Travellers Keep Afghan Visa, Passport Access in Berlin as Envoy Stays Accredited

Germany has said it does not recognise the representative introduced by the Islamic Emirate — reportedly nominated to lead Afghanistan's embassy in Berlin — either as ambassador or as chargé d'affaires. The German Foreign Office says the embassy continues to be run by an official who was accredited before the Taliban came to power, and that no change of staff has been officially communicated.

Key facts

• Germany does not recognise the reported Islamic Emirate appointee as ambassador or chargé d'affaires.
• Afghanistan's Berlin embassy continues under an envoy accredited before the Taliban came to power.
• No changes in embassy staff have been formally notified to Germany.
• Germany wants regular consular processes, including visas and passports, to continue.
• Afghanistan's consulate in Bonn has resumed activities, with passport issuance said to be starting soon.

What has Germany said?

German Foreign Office spokesperson Martin Giese said the embassy in Berlin is still run by someone accredited before the Taliban took power and that this remains the basis for its operations. He said Germany will contact the Afghan authorities to reiterate that the current legal status remains unchanged.

Giese said Germany has a strong interest in continued regular consular services in the country, adding that the government wants "regular consular processes, including the issuance of visas and passports, continue". He also said people handling these processes must be able to issue documents, such as passports, that are recognised in Afghanistan.

According to the spokesperson, functioning consular services are also needed to facilitate the return of individuals who are required to leave Germany.

Why is there a dispute?

A German media outlet previously reported that the Islamic Emirate had appointed a diplomat to head Afghanistan's embassy in Berlin without informing the German government. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate has not yet commented on the matter.

Aziz Maarij, a former diplomat, said a host country that has not recognised another government has the right to prevent a new envoy from entering. Changes in diplomatic staff, he added, must be coordinated with the host country to avoid misunderstandings.

What is happening with Afghan consular services?

Afghanistan's consulate in Bonn, Germany, earlier announced the resumption of its activities. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate also stated that passport issuance services would soon begin at that consulate. No start date for those services was given.

What this means for travellers

For Afghan nationals in Germany, the practical picture is unchanged so far: the Berlin embassy remains under its existing accredited leadership, and Germany says it wants visa and passport issuance to continue through regular channels. The Bonn consulate has resumed activities, with passport services announced as starting soon.

No timeline has been announced for Germany's contact with the Afghan authorities, and the Islamic Emirate has not yet responded publicly.