Is Afghanistan on your travel radar? Then let answer your questions and give you all the info you need about how to get a visa for Afghanistan quickly in neighbouring countries. Sometimes in less than 1 hour!<\/p>\n
\u2b50 Do I need a visa for Afghanistan? \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n In this comprehensive guide on how to get a visa for Afghanistan, we\u2019ll outline the application procedure at five locations, including a border.<\/p>\n The good news is that It\u2019s possible to get the visa on the same day at almost all of these locations. In at least one location, (but possibly two), you can get your visa in less than an hour!<\/p>\n We\u2019ll go through exactly how to get a visa for Afghanistan in these locations, as well as some possible issues or quirks you may encounter at some locations.<\/p>\n But first..<\/p>\n Obviously, one of your first questions might be, do I need a visa for Afghanistan? The simple answer is probably yes. Most nationalities require a visa to enter Afghanistan. The best way to find out if you do, is to check the official sources for your passport.<\/p>\n Your next question might be about how to get a visa for Afghanistan. Well, there are several options?<\/p>\n You could apply for the Afghanistan eVisa<\/a>, but with that you must enter Kabul by air, so we won\u2019t talk about that option. Instead, we\u2019ll cover how to get a visa for Afghanistan in neighbouring countries.<\/p>\n We all know the convenience of getting visas enroute simply can\u2019t be overstated. So we\u2019ll look at how to get a visa for Afghanistan at the border near Tajikistan as well as consulates in Uzbekistan, Iran and Pakistan.<\/p>\n Northern borders: Shir Khan near Tajikistan<\/b> or Termez in Uzbekistan<\/b> Here\u2019s a quick breakdown to help you choose your application point.<\/p>\n The border at Shir Khan is the cheapest<\/strong>. At the consulate in Termez, you may pay extra for a same day visa. The consulates in Quetta and Mashhad may ask for an express fee. The consulate in Peshawar is the quickest<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Now let\u2019s have a look at each one in detail.<\/p>\n When coming from Tajikistan, you can pass through the southern Tajik border at Panji Poyon the get a visa on arrival<\/strong> (VOA) at the Shir Khan Bandar border in Afghanistan. It\u2019s the only Afghanistan border where it\u2019s possible to get a VOA.<\/p>\n Here are the important things to know about how to get a visa for Afghanistan at Shir Khan Bandar \u2013<\/p>\n \ud83d\udccb What are the Afghanistan tourist visa requirements at Shir Khan Bandar?<\/em> While it\u2019s true that the Afghanistan visa at Shir Khan costs a little less than at other places in the region, reports indicate that it can take at least a few hours.<\/p>\n Shir Khan Bandar is in the Kunduz province and is less than an hour away from Kunduz city. It will allow you easy access to the nearby northern provinces of Takhar, Balkh, Samangan and Baghlan.<\/p>\n In south Uzbekistan, you can get the visa for Afghan at the consulate in Termez. This consulate works on reduced hours for the processing of visas.<\/p>\n Historically, you\u2019d get the visa within an hour in Termez, if you applied in the morning. These days it seems afternoon pick up is the norm if you apply in the morning. You may or may not be charged an \u2018express fee\u2019.<\/p>\n Things to know about how to get a visa for Afghanistan at the Afghan Consulate in Termez \u2013<\/p>\n \ud83d\udccb What are the Afghanistan tourist visa requirements in Termez?<\/em> Crossing the border near Termez will see you enter the town of Hairitan in the Balkh province of Afghanistan. From there it\u2019s only about an hour to Mazar-i-Sherif. Balkh is the province next to Kunduz.<\/p>\n Yes, the Hairitan and Shir Khan crossings are relatively close to each other, meaning that Hairitan, like Shir Khan, is close to Baghlan and Samangan. it\u2019s also near the Jowzjan and Sar-i-Pul provinces.<\/p>\n The consulate in Mashhad is notorious for being hectic. Many reports say it\u2019s busy and confusing. On top of that, it has the longest processing time of any of the Afghan consulates mentioned here.<\/p>\n If you don\u2019t pay the express fee at Mashhad, you may wait 5 days for the visa.\u00a0 Also, 1 day processing in Mashhad means pick up the next day.<\/p>\n Things to know about how to get a visa for Afghanistan at the Afghan Consulate in Mashhad \u2013<\/p>\n \ud83d\udccb What are the Afghanistan tourist visa requirements in Mashhad?<\/em> Mashhad is only a few hours drive from the Islam Qala border.\u00a0 It\u2019s the best place to cross if you want to head to Herat in the northwest of Afghanistan. Allow 6 hours, including border formalities to get from Mashhad to Herat.<\/p>\n To be honest, this isn\u2019t the best option for getting the visa, or crossing into Afghanistan. I\u2019ll tell you how to get a visa for Afghanistan in Quetta anyway, just in case you like extra challenges.<\/p>\n Quetta is in the Balochistan province of Pakistan. A province that\u2019s almost impossible to enter as a visitor without permits and a guide. If you\u2019re travelling independently, you probably don\u2019t want to deal with that kind of hassle.