Visa requirements for Afghan citizens

Administrative entry restrictions From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Visa requirements for Afghan citizens are administrative entry restrictions by the authorities of other states placed on citizens of Afghanistan.

Afghan passport (2017–present design)

As of 2026, Afghan citizens had visa-free or visa on arrival access to only 24 countries and territories, ranking the Afghanistan passport 101st and worst in the world according to the Henley Passport Index.[1]

Obtaining foreign visas from within Afghanistan is difficult as many embassies in Afghanistan have closed since Taliban takeover of the government in August 2021.[2] Prices of Afghan passports have risen dramatically as a result of broken down bureaucracy and increased demand.[3]

Visa requirements map

Visa requirements for Afghan citizens holding ordinary passports
  Afghanistan
  Visa not required
  Visa not required (conditional)
  Visa on arrival
  eVisa
  Visa available both on arrival or online
  Visa required
  Admission restricted

Visa requirements

More information Country, Allowed stay ...
Country Visa requirement Allowed stay Notes (excluding departure fees)
Albania eVisa[4][5] 90 days
Algeria Visa required[4]
  • Visitors on tours organized to some southern regions by an approved travel agency may obtain a visa on arrival for up to 30 days.[6][7]
Andorra Visa required[4]
Angola eVisa[4][8] 30 days
Antigua and Barbuda eVisa[4][9]
Argentina Visa required[4]
Armenia Visa required[4]
Australia Visa required[4][10]
  • May apply online (Online Visitor e600 visa).
Austria Visa required[4]
Azerbaijan Visa required[4]
Bahamas eVisa[4][11]
Bahrain eVisa / Visa on arrival[4][12] 14 days
  • Travelers must have a valid visa for the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, United States, a Schengen country, United States green card or Saudi Arabia (excluding Hajj and Umrah visas).
Bangladesh Visa required[4]
Barbados Visa required[4]
Belarus Visa required[4]
  • Registration upon arrival for stays longer than five days is mandatory.
Belgium Visa required[4]
Belize Visa required[4]
Benin eVisa[4][13] 30 days
  • Three types of electronic visa are offered: the e-Visa valid for 30 days for a single entry (50 EUR), the e-Visa valid for 30 days for several (multiple) entries (75 EUR), and the e-Visa valid for 90 days to make several (multiple) entries (100 EUR).[14]
Bhutan eVisa[4][15] 90 days
  • The Sustainable Development Fee (SDF) of 200 USD per person, per night for almost all visitors to Bhutan. Additionally, if payment is made in US dollars from September 1, 2023 to August 31, 2027, the SDF is 100 USD.[16]
Bolivia Online Visa[4][17]
Bosnia and Herzegovina Visa required[4]
Botswana eVisa[4][18] 3 months
Brazil Visa required[4]
Brunei Visa required[4]
Bulgaria Visa required[4]
Burkina Faso eVisa[4][19]
Burundi Online Visa / Visa on arrival[4][20] 1 month
Cambodia eVisa / Visa on arrival[4][21] 30 days
Cameroon eVisa[4][22]
Canada Visa required[4]
  • Afghans who worked for the Canadian Government (military or development projects) may be eligible for Asylum under [23]
Cape Verde Visa required[4]
Central African Republic Visa required[4]
Chad eVisa[4][24]
Chile Visa required[4]
China Visa required[4]
Colombia Online Visa[4][26]
Comoros Visa on arrival[4] 45 days
Republic of the Congo Visa required[4]
Democratic Republic of the Congo eVisa[4][27] 7 days
Costa Rica Visa required[4]
Côte d'Ivoire eVisa[4][28] 3 months
Croatia Visa required[4]
Cuba eVisa[4][29] 90 days
  • From 2025, the Tourist card will be replaced by an e-Visa. This will be valid until June 30.[30]
Cyprus Visa required[4]
Czech Republic Visa required[4]
Denmark Visa required
Djibouti eVisa[4][31] 90 days
Dominica Visa not required[4] 21 days
Dominican Republic Visa required[4]
Ecuador Visa required[4]
Egypt Visa not required (conditional)[4] 3 months
  • Visa not required for passengers aged 50 years and above or 16 years and below.
El Salvador Visa required[4]
Equatorial Guinea eVisa[4][32]
Eritrea Visa required[4]
Estonia Visa required[4]
Eswatini Visa required[4]
Ethiopia Visa required[4][33]
  • Credit card payment transactions are not accepted when applying for e-Visa.
Fiji Online Visa[4][34]
Finland Visa required[4]
France Visa required[4]
Gabon eVisa[4][35] 90 days
Gambia Visa required[4]
Georgia Visa required[4]
