The Afghan Passport
The Afghan passport is the primary travel document issued to citizens of Afghanistan. Over the last two decades, the document has undergone significant technological evolution to meet international security standards.
Evolution of the Document
For much of the 20th century, Afghan passports were handwritten booklets. As global travel security tightened, the government initiated a modernization program.
- Machine-Readable Passports (MRP): In the early 2010s, the Central Passport Department began transitioning to machine-readable passports. This compliance with ICAO standards was a crucial step in allowing Afghans to travel internationally with greater ease.
- Biometric Integration: The issuance process was eventually linked to the biometric National Identity Card (Tazkira), helping to reduce identity fraud and streamline the application process.
Passport Categories
Historically, the government issued several types of passports based on the status of the bearer:
- Ordinary Passport (Navy Blue): Issued to general citizens for tourism, study, and business.
- Diplomatic Passport (Black): Issued to diplomats, high-ranking government officials, and their families.
- Service Passport (Red): Issued to government employees traveling on official state business.