More than 40,000 passports issued in Balkh last year

MAZAR-I-SHARIF (Pajhwok): The Passport Office in northern Balkh province distributed 43,000 passports in the past year and generated nearly 246 million afs revenue, an official said on Wednesday.

Acting Head of the Passport Office Abdul Wadud Hamza told Pajhwok Afghan News 12,773 passports were distributed offline while 30,992 passports were distributed online in the province.

He said the passport distribution generated nearly 246 million afs in revenue.

He said during the period the visas of 200 foreigners had been extended and through this way around $10,000 in revenue generated.

Meanwhile, local residents in Balkh province demanded more facilities in passport distribution.

Taj Mohammad, a resident of Balkh province, said the online passport registration process was smoothly underway but he asked local officials to create more branches for the passport distribution.

He said most people needed passports urgently, but the online registration process takes one year to get a passport.

Mohammad Karim, another Balkh resident, said that the passport distribution process had accelerated now compared to the past.

He said corruption had been eradicated and every individual could get passport at own turn.

The passport office said that Balkh resident who registered for the passport in Kabul could change their online application to Balkh province.

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