The Afghan passport, despite being considered the least trustworthy globally, often demands substantial patience and navigating bureaucratic hurdles for acquisition. The recent Taliban announcement of accepting paper passport applications triggered a massive influx in Kabul, with tens of thousands flocking to the passport office. Previously, applicants were required to register online and await their turn, unsure of when it would arrive. Videos capturing the chaotic scene reveal that approximately 30,000 people attempted various routes to reach the passport office. The Taliban had to deploy a considerable number of soldiers to manage the crowd, resorting to force if necessary. Some individuals spent entire nights there, hoping to expedite their turn. Despite the Taliban’s distribution of hundreds of thousands of passports, the overwhelming congregation near the passport office indicates that citizens continue to seek passports and explore ways to leave the country.
There are some questions to be answered, why people continue to show enthusiasm for obtaining passports. Despite being aware of the harsh and inhumane treatment faced by Afghan migrants in neighboring countries such as Iran, Pakistan, and Turkey, where they are forcibly returned to Afghanistan, and their recognized rights in international conventions are disregarded, individuals are still disregarding the difficulties of smuggling themselves to Europe and the United States. Afghan migrants in Europe and the U.S. encounter numerous challenges, yet the notion of escaping the country persists in their minds.
In response to these questions, several considerations must be taken into account:
1 – Economic factors become the primary motivation for people fleeing the country. Afghanistan has never been economically ideal, facing longstanding issues of unemployment. However, the arrival of the Taliban significantly harmed the country’s economy, resulting in the loss of numerous job opportunities. Obtaining passports, individuals aim to find employment in countries such as Iran, Pakistan, and Turkey to financially support their families. Presently, millions of Afghan migrants live in these countries, bearing a substantial portion of the economic burden for families in Afghanistan.
The constraints imposed by the Taliban on women’s education and employment not only erode family economies but also compel young men to pursue employment in foreign countries under challenging circumstances to provide financial support to their families in Afghanistan. Historically, women actively contributed alongside men to their families’ well-being, but the restrictions imposed by the Taliban have hindered their involvement, subjecting them to numerous challenges.
The Taliban’s oppressive treatment of national merchants, coupled with the prevailing sense of despair, discourages entrepreneurs from taking risks and making substantial investments in the country. The recession in the industrial and commercial sectors has led to a lack of job opportunities, forcing unemployed youth to travel to foreign countries.
2 – Since the resurgence of the Taliban, there have been efforts to curtail the freedoms of women and girls, compelling them to adopt a medieval lifestyle. The Taliban explicitly prohibits girls beyond the sixth grade from accessing education. Similar to their male counterparts, Afghan girls harbor dreams and ambitions, aspiring to realize them. However, the Taliban’s regressive constraints create formidable obstacles, making it nearly impractical for these aspirations to come to fruition within the Taliban-controlled regions. The educational landscape for boys has also become unfavorable. While there was initial optimism about reopening schools and universities for girls, these prospects are diminishing day by day. Consequently, families with relatively robust economic resources are seeking to emigrate, enabling their daughters to lead peaceful lives, pursue education, and access a modern education. Some families are prepared to incur substantial expenses to ensure their daughters and sons receive a contemporary education, with Iran and Pakistan being preferred destinations for such aspirations.
3 – Some individuals applying for passports either have pending migration cases in the United States or are members of families residing in the West. They anticipate that their asylum applications will eventually yield favorable results, and naturally, having a passport is essential for career advancement. The United States continues its earnest efforts to relocate individuals recognized as eligible for asylum. However, fraudulent schemes may also mislead individuals about legal migration to the United States and Europe, exploiting them for passports, marriage certificates, and birth certificates.
4 – Since the fall of Afghanistan in August 2021, hundreds of thousands of people have successfully migrated, whether legally or illegally, to the West. This continuing trend instills hope in those who remain in Afghanistan, seeking a way to escape the turmoil. They may hold onto the optimism that their efforts could one day lead to the sweet dream of liberation from Taliban rule. These desperate individuals appeal to anyone who might assist them in this endeavor, eagerly seizing any opportunity to exit Afghanistan, even readily believing in rumors, as demonstrated last year when a rumor led crowds to flood Kabul’s airport.
5 – In many other countries, obtaining a passport is a relatively straightforward process with a short waiting period. However, acquiring a passport in Taliban-controlled territory requires enduring hardships and significant tribulations. Online passport registration entails a minimum one-year wait. While Taliban officials may issue passports without adhering to the queue, they demand bribes, ranging up to four thousand dollars. The Taliban profits millions of dollars from this corrupt practice. The Taliban leader himself is not a proponent of establishing order and discipline, as enforcing such measures would diminish the market for bribery. The harsh and impulsive behavior of Taliban fighters presents another challenge for those seeking a passport. In summary, while some individuals may not currently have an urgent need for a passport, they strive to obtain one sooner due to the observed difficulties, anticipating that it may serve their needs in the future.
6 – A significant portion of the population attempting to obtain passports consists of young individuals who are willing to endure extreme hardships to flee the country. The primary reason for this is that the Taliban regime, besides instilling despondency and hopelessness in the youth, offers no positive outcomes. In Taliban-controlled areas, music and recreation are prohibited, interaction and gatherings between boys and girls are forbidden, trimming or shaving beards is prohibited, having hair contrary to the Taliban style is prohibited, and education for girls is forbidden. Women’s movement, with or without a male escort, is also restricted.
Naturally, no healthy and spirited young person willingly chooses to live in this oppressive environment. Given that the essence of youth is intertwined with ambition and dreaming big, young people believe that by leaving Afghanistan, they can shape their future as they desire. Some are even willing to accept countless risks to escape to a country where they believe there is no future for them. The main culprit for the despair of the youth is a regime that views everything through the narrow lens of its oppressive ideology. Ironically, the Taliban ask people to stay in the country, but in practice, they have created conditions where escaping seems the only option for the remaining population.
It is possible—though unlikely—that if the Taliban persist, they may unintentionally learn from their governing style. However, just a few years of Taliban-style rule are enough to set the country back a century, with its infrastructure destroyed and several generations languishing in deprivation and illiteracy. Without a doubt, compensating for such extensive damage and loss will never be feasible. Opportunities lost will not return.
