Afghanistan
Last update 18 September 2023Diplomatic missions
Risk index
Level 5: Warning of ending all trips and immediate leaving the country
5
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The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan
We call on Bulgarian citizens to refrain from travelling!
Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria in Afghanistan
Address: Str. 15, Wazir Akbar Khan Mina, Kabul
Telephone: +93 202 311 747
Fax: Fax: +93 202 101 089 (temporary unavailable)
Out-of-hours hotline: +93 707 826 262
Working hours: 09:00 – 15:00
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.mfa.bg/embassies/afghanistan
Embassy of the Republic of Afghanistan in Sofia
Address: 1700 Sofia, 57 Simeonovsko shose, Residence 3
Telephone: +359 2 962 51 93
Fax: +359 2 962 74 86
Working hours: 09:00 – 16:00
Consular Department
Working hours: Mon – Fri, 09:30 – 12:00 and 14:00 – 16:00
E-mail: [email protected]
As of 10 March 2018, the direct diplomatic presence of the Republic of Bulgaria in the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan has been temporarily suspended due to the serious material damage caused to the building of the Bulgarian Embassy in Kabul by the massive terrorist attack on 31 May 2017.
For consular and visa services applicants are kindly advised to contact the Bulgarian embassies in New Delhi (Republic of India), Islamabad (Islamic Republic of Pakistan) or Tehran (Islamic Republic of Iran).
General information
Security level:
Avoid Visits, individual or collective, to the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, except in cases of extreme necessity.
The security situation in Afghanistan continues to be complex and unpredictable, and the terrorist threat remains very high. The country is currently found in a period of searching ways to achieve long-lasting peace and stability, strengthening of governmental institutions and achieving supremacy of the law. Forces of the anti-terrorist coalition are still combating against some remnants from the Taliban and Al-Qaeda elements. The International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) is deployed in the capital Kabul and in parts of the country.
In recent months, there has been an increase in instability in the country and in the number of attacks carried out. Criminal groups are active in the country, especially in the major cities such as Kabul, Mazar-i-Sharif, Kandahar, etc., which engage in racketeering and kidnapping of rich businessmen and foreign citizens.
Moving around, especially during the dark hours of the day, without a guard or an accompanying person is dangerous. The danger is enhanced in the border areas with Pakistan and Tajikistan, where there is a greater concentration of supporters of the Taliban and Al-Qaeda.
Specifics of the local legislation:
In the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, you should comply with local laws and norms. The usual requirements of dress and behaviour in Islamic countries should be observed while in the country. The treatment of women is in accordance with Muslim traditions and acts. Women must wear headscarves and longer outer garments. Women are not advised to eat, consume alcohol or smoke in public during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
During your stay in the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, you are subject to the jurisdiction of the Afghan judicial system and law. It is recommended that you inform yourself about them in advance and comply with them. Penalties for breaking the local law can be more stringent than those in the Republic of Bulgaria for the same offences.
Customs requirements:
Pieces of art and objects of antiquarian value are confiscated when attempting to export them out of the country. Customs authorities may also apply more stringent punitive measures.
In the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, the import, sale and consumption of alcohol is prohibited.
All medicines should be in their original packaging. You should check whether some of them are not considered illegal drugs in the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. If you use such substances, carry a copy of a doctor’s prescription confirming this fact. Information on the import-export regime of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, as well as the quantities of goods and cash you can import or export from the country, can be found on the website of the Customs Agency.
Road traffic:
You cannot drive a vehicle in the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan without an original Afghan driving licence for a car or other vehicle. Driving a car with foreign licence plates is not recommended. It is It is necessary to familiarise yourself with local traffic rules.
In the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, you are fined or subject to judicial investigation for violating traffic rules, mainly in the event of a traffic accident or crash in which local citizens are injured.
Practical advice:
We advise you to conclude a contract for health, tourist, travel or other insurance in the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in advance. There are also local Afghan companies that provide insurance and that represent major international insurance institutions in Afghanistan. Detailed information and advice for air travellers, as well as the new security requirements in this respect, can be found at Sofia Airport website. You should note that all Afghan airlines (Ariana, Safi, Pamir, Kam Air) are banned from landing on the territory of European Union countries.
Local currency:
The local currency in the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan is the Afghan (AFN).
It is possible to shop by paying in US dollars or euros in the capital Kabul and other provincial administrative centres.
Travel papers and visas
Travel papers and visa requirements
Attention!
Your passport must have at least one blank page so that the entry visa can be affixed to it. There should be no other visa stamps on the back of this page other than the border control stamps.
Competitive service
Issuance of identity documents:
The Embassy does not extend the validity of a Bulgarian passport. Applications for a new Bulgarian passport are accepted. If necessary, an Emergency Travel Document may be issued to a Bulgarian citizen. When issuing an Emergency Travel Document to Bulgarian minors and under-aged children, it is necessary that the application for a Bulgarian identity document be signed by both parents before the consular official, the original birth certificate, the parents’ civil marriage certificate and a recent photograph to be presented.
Civil status:
The registration of birth, marriage or death in the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan shall be carried out by the competent authorities in the country. At the birth of a child, a document is issued by the relevant medical institution, which contains information on the physical characteristics of the newborn, the names of the father and the mother. The document is generally only issued by large hospitals that own and maintain registries. Such centres are available only in the capital Kabul.
In the event of a natural death, the relatives of the deceased shall notify the municipal authorities and the relevant divisions of the Ministry of Interior. In case they live in remote areas, the mayor and the local religious person shall be informed. Most of the localities in the country lack a population register. When a death certificate is issued by the municipal authorities, the signatures of at least three witnesses are affixed, and this document is subsequently certified by the Ministry of Justice and used before the Supreme Court in the division of the deceased's estate.
Civil marriage in Afghanistan is performed in accordance with local laws and norms. A civil marriage document is only required in cases where one of the persons is a foreign national or both are Afghan nationals and are to live or work abroad. The civil marriage document is issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan and contains details of both spouses and between three and five witnesses in Dari and English language.
Certifications and legalizations:
The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan is not a party to the Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents. There are no legal assistance agreements in force between Bulgaria and Afghanistan and all certifications and legalisations are carried out in accordance with the general procedure. For example, civil status documents such as birth certificates or marriage certificates are certified in advance by the Consular Directorate with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan. The Consul at the Embassy only verifies the signature and seal of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan. Documents must be translated into English. The Consular Office may also certify the signature of a private individual, the signature and contents of a private document, the transcript of a private document, the signature of the translator, and the signature and seal of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan.