RASC News Agency: Reports indicate growing dissatisfaction among Afghanistani visa applicants regarding Turkiye’s visa processing system, with critics highlighting prolonged waiting periods, high application costs, and the financial losses incurred when applications are rejected.
According to available information, the Turkish Embassy in Afghanistan has outsourced visa processing services to a private company based in the Wazir Akbar Khan district of Kabul. Each day, hundreds of Afghanistani citizens visit the center, seeking visas for employment opportunities, higher education, medical treatment, or family reunification.
Applicants are reportedly required to pay approximately 200 U.S. dollars per application, in addition to 1,000 Kabuli rupees for registration and another 1,000 Kabuli rupees for medical examinations. Critics argue that these fees place a heavy financial burden on Afghanistani applicants, many of whom already live under severe economic strain caused by unemployment, inflation, and limited livelihood opportunities.
For many families, securing such amounts requires borrowing money, selling assets, or taking on significant financial risk, further deepening their economic vulnerability.
Applicants also report prolonged processing times, with waiting periods often extending over several months. While a limited number of applicants ultimately receive visas, a substantial proportion face rejection after enduring long delays and financial expenditure.
This uncertainty has intensified public frustration, particularly as rejection rates remain high and procedural transparency appears limited.
The most contentious issue raised by critics concerns the non-refundable nature of application fees. Even when visa applications are rejected, the fees paid are not returned to Afghanistani applicants.
While acknowledging that visa approval is a sovereign right of any state and that rejection is an expected outcome in many cases, critics question the absence of a refund mechanism or clearer explanation regarding the use of collected funds.
Experts argue that Afghanistani applicants deserve greater transparency regarding the breakdown of fees, the role of intermediary companies, and the financial policies governing visa processing.
The issue emerges against the backdrop of ongoing economic hardship in Afghanistan, characterized by widespread poverty, high unemployment, and reduced access to basic services. For many households, visa-related expenses represent a significant and often burdensome financial commitment.
As a result, the management of visa fees has become a sensitive public concern, with growing calls from citizens and civil society actors for improved oversight, transparency, and accountability in the visa application process.