  • All residents of Saudi Arabia (including Afghan nationality) can obtain a tourist visa on arrival at Tbilisi Airport.
Germany Visa required[4]
Ghana Visa required[4]
Greece Visa required[4]
Grenada Visa required[4]
Guatemala Visa required[4]
Guinea eVisa[4][37] 90 days
Guinea-Bissau Visa on arrival[4] 90 days
Guyana eVisa[4][38]
Haiti Visa not required[4] 3 months
Honduras Visa required[4]
Hungary Visa required[4]
Iceland Visa required[4]
India eVisa[4][39] 30 days
Indonesia Visa required[4]
  • Afghan citizens are subjected to the calling visa category, a designation applied to nationals considered to have specific vulnerabilities or risks related to ideology, politics, economy, society, culture, security, or immigration.
  • Prior approval from the Directorate General of Immigration in Jakarta is required before applying for a visa.
  • In addition to holding a visa, travelers must obtain a reference letter from the Directorate General of Immigration and present the invitation letter submitted with their visa application before traveling to Indonesia.
Iran Visa required[4]
Iraq eVisa[4][40] 30 days
Ireland Visa required[4]
Israel Visa required[4]
  • Confirmation from the Israeli Foreign Ministry before a visa is issued.[41]
Italy Visa required[4]
Jamaica Visa required[4]
Japan Visa required[4]
  • Nationals who reside in Saudi Arabia (Including Afghan nationality) are able to apply for a tourist visa online (Single entry visa for a stay up to 90 days).
Jordan Visa required[4]
Kazakhstan Visa required[4]
Kenya Electronic Travel Authorisation[4][42] 90 days
  • Applications can be submitted up to 90 days prior to travel and must be submitted at least 3 days in advance.
  • eTA fee is 32.50 USD.
  • Proof of reservation at the hotel where visitors plan to stay is required (if staying with friends, an invitation letter is also acceptable).
  • Yellow fever vaccination certificate is required if coming from endemic countries.
Kiribati Visa required[4]
North Korea Visa required[4]
South Korea Visa required[4]
Kuwait Visa required[4]
Kyrgyzstan eVisa[4][43] 60 days
Laos Visa required[4]
Latvia Visa required[4]
Lebanon Visa required[4]
Lesotho Visa required[4]
Liberia e-VOA[4][44] 3 months
Libya Visa required[4]
Liechtenstein Visa required[4]
Lithuania Visa required[4]
Luxembourg Visa required[4]
Madagascar eVisa / Visa on arrival[4][45] 90 days
  • For stays of 61 to 90 days, the visa fee is 59 USD.
Malawi eVisa[4][46] 30 days
Malaysia eVisa[4][47] 30 days
Maldives Free visa on arrival[48] 30 days
Mali Visa required[4]
Malta Visa required[4]
Marshall Islands Visa required[4]
Mauritania eVisa[4][49] 30 days
Mauritius Visa required[4]
Mexico Visa required[4]
  • Visa is not required for Holders of a valid visa of Canada, US, UK or a Schengen State and Permanent residence of Canada, Chile, Colombia, Schengen State, Japan, UK, US[50]
  • Entry may be refused by immigration officials for individuals who were previously denied a US visa, even if holding a valid Mexican visa.
Micronesia Visa not required[4] 30 days
Moldova Visa required[4]
  • Citizens holding a residence permit or a valid visa issued by one of the member states of the European Union or one of the parties to the Schengen Agreement can apply for an electronic visa.[51]
Monaco Visa required[4]
Mongolia Visa required[4]
Montenegro Visa required[4]
Morocco Visa required[4]
Mozambique eVisa / Visa on arrival[4][52] 30 days
Myanmar Visa required[4]
Namibia eVisa[4][53] 3 months
Nauru Visa required[4]
  Nepal Visa required[4]
Netherlands Visa required[4]
New Zealand Admission restricted[54]
  • Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan passports issued prior to 2004 and after 2021 do not meet the requirements of a passport or certificate of identity under New Zealand immigration law; these passports are therefore unacceptable for travel to New Zealand and visas will not be endorsed in them.[55]
  • Passports issued by the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan between 2004 and 2021 are recognised.[54]
  • Holders of an Australian Permanent Resident Visa or Resident Return Visa in an acceptable travel document may be granted a New Zealand Resident Visa on arrival permitting indefinite stay (under the Trans-Tasman Travel Arrangement), subject to meeting character requirements and obtaining an Electronic Travel Authority before departure.[56]