<\/p>\n Putting that aside, here are the important things to know about how to get a visa for Afghanistan at the Afghan Consulate in Quetta \u2013<\/p>\n \ud83d\udccb What are the Afghanistan tourist visa requirements in Quetta?<\/i> The closest border crossing point to Quetta is Chaman. From there you\u2019ll cross into Spin Boldak in the Kandahar province. From there it\u2019s just over an hour to the city of Kandahar.<\/p>\n In Peshawar, they do things a little differently, so in this section, we\u2019ll go through how to get a visa for Afghanistan in Peshawar, step by step. But first, let\u2019s have a look at the basics \u2013<\/p>\n \ud83d\udccb What are the Afghanistan tourist visa requirements in Peshawar?<\/i> This is a good place to get the visa if you want to head into the Nangarhar province and onto Kabul, through the Pakistan Afghanistan Border Crossing at Torkham<\/a>. It could also be good for going through the Ghulam Khan crossing if you\u2019re looking at visiting Gardez or Ghazni,<\/p>\n Just note that the location of both of these borders in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province means that police escorts are very likely.<\/p>\n Of all the consulates and borders mentioned in this article, the process for how to get a visa for Afghanistan in Peshawar is the one with the most steps.. This is for a few reasons.<\/p>\n Firstly, Peshawar is the capital of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, which the Pakistan government has decided is \u2018dangerous\u2019 for visitors. It doesn\u2019t seem dangerous, but, you know, if the government says it is.. it is.<\/p>\n On top of that, Peshawar has its own special application procedure which could involve visiting two different places. Even with that, it\u2019s not overly difficult and still takes less than an hour.<\/p>\n Unfortunately, there will may be a chaotic crowd waiting outside the centre. If you are female, join the much shorter female line. Maybe if you\u2019re lucky the woman in front of you might shove your passport in an officer\u2019s face to get you to the front of the queue.<\/p>\n In the centre, a man behind a computer will fill out the visa application form with your passport details on his computer. He\u2019ll then print it out and collecte the 500 PKR fee.<\/p>\n For me, this took less than 15 minutes and I used their WiFi while waiting!<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Just upload your photo, choose your pick up location on the form, then print it out. It works for all locations mentioned in this article, as well as locations in other in other countries.<\/p>\n From the application centre, you can get a tuk tuk<\/strong>. The tuk tuk drivers may ask you if you\u2019re going to the Afghan Consulate. Make sure you set the price before you get in<\/strong>. It should be 100 PKR.<\/p>\n The tuk tuk will take you within walking distance of the security booth at the front of the army cantonment where the Afghan Consulate is. You must go to that booth and tell them your purpose for entering the area.<\/p>\n They will ask you to leave your mobile phone<\/strong> and give you a card to identify it later. From there, a man that works at the Afghan consulate walked me the 500 metres to the consulate.<\/p>\n I\u2019m not sure, if I was lucky or if it\u2019s standard operating procedure. But the consulate is on the same road as the booth, so it\u2019s not hard to find.<\/p>\n You\u2019ll pass another booth on the way where the officers will want to see your passport and Pakistan visa.<\/p>\n Once at the consulate, one of the friendly men out the front may warmly greet you and ask to see your passport. Then you have to enter the consulate using the correct door<\/strong>. As a female, I had to enter the women\u2019s section.<\/p>\n Inside the consulate, a friendly woman who spoke English ushered me into a room and looked at my passport. She asked registered my details, in pen, in a big book.<\/p>\n After that, she informed me that I had to wear a chadoori, (kind of burqa with a group of small holes to look through). With that on, I had to walk across a courtyard to a white door.<\/p>\n The limited field of vision gave me vertigo and made it difficult to walk the short distance across the yard.\u00a0It wasn\u2019t a pleasant experience, but I made it to the door.<\/p>\n After knocking on the door, a man emerged from the door and asked for my passport, application form and US$100<\/strong>. As I didn\u2019t have USD, he took 30,000 PKR<\/strong>. That\u2019s a terrible exchange rate. It should\u2019ve been around 28,000PKR.<\/p>\n It may be better to bring US dollars!<\/p>\n Side note: my passport only had four months validity on it when I applied and it didn\u2019t cause any issues.<\/em><\/p>\n The man re-emerged from around 5 minutes later with my passport and a fresh new Afghanistan visa.<\/p>\n **The whole process, including visiting the two sites and transport between them took under 1 hour!**<\/strong><\/p>\n So here\u2019s a quick recap of how to get a visa for Afghanistan, with answers to your questions:<\/p>\n \u2b50 How do I get the Afghanistan visa?<\/strong> \u00a0<\/p>\n Now that you know how to get a visa for Afghanistan quickly in nearby countries, you can start planning your trip!<\/p>\n
\u2b50 Where can I get the Afghanistan visa quickly?
