Afghan passport
Afghan passports are international travel documents issued by the Ministry of Interior or sometimes by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to nationals and citizens of Afghanistan. Every person with a valid electronic Afghan identity card can apply for and receive an Afghan passport, which is renewable every 5–10 years.
The Afghan passport was introduced by Emir Abdur Rahman Khan in 1880. The country began issuing biometric passports in September 2011 to diplomats and public servants, and in March 2013 for the general public. Abdul Karim Hasib is the current director of the General Directorate of Passports. His predecessor was Alam Gul Haqqani.
As of 2018, the cost of an Afghan passport is 5,000 afghanis for a five-year validity and 10,000 afghanis for a ten-year validity. In April 2023, it was reported that up to 10,000 passports could be issued daily. This number was expected to reach up to 15,000.
The Afghan passport has been labelled by the Henley Passport Index as the least powerful passport in the world, with its holders only able to visit 25 destinations visa-free.
History
The Afghan passport was introduced by Emir Abdur Rahman Khan in 1880.In September 2011, Afghanistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs began issuing two types of biometric passports for Afghan diplomats and public servants. These were produced in the United Kingdom. The standard e-passports began being issued to the general public in March 2013. According to then-spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Janan Musazai, "on the photo page, there are 16 security codes." Issuance of national electronic Afghan identity cards were also discussed. These changes were intended to prevent fraud in future elections and government corruption as well as to improve the overall security of Afghanistan.
In 2017, a new five-year Afghan passport was reported to cost 5,000 AFN. Previously, passports had been hand written based on information found on paper Afghan ID cards, which are no longer accepted. A ten-year passport later became available for 10,000 AFN. By January 2016, nearly one million of the new computerized Afghan passports have been issued.
Passport distribution centers exist in many provinces of Afghanistan, with the main ones located in Kabul Province. A total of four different locations within Kabul are believed to be distributing passports. The General Directorate of Passports stated that it issued 500,000 passports in one year and collected over 4.2 billion AFN in processing fees. In addition to being a travel document, the passport can also be used to purchase a SIM card; send or receive money through MoneyGram or Western Union; open bank accounts; rent a house; or stay in hotels.
The Afghan embassies and consulates also provide Afghan passports to the Afghan diaspora around the world. After a pause following the Taliban takeover of the government in August 2021, distribution of passports resumed before the end of that year. Though it was reported in March 2022 that the Taliban had introduced a new design bearing the name "Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan", Shirshah Quarishi, deputy director of the Passport Department, said in August 2022 that passports would not carry a new design, which was likely a practical decision taken to ensure they would be accepted for travel by other countries, all of which continue to recognize the previous regime.