Afghanistan Issues Over 650,000 Passports in Single Year Amid Service Expansion Push

KABUL – Afghanistan’s Islamic Emirate has announced a significant uptick in public service delivery over the past Hijri year, with more than 650,000 ordinary passports issued nationwide and over 16,000 foreign nationals receiving visa extensions, according to government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid.

Mujahid disclosed the figures during the “Government in the Media Mirror” program, a weekly press forum held this week under the theme “Public Services Week.” The event was designed to showcase administrative achievements and highlight ongoing reforms across state institutions.

Surge in National ID Distribution

In addition to the passport milestone, Mujahid reported that the General Directorate of Statistics and Information distributed nearly 2 million electronic national identity cards and approximately 1 million paper-based ID cards over the course of the 1447 Hijri year. The directorate also processed hundreds of thousands of both in-person and online requests for corrections, amendments, and updates to existing ID records a reflection of growing public engagement with digitized civil registration systems.

Streamlined Passport Procedures

Mujahid emphasized that the Passport Directorate has prioritized efficiency and user convenience. One of the most notable reforms, he said, was the drastic simplification of the passport application process reducing the required form from nine pages to a single, streamlined page. The move is intended to cut processing times, reduce paperwork, and minimize errors, particularly for applicants in remote provinces who have long complained of bureaucratic delays.

Postal Services Modernization

The spokesman also highlighted advances within state-owned Afghan Post, which delivered more than 5 million domestic mail items over the past year a figure that signals growing trust in the national postal network. According to Mujahid, the company has rolled out several new initiatives to expand its reach and reliability, including:

• Verification and certification of hundreds of thousands of official documents;

• Launch of express and priority mail services;

• Establishment of a dedicated customer service call center to handle inquiries and complaints;

• Introduction of direct-to-home document delivery, reducing the need for citizens to visit post offices in person.

A Broader Push for Public Service Reform

The announcements come as the Islamic Emirate seeks to demonstrate administrative competence and responsiveness, particularly in civil documentation a sector that has historically been plagued by corruption, inefficiency, and long queues. While international recognition of the Taliban-led government remains limited, domestic service delivery has become a key pillar of its governance narrative.

Officials have signaled that further digitization and decentralization of services are planned for the coming year, with an emphasis on expanding online portals and mobile access to reduce physical foot traffic at government offices.

Criticism and Challenges

Despite the reported progress, some Afghans continue to face hurdles, including gender-based restrictions on travel, regional disparities in service access, and persistent technical glitches in the e-ID system. The government has acknowledged these issues but maintains that steady improvements are being made within the constraints of the country’s economic and infrastructural challenges.

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