A new passport policy restricts access for convicted individuals, banned travelers, and children without guardians, raising concerns over human rights and freedom of movement.
The Passport Directorate has introduced new rules that bar certain categories of Afghan citizens from obtaining passports, raising concerns about tighter restrictions on freedom of movement.
According to the directive, individuals convicted by Taliban courts, those officially banned from foreign travel, and children without legal guardians are ineligible to receive travel documents. The order also covers citizens who are restricted from leaving Afghanistan due to unpaid debts or other unfulfilled obligations.
The statement, issued on Saturday, emphasized that people flagged through biometric and database systems as prohibited from travel will be automatically denied passports.
Under Afghanistan’s previous laws, all citizens were entitled to a passport, with restrictions applied only in limited criminal cases. The Taliban’s new directive, however, expands those limitations significantly.
Observers warn that the policy could be used to target former government employees, political opponents, and other critics of the Taliban regime. Such restrictions, they say, may further consolidate the group’s control.
Human rights advocates also fear that by tightening access to passports, the Taliban may deliberately restrict the ability of vulnerable groups and dissenting voices to seek safety abroad.
The move has sparked renewed concerns about shrinking freedoms in Afghanistan, with critics urging international attention to ensure Afghans retain basic rights, including the right to travel.
