Iran Visa Restrictions Fuel Black Market in Kabul, Applicants Say

KABUL – Restrictions on the issuance of Iranian visas to Afghan citizens have reportedly contributed to a growing black market in Kabul, with some visas being sold for between $1,380 and $2,000, according to visa applicants and travel-agency representatives.

Applicants say access to official visa channels has become increasingly difficult over the past year, leaving many people dependent on brokers and travel agencies to obtain visas. They allege that some intermediaries are charging high commissions and selling visas at several times their official cost.

Access to work and medical visas has also become more difficult, applicants say, while tourist visas have faced particularly severe restrictions. Sayed Agha, an applicant for an Iranian visa, said he had spent three months trying to obtain a visa and had approached at least 10 travel agencies.

“I have applied for work and medical visas, but each time I have faced different obstacles. The costs are very high and the waiting period is also long,” he said. Agha said he had been accepted by a university in the Netherlands to continue his PhD studies and needed to travel to Iran for an interview, but had been unable to secure a visa.

He also alleged that individuals inside the Iranian Embassy in Kabul were coordinating with brokers and travel agencies involved in the informal visa market. The allegation could not be independently verified. Another visa applicant, Sobhan, said he had paid hundreds of dollars and waited for months without receiving a visa.

“Obtaining an Iranian visa was already difficult, but it has become even harder following recent developments,” he said. “A visa that I could previously obtain for 10,000 to 15,000 Afghanis is now being sold on the black market for up to $1,500.”

He said unemployment, poverty and the need to travel for different purposes had left many Afghans vulnerable to intermediaries who charge high fees for visas. Travel-agency representatives also say restrictions on official visa issuance have affected their businesses and pushed applicants towards unofficial channels.

Amin, a pseudonym used for one travel-agency representative, said the restrictions on Iranian and Pakistani visas had severely affected his business. “The impact has been so serious that we were forced to close our office,” he said. “Customers cannot afford the high visa costs, and the black market has effectively replaced the official process.”

The representative also alleged that some Afghan citizens face difficulties and inappropriate treatment during the visa application process and at border crossings.

According to several travel-agency sources interviewed for this report, an Iranian visa described as “urgent” can reportedly cost about $1,750 with a processing time of around seven days. Other visas are reportedly being offered for approximately $1,500 and $1,380, with waiting periods of seven to 10 days.

The same sources said Pakistani visas are being sold on the informal market for more than $3,000 in some cases. Prices reportedly vary depending on the type of visa, processing time and the intermediary involved.

Iran is one of the main destinations for Afghan citizens travelling abroad for employment, medical treatment, education and family visits. Iran operates an embassy in Kabul and consulates in Herat, Jalalabad, Kandahar and Mazar-e-Sharif. Visa applicants say restrictions on access to official channels have increased uncertainty and created opportunities for brokers and some travel agencies to profit from people seeking to travel.

They are calling on Iranian authorities to restore a transparent, accessible and regulated visa process for Afghan citizens and to take measures to prevent abuse and unofficial trade in visas.

For many Afghans seeking medical treatment, employment, education or family visits in Iran, applicants say access to a reliable official visa process remains a pressing concern.