The Pakistani Embassy in Kabul has firmly denied any role in a thriving black market for visas, even as many Afghans say they feel forced to pay huge sums to private agents just to cross the border, according to Arab News.
In a detailed investigation published last month, Arab News documented how Afghan applicants are turning to tour agencies and middlemen, handing over between 1,300 and 1,800 dollars for Pakistani visas that officially cost a fraction of that amount. The report painted a picture of desperation and profit, where a document worth about 25 dollars on paper becomes a luxury item on the street.
Responding to the claims, the Embassy of Pakistan in Kabul said it has “no official agents, intermediaries, or affiliated travel companies authorized to collect money” on its behalf. Press counsellor Sayed Khizar Ali stressed that visa fees are clearly listed and must be paid directly online by credit card.
“We are aware that many applicants lack credit cards and often rely on local agents for assistance with the online payment,” he said, insisting that the mission’s “commitment to a transparent, fair, and accessible visa system for our Afghan brothers remains unwavering.”
But travel agents in Kabul and eastern Nangarhar tell a different story. Several agencies that previously spoke to Arab News have stood by their accounts, saying they regularly secure visas for clients within days. One agency manager, speaking anonymously, questioned how the embassy could be unaware.
“How can it be outside their control when we send applications and they come back approved within three days?” he asked. “The embassy stamps the visas. They know where they come from.”
He said his agency has been processing dozens of visas every week since October, when tensions surged after deadly clashes along the Afghan–Pakistani border. “The travel agencies that are registered with them, we are the only way. If you don’t go through us, you won’t get a visa,” he claimed.
Despite the embassy’s denial that it works through agents, advertisements for “guaranteed” medical and tourist visas are visible online and on shopfronts in Kabul. Agents quietly negotiate prices in private, but openly promise quick approvals, sometimes in just a few days.
For many Afghans, the official digital system feels like a dead end. Applicants told Arab News that after paying the standard fee and waiting months, they often receive no answer at all. Faced with silence, many turn to the shadow market instead.
Afghan ministries responsible for interior and foreign affairs have not commented, despite repeated requests. In the meantime, the gap between official assurances and everyday experience continues to fuel mistrust and a profitable trade in hope.
