Passport directorate promises to resolve technical issues and resume operations

Officials from the passport department in Kabul say efforts are ongoing to solve technical problems around the issuance of passports and once the problems are resolved, the normal distribution process will resume.

Nurullah Patman, the spokesman for the General Directorate of Passports said once the department is able to process applications again, 5,000 passports will be distributed daily in Kabul and priority will be given to those who have already applied and whose passport applications are partly processed.

“We have made a lot of effort in this area. The work is still going on to solve the existing technical problems as soon as possible and then we will start the passport distribution process. Moreover, we have enough passports. There is no shortage of passports,” said Patman.

Passport applicants are however getting frustrated over the delay in issuing passports.

“We have patients [who need medical treatment]. We need documents, but lots of people come here. Our problems are not being addressed,” said Abdul Jamil, a passport applicant.

“Lots of people visit the office. Those who don’t even have documents come and cause congestion and disrupt the work of others,” said Milad, another passport applicant.

According to the General Directorate of Passports, the passports sold on the black market are fake and invalid, and the security forces have arrested several fraudsters so far.