Nicaragua Visa required[4]
  • Visa on arrival if holding valid visas of United States, Canada, and Schengen Member state
Niger Visa required[4]
Nigeria eVisa[4][57] 30 days
North Macedonia Visa required[4]
Norway Visa required[4]
Oman Visa required[4]
Pakistan eVisa[4][58] 3 months
  • To date, no one has been successful in obtaining a Pakistani visa through the online portal. How Afghans can obtain a Pakistani visa is by consulting a travel agency or "commission worker," who is often an associate of the Pakistani government operating surreptitiously. They usually charge between 800 USD and 1,000 USD per person to obtain a visa that is supposed to be free of charge. In fact, citizens of the U.S., Canada, the U.K., any of the Schengen Area countries, Australia, and New Zealand who were born in Afghanistan are denied visas or entry for ambiguous reasons.
Palau Visa on arrival[4] 30 days
Panama Visa required[4]
Papua New Guinea eVisa[4][59] 60 days
  • Visitors may apply for a visa online under the "Tourist - Own Itinerary" category.
Paraguay Visa required[4]
Peru Visa required[4]
Philippines Visa required[4]
  • Residents of the United Arab Emirates may obtain an eVisa through the official Philippine eVisa website. A valid Emirati residence visa must be shown upon an e-Visa application.[60][61]
Poland Visa required[4]
Portugal Visa required[4]
Qatar eVisa[4][62]
  • Visitors can apply for a visa on the Hayya website.
Romania Visa required[4]
Russia Visa required[4]
Rwanda eVisa / Visa on arrival[4][63] 30 days
Saint Kitts and Nevis eVisa[4][64] 30 days
Saint Lucia Visa required[4]
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Visa required[4]
Samoa Entry permit on arrival[4] 90 days
San Marino Visa required[4]
São Tomé and Príncipe Visa required[4]
Saudi Arabia Visa required[4]
Senegal Visa required[4]
Serbia eVisa[4][65] 90 days
  • 90 days within any 180-day period. Transfers allowed.
Seychelles Electronic Border System[4][66] 3 months
  • Application can be submitted up to 30 days before travel.
  • Visitors must upload a reservation confirmation(s) for each visitor's location of stay in Seychelles.
  • Yellow fever vaccination certificate is required if coming from endemic countries.
  • Payment of the fee (EUR 10) by credit or debit card.
  • Valid for one journey only and it expires once exit the country.
Sierra Leone eVisa[4][67] 3 months
Singapore Visa required[4]
Slovakia Visa required[4]
Slovenia Visa required[4]
Solomon Islands Visa required[4]
Somalia eVisa[4][68] 30 days
South Africa Visa required[4]
South Sudan eVisa[4][69]
  • Obtainable online.
  • Printed visa authorization must be presented at the time of travel.
Spain Visa required[4]
Sri Lanka ETA / Visa on arrival[4][70] 30 days
Sudan Visa required[4]
Suriname eVisa[4][71] 90 days
Sweden Visa required[4]
 Switzerland Visa required[4]
Syria eVisa[4][72]
Tajikistan Visa required[4]
Tanzania eVisa[4][73]
Thailand eVisa[4][74] 60 days
Timor-Leste Visa on arrival[4][75] 30 days
Togo eVisa[4][76] 15 days
Tonga Visa required[4]
Trinidad and Tobago eVisa[4][77] 90 days
Tunisia Visa required[4]
Turkey Visa required[4]
Turkmenistan Visa required[4]
  • When transiting between two non-bordering countries, visitors can obtain a Turkmenistan transit visa for a five-day stay. This must be applied for in advance at the Turkmenistan Embassy. Visitors must also submit copies of the visas for the country of entry into Turkmenistan and the country of departure from Turkmenistan. Visa fee is 20 USD.[78][79]
Tuvalu Visa on arrival[4] 1 month
Uganda eVisa[4][80] 3 months
Ukraine Visa required[4]
United Arab Emirates Visa required[4]
  • May apply using 'Smart service'.[81]
United Kingdom Visa required[4]
United States Admission restricted[4]
Uruguay Visa required[4]
Uzbekistan Visa required[4]
Vanuatu eVisa[4][85] 120 days
Vatican City Visa required[4]
Venezuela eVisa[4][86]
Vietnam eVisa[4][87]
  • e-Visa is valid for 90 days and multiple entry.
  • Only Phú Quốc island has a visa exemption for up to 30 days.
Yemen Visa required[4]
  • Yemen introduced an e-Visa system for visitors who meet certain eligibility requirements (group travel of 10 or more people, business trips, and transit etc.).[88]
Zambia eVisa[4][89] 90 days
Zimbabwe eVisa[4][90] 1 month
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Territories and disputed areas

