Afghan nationals seeking visas to Pakistan have raised concerns about a slow and opaque application process, claiming that visas are being sold on the black market for as much as $3,000.
Many of these applicants are in dire need of medical treatment in Pakistan, a neighboring country that has long been a destination for Afghan patients. However, applicants say they have been waiting for months to obtain visas, with some alleging that brokers are exploiting the situation by charging exorbitant fees.
Maryam, an Afghan woman suffering from kidney failure, and her ailing mother are among those waiting for their visas. “It has been six months since we applied for a Pakistani visa. In these six months, the visa has not arrived,” Maryam said. “My kidneys have failed, and I need to go abroad for treatment.”
Others shared similar experiences. Nazieh, another patient, explained that obtaining a visa to Pakistan was once a straightforward process. “I have been ill for several years, and in the past, it was easy to get a Pakistani visa,” she said. “Now, the visa process has become difficult, and brokers are demanding between $1,000 and $3,000.”
While the sale of Pakistani visas on the black market is not new, applicants report that prices have surged significantly in recent months. “If we obtain a visa illegally through the black market, it will cost us up to $3,000, and you know the financial situation of the people—there is no work,” said Yalda, another applicant.
Following the fall of the previous Afghan government, many countries halted visa issuance to Afghan citizens. However, Pakistan and a few other nations, including Iran, have continued to issue visas, albeit with increasing challenges for applicants.
