New Changes Announced for Afghan ID Card Issuance and Amendments for Residents Inside and Outside Afghanistan

The National Statistics and Information Authority, under the management of the Taliban administration, has announced the approval of a new set of decisions aimed at facilitating the distribution, verification, and amendment services of Afghan citizenship ID cards. These new regulations are implemented to simplify the process of obtaining citizenship documents for Afghans residing both inside and outside the country.

According to this decision, Afghans living abroad who possess valid identity documents from host countries—such as passports, residence permits, birth certificates, or official identification cards—can visit the central and provincial civil registration offices in person to receive or amend their paper or electronic ID cards. These services will be provided upon payment of a specified fee (1,000 Afghanis).

It has also been stated that for ID cards issued after the start of the fiscal year 1404 (2025-2026), only amendments with justified reasons will be accepted, and errors made by employees will be corrected at the office of issuance.

Regarding age amendments, the Statistics Authority has clarified that provincial offices can correct up to a three-year discrepancy in age based on official educational or host country identity documents. If a person holds more than one ID card, age correction up to three years is also allowed. At the central level, age correction up to five years is possible; beyond that requires approval from higher authorities.

According to these decisions, sensitive information corrections such as father’s name, grandfather’s name, age, or primary residence cannot be made for a second time. Furthermore, changes in ID card information based on emerging migration cases are not permitted.

Although the National Statistics Authority emphasizes that the aim of these reforms is to provide ease for citizens, in practice, the Taliban administration’s policies and restrictions over the past years have caused significant difficulties for Afghans in accessing identity document services. Legal experts believe the lack of transparency, centralization of power, and restrictions on official document amendments threaten fundamental citizen rights, especially regarding migration and education.