Visa requirements for Afghan citizens for visits to various territories, disputed areas, and restricted zones:

More information Visitor to, Notes (excluding departure fees) ...
Visitor to Visa requirement Notes (excluding departure fees)
Africa
British Indian Ocean Territory Special permit required[91]
  • Special Permit required.
Eritrea (outside Asmara) Travel permit required[92]
  • To travel in the rest of Eritrea, a Travel Permit for Foreigners is required (20 Eritrean nakfa)
Ascension Island eVisa[93][94]
  • 3 months within any year.
Saint Helena eVisa[95][96]
Tristan da Cunha Visa required[97]
Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
(Western Sahara controlled territory)
Unknown
Somaliland Visa required[98]
Asia
Hong Kong eVisa[99]
India PAP/RAP PAP/RAP required
Macau Visa on arrival[4][105][106]
North Korea outside Pyongyang Special permit required
  • People are not allowed to leave the capital city; tourists can only leave the capital with a governmental tourist guide (no independent travel)
Palestine Visa required[4]
Taiwan Visa required[4]
Tajikistan Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Province Special permits required
Tibet Autonomous Region Travel permit required
UN Korean Demilitarized Zone Restricted zone
United Nations UNDOF Zone and Ghajar Restricted zone
Caribbean and North Atlantic
Anguilla eVisa[113][114]
Aruba Visa required[115]
Bermuda Visa required[116]
Netherlands Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba Visa required[117]
British Virgin Islands Visa required[118]
Cayman Islands Visa required[119]
Curacao Visa required[120]
France French Guiana Visa required[121]
France French West Indies Visa required[122]
Montserrat eVisa[123][124]
Puerto Rico Visa required[125]
Sint Maarten Visa required[126]
Turks and Caicos Islands Visa required[127]
U.S. Virgin Islands Visa required[99]
Europe
Abkhazia Visa required[128]
  • Tourists from all countries (except Georgia) can visit Abkhazia for a period not exceeding 24 hours as part of an organized tourist group.
Kosovo Visa required[4]
Mount Athos Special permit required
  • Special permit required (4 days: €25 for Orthodox visitors, €35 for non-Orthodox visitors, €18 for students). There is a visitors' quota: a maximum of 100 Orthodox and ten non-Orthodox per day, and women are not allowed.[129][130]
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus Visa not required[131]
United Nations UN Buffer Zone in Cyprus Access permit required[132]
  • Access Permit is required for traveling inside the zone, except in Civil Use Areas.
Gibraltar Visa required[133]
Norway Jan Mayen Permit required[133]
  • Permit issued by the local police required for a stay of fewer than 24 hours[134] and Permit issued by the Norwegian police for staying more than 24 hours.[135]
South Ossetia Visa required
  • To enter South Ossetia, visitors must have a multiple-entry visa for Russia and register their stay with the Migration Service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs within 3 days.[136][137]
Transnistria Visa not required[138][139]
  • Registration is required after 24h.
Oceania
American Samoa Visa required[140]
Australia Ashmore and Cartier Islands Authoristion required
  • Special authorization required.[141]
France Clipperton Island Special permit required
  • Special permit required.[142]
Cook Islands Visa not required[4][143]
  • 31 days
French Polynesia Visa required[144]
Guam Visa required[145]
Niue Visa not required[4]
Pitcairn Islands Visa not required[146][147][148]
  • 14 days visa-free and landing fee of 35 USD or tax of 5 USD if not going ashore.
United States United States Minor Outlying Islands Special permit required
South Atlantic and Antarctica
Falkland Islands Visa required[156]
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Permit required
Antarctica Special Permits Required
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Non-visa restrictions

Blank passport pages

Many countries require a minimum number of blank pages to be available in the passport being presented, typically one or two pages.[171] Endorsement pages, which often appear after the visa pages, are not counted as being valid or available.

Vaccination

Cover of the new International Certificate of Vaccination issued by the Bureau of Quarantine in the Philippines since 2021

The African countries of Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Sierra Leone and Togo, South Sudan and Uganda, along with French Guiana in South America, require all incoming passengers older than nine months to one year[172], to have a current International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis.[173]

Some other countries require vaccination only if the passenger is coming from an infected area or has visited one recently or has transited for 12 hours in those countries: Algeria, Botswana, Cabo Verde, Chad, Djibouti, Egypt, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Lesotho, Libya, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, Seychelles, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Tunisia, Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.[174][175]

Passport validity length

Very few countries, such as Paraguay, just require a valid passport on arrival.

