Pakistan Visa for Afghanistan: Requirements, Fees & Processing Times
Everything Afghan applicants need to know about Pakistan’s visa requirements in one place: who needs a visa, which categories exist, what each costs (spoiler: most are free for Afghans), how long processing takes, and how the rules changed in 2026.
Quick answer: All Afghan citizens need a visa for Pakistan — there is no visa-free or visa-on-arrival option (VOA was suspended 1 January 2026). Apply online at visa.nadra.gov.pk. Fees: free for Afghans in every category except work visas. Processing: around four weeks. Passport must be valid 6+ months; interviews may be required.
Who Needs a Visa
Every Afghan citizen needs a visa before travelling to Pakistan — there are no exemptions by age or purpose, and since 1 January 2026 there is no visa-on-arrival route for anyone. Applications go through the Pakistan Online Visa System at visa.nadra.gov.pk, the sole official portal run by NADRA for the Directorate General of Immigration & Passports. For the step-by-step application walkthrough, see our online visa application guide.
Visa Categories & Fees
Afghanistan sits on Pakistan’s fee-exemption list — alongside China, Japan, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and others — so Afghan nationals pay no visa fee in every category except work visas. The DGIP’s published fee schedule lists Afghanistan as “Free” across single-entry and multiple-entry columns.
Visit/family: free — for visiting relatives; needs host invitation with CNIC and undertaking. Tourist: free — hotel bookings or tour confirmation required. Business: free — company invitation and credentials. Medical: free — hospital appointment and medical reports (a heavily used category for Afghan patients). Student: free — admission letter and fee/scholarship proof. Work: fee applies — employment contract and employer sponsorship. Where fees apply they are non-refundable, charged per person, and subject to revision.
Processing Times & Validity
The portal’s headline figure is 7–10 working days for a standard tourist visa, but Afghan and Somali passport holders are given around four weeks — and individual cases can run longer, with some applicants reporting waits stretching further. Plan for 6–8 weeks of lead time. Once issued, the visa is valid for entry for 6 months; an unused visa lapses, and a fresh visa is issued only after the previous one expires.
Key Rules to Know
Passport: minimum 6 months’ validity required. Documents: originals only — no faxed, photocopied or emailed documents. Interview: the applicant’s physical presence may be required at a Pakistan Mission before issuance. Host responsibility: hosts and companies must certify in the invitation letter that they are responsible for the applicant during the stay. One at a time: a fresh visa is only issued on expiry of the previous visa. For Pakistanis travelling the other way, see our passport index guide for context on travel documentation.
Is the Pakistan visa really free for Afghans?
Yes — Afghanistan is on the fee-exemption list, so visit, tourist, family, business, medical and student visas carry no fee. Only work visas are charged.
How early should Afghans apply?
At least 6–8 weeks before travel. The expected processing is around four weeks, but complex cases take longer, and you cannot travel without the approved e-visa.
Can I extend my Pakistan visa?
Extensions are handled through the same online system; a tourist-visa extension takes around two weeks to process. Apply before your current stay expires.