\u2b50 What are the Afghanistan tourist visa requirements?
\u2b50 What is the Afghanistan tourist visa application process?
\u2b50 What is the Afghanistan tourist visa fee?<\/strong><\/p>\nDisclaimer: Some links and banners on this page will take you to our affiliate partners. If you make a purchase or booking with them, K-in-Motion may receive compensation. See our Affiliate Disclosure<\/a> page.<\/h4>\n
Do I need a visa for Afghanistan?<\/b><\/h3>\n
In Which Nearby Countries Can I Apply for An Afghanistan Visa?<\/b><\/h3>\n
Northwest border: <\/b> Mashhad in Iran<\/b>
Southern border: Quetta in Pakistan<\/b>
Southeast border: Peshawar in Pakistan<\/b>.<\/p>\nEntering From Tajikistan in the North \u2013 How to Get a Visa for Afghanistan at Shir Khan<\/b><\/h3>\n
Filled out application form, (provided at border or available online), 1 passport size photo, your passport and the visa fee.
\ud83d\udccb What is the Afghanistan tourist visa application process at Shir Khan?<\/em>
Present your filled out application form with your passport photo, hand in your passport. You may have to pay the visa fee at another location. When that\u2019s done, wait at the border to receive your visa.
\ud83d\udccb What is the Afghanistan tourist visa fee Shir Khan?<\/em>
US$80 or equivalent in local currency at a possibly bad exchange rate.
\ud83d\udccb What are the visa processing hours at Shir Khan?<\/em>
This border is open from 9am until 2pm but it\u2019s probably best to get there in the morning.
\ud83d\udccb Where can I find the Shir Khan Bandar Border?<\/em>
GPS: 37.789862, 68.604401<\/p>\nEntering From the North \u2013 How to Get a Visa for Afghanistan in Termez Uzbekistan <\/b><\/h3>\n
Filled out application form. (provided at consulate or available online), 2 passport size photos, your passport and the visa fee.
\ud83d\udccb What is the Afghanistan tourist visa application process in Termez?<\/em>
Present your filled out application form with your passport photo, hand in your passport and pay the visa fee. You will be advised to come back to pick up the visa before 4pm.
\ud83d\udccb What is the Afghanistan tourist visa fee in Termez?<\/em>
US$100 or equivalent in local currency at a possibly bad exchange rate. Sometimes there may be a US$50 express fee for same day service.
\ud83d\udccb What are the visa application hours in Termez?<\/em>
09:00 to 12:00 Monday to Friday for same day service. Consulate hours are 09:00-16:00 Monday to Friday.
\ud83d\udccb Where can I find the Afghan Consulate in Termez?<\/em>
GPS: 37.2482, 67.322723<\/p>\nEntering From the Northwest \u2013 How to Get a Visa for Afghanistan in Mashhad Iran<\/b><\/h3>\n
Filled out application form, (provided at consulate or available online), 2 passport size photos, your passport and the visa fee.
\ud83d\udccb What is the Afghanistan tourist visa application process in Mashhad?<\/em>
Present your filled out application form with your passport photos, hand in your passport then wait 5 days. 1 day processing is possible for a US$50 express fee.
\ud83d\udccb What is the Afghanistan tourist visa fee in Mashhad?<\/em>
US$100 or equivalent in local currency as a possibly bad exchange rate.
