Passport issuance process returns to normal in Nangarhar

JALALABAD (Pajhwok): The passport distribution process has returned to normal in eastern Nangarhar province, with 65,500 passports issued over the last ten months.

Officials explain that the passport issuance process is now completed within a single day, and the printed passports are ready within a few days, making the process easier and faster than ever before.

Residents of the province are also pleased with the improvements and express satisfaction, noting that obtaining a passport has become a straightforward and smooth procedure.

After the re-establishment of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) in 2021, obtaining passports became a challenge. However, the process has now become significantly more convenient.

Police spokesman Syed Tayab Hammad told Pajhwok Afghan News that the provincial passport directorate worked tirelessly for ten months to normalise the passport issuance process.

He recalled that during this period, the passport department issued 65,500 passports. Out of these, 57,185 were processed through online applications, 8,285 through in-person applications, and 25 were commercial passports.

On the other hand, Bilal Hilal, the deputy head of the Nangarhar Passport Department, explained that citizens could now register online and complete all required procedures, including biometrics and fee payments, within one day.

He noted: “Previously, online applicants had to wait for months for their turn. Now, after registering online, they receive an appointment the next day and complete their work in a single day.”

He said those who apply in person or through offline methods could also complete the process in one day without any complications.

Residents of Nangarhar also expressed satisfaction with the speed and convenience of the passport issuance process.

Ahmadullah, a resident of Rodat district, shared that he completed the entire passport application process in one day and received his passport on the fifth day.

“I registered online one day, got my appointment the next day, and completed all procedures easily to have my passport issued,” he said.

Rafiullah, whose father was ill and unable to leave the vehicle, said that Passport Department officials brought the biometric equipment to the roadside outside the police headquarters to process his father’s application.

“We are very pleased with the passport department for completing our work with such ease and for conducting my father’s biometric process in the car,” he said.

This improvement comes after a period when passport issuance in Nangarhar and across the country faced significant delays, leaving citizens waiting for months to complete the process.

kk/ma