However many countries and groupings now require only an identity card – especially from their neighbours. Other countries may have special bilateral arrangements that depart from the generality of their passport validity length policies to shorten the period of passport validity required for each other's citizens[176][177] or even accept passports that have already expired (but not been cancelled).[178]

Some countries, such as Japan,[179] Ireland and the United Kingdom,[180] require a passport valid throughout the period of the intended stay.

In the absence of specific bilateral agreements, countries requiring passports to be valid for at least 6 more months on arrival include Afghanistan, Algeria, Anguilla, Bahrain,[181] Bhutan, Botswana, British Virgin Islands, Brunei, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Curaçao, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Fiji, Gabon, Guinea Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel,[182] Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, Kuwait, Laos, Madagascar, Malaysia, Marshall Islands, Mongolia, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Oman, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Peru,[183] Philippines,[184] Qatar, Rwanda, Samoa, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Tokelau, Tonga, Turkey, Tuvalu, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, Vanuatu, Venezuela, and Vietnam.[185]

Countries requiring passports valid for at least 4 months on arrival include Micronesia and Zambia.

Countries requiring passports with a validity of at least 3 months beyond the date of intended departure include Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Honduras, Montenegro, Nauru, Moldova and New Zealand. Similarly, the EEA countries of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, all European Union countries (except Ireland) together with Switzerland also require 3 months validity beyond the date of the bearer's intended departure unless the bearer is an EEA or Swiss national.

Countries requiring passports valid for at least 3 months on arrival include Albania, North Macedonia, Panama, and Senegal.

Bermuda requires passports to be valid for at least 45 days upon entry.

Countries that require a passport validity of at least one month beyond the date of intended departure include Eritrea, Hong Kong, Lebanon, Macau, the Maldives[186] and South Africa.

Maximum passport age

Countries of the Schengen area require non-EU passports to be less than 10 years old upon entry.[187]

Criminal record

Some countries, including Australia, Canada, Fiji, New Zealand and the United States,[188] routinely deny entry to non-citizens who have a criminal record, while others impose restrictions depending on the type of conviction and the length of the sentence.

Persona non grata

The government of a country can declare a diplomat persona non grata, banning them from entering the country or expelling them if they have already entered. In non-diplomatic use, the authorities of a country may also declare a foreigner persona non grata permanently or temporarily, usually because of unlawful activity.[189]

Israeli stamps

Kuwait,[190] Lebanon,[191] Libya,[192] and Yemen[193] do not allow entry to people with passport stamps from Israel or whose passports have either a used or an unused Israeli visa, or where there is evidence of previous travel to Israel such as entry or exit stamps from neighbouring border posts in transit countries such as Jordan and Egypt.

To circumvent this Arab League boycott of Israel, the Israeli immigration services have now mostly ceased to stamp foreign nationals' passports on either entry to or exit from Israel (unless the entry is for some work-related purposes). Since 15 January 2013, Israel no longer stamps foreign passports at Ben Gurion Airport. Passports are still (as of 22 June 2017) stamped at Erez when passing into and out of Gaza.[citation needed]

Iran refuses admission to holders of passports containing an Israeli visa or stamp that is less than 12 months old.

Biometrics

Several countries mandate that all travellers, or all foreign travellers, be fingerprinted on arrival and will refuse admission to or even arrest travellers who refuse to comply. In some countries, such as the United States, this may apply even to transit passengers who merely wish to change planes rather than go landside.[194]

Fingerprinting countries/regions include Afghanistan,[195][196] Argentina,[197] Brunei, Cambodia,[198] China,[199] Ethiopia,[200] Ghana, Guinea,[201] India, Japan,[202][203] Kenya (both fingerprints and a photo are taken),[204] Malaysia upon entry and departure,[205] Mongolia, Saudi Arabia,[206] the Schengen Area,[207] Singapore, South Korea,[208] Taiwan, Thailand,[209] Uganda,[210] the United Arab Emirates and the United States.

Many countries also require a photo be taken of people entering the country. The United States, which does not fully implement exit control formalities at its land frontiers (although long mandated by its own legislation),[211][212][213] intends to implement facial recognition for passengers departing from international airports to identify people who overstay their visa.[214]

Together with fingerprint and face recognition, iris scanning is one of three biometric identification technologies internationally standardised since 2006 by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) for use in e-passports[215] and the United Arab Emirates conducts iris scanning on visitors who need to apply for a visa.[216][217] The United States Department of Homeland Security has announced plans to greatly increase the biometric data it collects at US borders.[218] In 2018, Singapore began trials of iris scanning at three land and maritime immigration checkpoints.[219][220]

See also

References and notes

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