\ud83d\udccb What are the visa application hours in Mashhad?<\/em>
Applications will only be accepted between 08:30 and 14:00 Monday to Thursday, or 08:30 to 12:00 on Friday
\ud83d\udccb Where can I the Afghan Consulate in Mashhad?<\/em>
GPS: 36.284744, 59.599442.<\/p>\nEntering From the South \u2013 How to Get a Visa for Afghanistan in Quetta Pakistan<\/b><\/h3>\n
Filled out application form, (available at consulate or online), 1-2 passport size photos, your passport and the visa fee.
\ud83d\udccb What is the Afghanistan tourist visa application process in Quetta?<\/i>
Present your filled out application form with your passport photos, hand in your passport and pay the visa fee. You might have to come back and get your visa in the afternoon, or you may get it almost straight away.
\ud83d\udccb What is the Afghanistan tourist visa fee in Quetta?<\/i>
USS$100 or equivalent in local currency as a possibly bad exchange rate. A US$50 express fee may or may not be charged.
\ud83d\udccb What are the visa processing hours in Quetta?<\/i>
Monday to Friday 09:30-12:00, 13:00-16:30.
\ud83d\udccb Where can I find the Afghan Consulate in Quetta?<\/i>
GPS: 30.193430, 67.006265<\/p>\nEntering From the Southeast \u2013 How to Get a Visa for Afghanistan in 1 Hour in Peshawar <\/b><\/h3>\n
Filled out application form, (download yourself, or visit the Online Visa Application Centre), 1 passport size photo, your passport and the visa fee.
\ud83d\udccb What is the Afghanistan tourist visa application process in Peshawar?<\/i>
Check below for the outline of multi-step procedure.
\ud83d\udccb What is the Afghanistan tourist visa fee in Peshawar?<\/i>
US$100 or equivalent in local currency at a possibly bad exchange rate.
\ud83d\udccb What are the visa processing hours in Peshawar?<\/i>
09:00 \u2013 16:00 Monday to Friday
\ud83d\udccb Where can I find the Afghan Consulate in Peshawar?<\/i>
GPS: 34.005206, 71.547576<\/p>\nWhat is the Afghanistan Tourist Visa Application Process in Peshawar?<\/b><\/h3>\n
How to Get a Visa for Afghanistan in Peshawar<\/b>\u00a0Step One \u2013 Visit the Online Visa Application Office<\/b><\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/k-in-motion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/1130911.jpg?resize=300%2C207&ssl=1\")
First, visit the Afghan Online Visa Application Office at Shinwari Gate. There you will pay 500 PKR<\/strong> for an application form that the staff will fill out for you. A passport size photo is also needed<\/strong>. If you don\u2019t have one, you can get some printed from your phone, or get some taken, near the office for 100 PKR<\/strong>.<\/p>\nHandy tip: bypass step one altogether by filling out the application form on the Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) website.<\/a><\/h4>\n
How to Get a Visa for Afghanistan Step Two \u2013 Getting to the Afghanistan Consulate<\/b><\/h3>\n
How to Get a Visa for Afghanistan Step Three \u2013 Entering the Afghan Consulate in Peshawar<\/b><\/h3>\n
How to Get the Afghanistan Visa in Peshawar Step Four \u2013 The Visa Room<\/b><\/h3>\n
You can get the Afghanistan visa within a day from a border checpoint and some nearby countries. Processes and pricing can vary by location.
\u2b50 Where can I get the Afghanistan visa quickly?<\/strong>
From the Shir Khan Bandar border near Tajikistan, or an Afghanistan consulates in a nearby country, like Uzbekistan, Iran and Pakistan.
\u2b50 How long does it take to get the Afghanistan visa?<\/strong>
In Peshawar, Pakistan, you can get the Afghanistan visa in less than an hour! In other nearby countries, you can get it the same day or the next day.
\u2b50 How much does the Afghanistan visa cost?<\/strong>
Depending on the location, it can be anywhere from US$80 to US$150 including an express fee.
\u2b50 What is the procedure for getting the Afghanistan visa?<\/strong>
For most locations, the process for how to get a visa for Afghanistan is simple. Submit your docs and photos, then wait. In Peshawar, report to security before entering the Afghan Consulate to submit the form, pay the fee and get the visa. If you don\u2019t have a filled in application form, you must go to the Afghan Online Visa Application centre at Shinwari Gate first.<\/p>\nOur partners might be able to help you with planning your trip to Afghanistan<\/h4>\n