Pakistani Visa Fee Soars to $1,800 on Kabul Black Market Amid Restrictions

Kabul: Following restrictions on the issuance of Pakistani visas for Afghan citizens, a thriving black market has emerged in Kabul, where a visa that officially costs $25 is reportedly being sold for as much as $1,800.

According to a report by Arab News, desperate applicants are turning to travel agents after facing prolonged delays or rejections through official channels.

One such applicant, Asma, an Afghan woman seeking to travel to Islamabad for an interview at the Swiss Embassy, said she had no choice but to seek help from a private agent. Her ultimate destination is Switzerland, where her fiancé resides, but she first needed a Pakistani visa to attend the required in-person interview.

After months of unsuccessful attempts through official procedures, Asma and her father reportedly paid $1,600 to a Kabul-based travel agency that promised expedited processing. Due to Afghanistan’s strict travel regulations for unmarried women, her father was required to accompany her, doubling the total expense to $3,200.

They received their visas via WhatsApp within three days — not through official channels, but reportedly through a contact of a relative.

The report states that Asma’s case is not unique. A widespread black market for Pakistani visas has taken root in Kabul, with applicants paying between $1,300 and $1,800 for documents that officially cost around $25 and are processed through a fully digital online system.

Many applicants claim that when they apply through official channels, their applications are either delayed for months or quietly rejected, forcing them to seek costly alternative routes.