AfghanistanUnited Kingdom

United Kingdom visa for Afghan citizens

Visa required

Afghan citizens must obtain a visa before travelling to the United Kingdom.

Where to apply
No mission in your country

Checked 7 November 2026 · Passport Index

Which United Kingdom visa?

Standard Visitor visa (tourism)

Key facts

Maximum stay
Up to 6 months per visit
Fee
£135
Processing time
Usually within 3 weeks of the biometric appointment

Apply on GOV.UK – Apply for a Standard Visitor visa

All visa types for the United Kingdom

For the tourist visa, the United Kingdom’s official sources give a standard fee of £135, and applications are made on gov.uk. Processing time, as the United Kingdom states it: Usually within 3 weeks of the biometric appointment. Longest stay on the tourist visa: Up to 6 months per visit.

Where Afghan citizens apply for a visa for the United Kingdom

United Kingdom has no embassy or consulate in Afghanistan on our records; applications usually go through a mission in a neighbouring country or an online portal.

Measured from Kabul, British embassies and consulates are closest in Islamabad, Pakistan (373 km), Dushanbe, Tajikistan (452 km) and Tashkent, Uzbekistan (754 km). The United Kingdom sets which of its missions takes applications from Afghanistan; the mission or the official visa portal confirms it before an appointment is booked.

British citizens travelling to Afghanistan

United KingdomAfghanistan Visa required Afghanistan visa for citizens of the United Kingdom

Travel advice for the United Kingdom

  • US State Department Level 2: Exercise increased caution
  • German Foreign Office No travel warning

What the US, British and German foreign ministries tell their own citizens about travelling there, in each ministry’s own terms.

Afghan citizens planning a trip to the United Kingdom can compare how foreign ministries rate it: the US State Department rates the United Kingdom at Level 2, exercise increased caution (updated 8 September 2026) and the German Foreign Office has no travel warning for the United Kingdom (updated 13 October 2026). The advice is aimed at each government’s own nationals.

Good to know

How long Afghan citizens can stay in the United Kingdom

How long Afghan citizens may stay in the United Kingdom is set by the visa issued, and the visa type must match the purpose of the trip.

How Afghan citizens apply

The United Kingdom has no embassy or career consulate in Afghanistan. Afghan citizens apply through a mission of the United Kingdom accredited to Afghanistan from abroad; the official visa portal of the United Kingdom names the right place.

The United Kingdom’s neighbours for Afghan citizens

Ireland requires Afghan citizens to obtain a visa in advance.

British citizens travelling to Afghanistan

British citizens need a visa for Afghanistan, obtained before travel. The rule is the same in both directions between Afghanistan and the United Kingdom.

Frequently asked questions

Do Afghan citizens need a visa for the United Kingdom?

Afghan citizens must obtain a visa before travelling to the United Kingdom.

Is there an embassy of the United Kingdom in Afghanistan?

No. The United Kingdom has no embassy in Afghanistan. The nearest British embassy is in Islamabad, Pakistan, 373 km from Kabul.

How much does the United Kingdom tourist visa cost?

The United Kingdom’s official sources give a standard fee of £135 for the tourist visa. Processing time: Usually within 3 weeks of the biometric appointment.

Do British citizens need a visa for Afghanistan?

British citizens need a visa for Afghanistan, obtained before travel.

Can Afghan citizens enter the United Kingdom visa-free?

No; Afghan citizens need a visa for the United Kingdom obtained in advance.

Visa data: Passport Index via passport-index-data, as of 7 November 2026. Rules change, sometimes overnight. Confirm with the embassy or the official government portal before you book.