RASC News Agency: The Taliban’s passport department recently issued an announcement regarding the suspension of paper applications due to various reasons. In a bulletin released on Sunday, January 21st, the department declared that passports would now exclusively be issued online for individuals facing critical needs, such as patients. This decision follows a notable increase in applicants and complaints about the disorderly situation at the passport office.
Despite the recent reintroduction of in-person passport applications, a considerable number of individuals have inundated the General Directorate of Taliban Passports in Kabul and Herat. Earlier reports documented mistreatment of applicants, encompassing physical assault and the disposal of their applications. It is noteworthy that since the Taliban assumed control of the country, there has been a significant upswing in the number of passport applicants. Nevertheless, the Taliban’s Ministry of Interior has sporadically suspended the passport distribution process in Kabul and other provinces, fostering the emergence of a black market for passports.
In the past two years, hundreds of thousands of Afghanistani citizens have migrated to neighboring countries, particularly Iran and Pakistan, armed with passports and visas. This mass migration, coupled with intermittent suspensions of passport distribution, has fueled a surge in passport demand, leading to challenges faced by the passport department. Consequently, the shift to online applications for those in urgent need aims to address these issues and streamline the process.
