The U.S. Embassy in Kabul suspended operations on August 31, 2021. While the U.S. government has withdrawn its personnel from Kabul, U.S. citizens in Afghanistan in need of routine consular services can contact any U.S. embassy or consulate for assistance. To locate the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate please visit www.usembassy.gov. U.S. citizens who are in Afghanistan and are seeking U.S. government assistance to depart should either complete the Repatriation Form or, if you are unable to access the form, please email your complete biographic details and contact information (email and phone number) as well as your US Passport number to AfghanistanACS@state.gov. We will also continue our efforts to help Lawful Permanent Residents, as well as the many Afghans who have stood with us over the years, who are seeking to leave Afghanistan.
Our commitment to the people of Afghanistan is enduring. We will continue to press for an orderly transition of power to an inclusive government with broad support and that respects the rights of all of its citizens, including women and minorities. We will use every diplomatic, economic, political, and assistance tool at our disposal to uphold the basic rights of all Afghans; support continued humanitarian access to the country; and ensure the Taliban honors its commitments.
Our Services
The Office of American Services Passport/Citizenship Unit:
- Adjudicates citizenship claims;
- Issues first time passports;
- Renews expired passports;
- Amends passports to show change of name; validity, or to correct errors;
- Replaces lost/stolen/mutilated passports;
- Registers births of American children born in Afghanistan.
- Selective Service Registration: American citizen males between the ages of 18-25 must register for Selective Service. Register on-line at www.sss.gov.
Important Notice
According to Section 215 of the U.S Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1185) it is illegal for an American citizen to enter or leave the U.S on anything other than an American passport. This applies to dual citizens as well, meaning that persons holding e.g. both Afghan and American citizenship must enter and leave the U.S. on a valid U.S. passport; they may not enter/leave the U.S. on a Afghan passport. This applies to children as well as adults.
State-of-the-Art Passports
American citizens residing or traveling abroad who require issuance of a U.S. passport are issued the latest state-of-the-art passport incorporating a photo-digitized image and other enhanced security features. These passports are produced at a domestic U.S. passport facility. This increases processing times, but the Department is committed to ensuring that American citizens receive secure documents in a timely manner. American citizens are encouraged to apply early for renewal of expiring passports. It generally takes two weeks to obtain a passport.
U.S. Embassies and Consulates will continue to issue passports in emergency cases. However, emergency passports will be limited in validity and cannot be extended. Bearers will be required to exchange their limited validity passports for full-validity photo-digitized passports upon completion of their emergency travel, either through a passport facility in the U.S. or a U.S. embassy or consulate abroad.
