings amid economic chaos in the country's transition between authoritative powers.

Editor's Note: This story was updated on 8/20/21 after the State Department said flights would be free.