Some applicants for Iranian visas have complained about the expansion of a black market for these visas in Kabul, saying that extensive restrictions in the visa issuance process over the past year have created conditions that have fueled buying and selling in the informal market.
According to these applicants, Iranian visas are now largely obtained through intermediaries and certain travel agencies that, they claim, have close ties with the Iranian embassy, at very high costs.
They allege that the price of some visas on the informal market has reached between $1,600 and $2,000 a sum that many applicants cannot afford.
Applicants told media outlets that access to work and medical visas is also subject to serious restrictions, and obtaining these types of visas now requires the payment of substantial fees.
They believe that the continuation of this situation has made travel to Iran difficult and expensive for many Afghan citizens who wish to travel for work, medical treatment, education, or to visit family members.
The applicants have called on Iranian authorities to resume a formal, transparent, and accessible visa issuance process for Afghan citizens in order to eliminate opportunities for abuse by intermediaries and brokers and to curb the growth of the visa black market.
Writer:Salima Aryaei
