Pakistan visas sold on Kabul black market for up to $1,500, Afghan applicants say

Afghan visa applicants told Afghanistan International on Thursday that Pakistan visas are being sold on the black market in Kabul for between $1,000 and $1,500.

They said that without paying bribes to travel companies approved by Pakistan's embassy and consulates, obtaining a visa is impossible or takes months. The official fee for a Pakistan visa is 1,500 Afghanis.

Applicants reported paying large sums to travel companies in exchange for quick processing at Pakistan's embassy and consulates in Kabul, Nangarhar, Kandahar and Balkh provinces. Medical visas are sold for $1,300 to $1,500, while tourist visas fetch $1,500 to $2,000 on the black market.

One applicant in Kabul said: "I applied for a medical visa and paid 1,500 Afghanis, but after four months, I had not received it. Then I gave $1,300 to a company in Kabul and was invited for an interview at the embassy the same day, receiving the visa that day."

He added: "During the interview, they asked how much I had paid for the visa. I said 1,500 Afghanis. If I had said $1,300, my visa would have been rejected."

Officials from some travel companies in Kabul and Nangarhar confirmed the black market sales, saying regular applicants wait months and often have their requests rejected.

Pakistan's embassy in Kabul has not responded to these complaints.

Some Afghans have urged the Taliban administration to discuss the issue with Pakistani authorities to prevent black market visa sales. Complaints about Pakistan visas have increased since the fall of the republic in Afghanistan, and the problem persists nearly five years into Taliban rule.