Passport renewal Afghanistan is handled mostly as a validity extension at Afghan missions abroad, with fees that vary by mission, such as 100 euros for a 5-year extension in Bonn and 125 euros (1,450 Swedish kronor) in Stockholm. The sources describe a patchwork. Some missions extend machine-readable passports, one mission in Munich was reported in February 2025 to issue new passports on presentation of a verified tazkira (the national ID document), and the Stockholm embassy says new issuance is suspended.
If you’re researching passport renewal Afghanistan, expect rules that differ by mission and change without notice. This guide reports what each source says, flags where they conflict and avoids guessing at anything the sources don’t state. It draws on the Afghan consulate in Bonn’s extension page (undated), the Afghan embassy in Stockholm’s renewal page (undated), a Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI) page that says Afghan authorities accept only documents issued by named missions as of 30 July 2024, a Tübingen news report dated 22 February 2025 and a notice from the Afghan embassy in Jakarta. No source covers applications inside Afghanistan, and none carries a fee schedule from a central authority, so confirm every step and amount with the mission that serves you. For how renewal works in the United States, see our passport renewal guide.
How Does Passport Renewal Afghanistan Work Abroad?
Contact the mission that serves your country of residence, because each mission sets its own appointment, document and fee rules. The sources show three different patterns.
- Bonn, Germany: book an appointment online, apply in person, and submit requests Monday to Thursday between 9:00 and 14:00. Postal and online processing aren’t available.
- Stockholm, Sweden: apply in person three working days after paying the fee, or send documents by registered, tracked mail.
- Jakarta, Indonesia: the embassy launched the Afghan Passport Processing System (APPS) and is contacting applicants to come to the consular section as it clears a two-month backlog.
The Bonn page adds that each person may book only one appointment and that duplicate bookings are cancelled. Your identity must match the appointment details, and incomplete applications won’t be processed.
What Is the Difference Between Extension and a New Passport?
An extension adds validity to an existing passport, and a new passport replaces it. The Bonn consulate offers an extension only to Afghan nationals living in Germany who already hold a previous Afghan passport. If the passport has an extension sticker, or was extended once already, you must apply for a new passport instead.
The Stockholm embassy says new passport issuance is suspended and that its page covers only extensions for holders of previous machine-readable passports (MRP). It promises updates on resuming new issuance on its website and social media. The Tübingen report, dated 22 February 2025, says people from Afghanistan can again get passports from the Afghan Consulate General in Munich, and that this had not been possible for over two years. It attributes the information to the Baden-Wuerttemberg Refugee Council, citing the state’s Ministry of Justice and Migration. The two sources therefore describe different missions with different policies, and neither claims to speak for the whole network.
Which Missions Extend Passports?
The UDI names Munich, Amsterdam, Madrid, Sofia and Prague as the missions that issue renewal stamps. The Norwegian directorate says an expired machine-readable Afghan passport can still be extended with a renewal stamp, and that as of 30 July 2024 Afghan authorities accept only documents issued by those five missions. Bonn and Stockholm aren’t on that list, though both pages describe extensions. The sources don’t reconcile the difference.
This matters if your passport must be accepted by authorities, not just by a foreign border. A traveler who has an extension from a mission outside the UDI’s list should ask the receiving authority whether it accepts the document. The UDI adds that a single-trip alternative exists in Norway, an immigrant’s passport, which requires a stated purpose and is processed without the normal waiting times.
Which Documents Do You Need?
The current passport, a verified tazkira, a biometric photo and proof of residence. The Bonn consulate lists the following.
- The original current Afghan passport, not a copy.
- The original tazkira in Dari or Pashto confirmed by Afghanistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, or an e-Tazkira.
- One biometric photo, 35 by 45 mm (about 1.4 by 1.8 inches), with a plain white background.
- A copy of the German residence permit or personal ID card, both sides, with name and address visible.
- The application form, downloaded from the consulate website.
The Stockholm embassy asks for a different set for postal applications: the completed renewal form, the original passport with a copy of the information page (and a copy of the renewal page if it was renewed before), a clear copy of the tazkira with the names, page, volume and registration number readable, a copy of the Swedish or Finnish residence permit card on both sides, and proof of payment. It tells applicants not to send cash or the original tazkira.
The Tübingen report says new passports at Munich are issued on presentation of a complete tazkira or e-Tazkira that is registered and verified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Kabul and checkable in the electronic system. Where a passport can’t be issued, the Munich consulate issues negative certificates in individual cases.
How Much Does Passport Renewal Afghanistan Cost?
100 euros in Bonn and 125 euros in Stockholm for a 5-year extension. Each page gives its own figures.
Stockholm says the 5-year validity runs from the expiry date. A passport that expired three years ago would, on the late-renewal rule, cost an extra SEK 870 or EUR 75 for the three years (3 times SEK 290, or 3 times EUR 25), though the page doesn’t give a worked example. Add the registered mail fee and a postal applicant pays EUR 150 for a standard renewal (125 plus 25). The two figures per year, EUR 20 for Bonn (100 divided by 5) and EUR 25 for Stockholm (125 divided by 5), are the best comparison between the missions.
Neither page states a fee for a new passport, and the Tübingen report gives no fee at all. The SBS item from 2016 mentions electronic passports at the Australian embassy without any figures, so it doesn’t help for 2026.
How Long Does It Take?
The Stockholm embassy says renewal is delivered to the post office within 48 hours of verification, and the other sources give no timeline. Stockholm’s 48 hours start after the documents and bank transfer are verified, not from posting. The Bonn page gives no processing time, and the UDI page says nothing about it either. The Jakarta notice refers to a two-month backlog, which suggests waits can run longer at busy missions, though the notice doesn’t state a standard timeline.
How Do You Pay?
By bank transfer to the mission, with your name in the payment note. The Stockholm page lists a Bankgiro number for residents of Sweden and an IBAN with SWIFT/BIC for residents elsewhere, and asks you to put the passport holder’s name in the message field in a set format. Check the current bank details on the embassy’s website before you send money, since the page itself is undated. The Bonn page says staff take payment at the appointment.
What If a Passport Can’t Be Issued?
Ask for a confirmation of non-issuance or a negative certificate, or use a host-country alternative. Three sources describe fallback documents.
- Stockholm: if Swedish or Finnish authorities ask for a passport and you don’t have one, apply for a confirmation of non-issuance.
- Munich: the consulate issues negative certificates in individual cases where a passport can’t be issued.
- Norway: the UDI offers an immigrant’s passport for a single trip, with the purpose stated in the application.
The Tübingen report adds that German travel documents for foreigners are issued only in well-founded individual cases. People who already hold one will probably not get a renewal, and Afghans who can’t reasonably apply to the Munich consulate must give good reasons to get one. These rules belong to host countries, so they can differ from one country to the next, and you should ask the local immigration authority which paper it accepts.
Which Route Fits Which Applicant?
Match the route to the mission that serves your country of residence, then to the type of passport you hold. The table sums up what the sources show.
A traveler who lives in Hamburg and holds an unextended passport would start with Bonn’s appointment system. A traveler in Helsinki with an expired passport would read the Stockholm page, because it mentions Swedish and Finnish residence permits. Neither source says that residents of other countries can use those missions.
How Reliable Are the Sources?
They are mission pages and news reports, and almost none carries a date. The Bonn and Stockholm pages show no update date. The Tübingen report dates from February 2025, so it may be more than a year old. The UDI page is a government page from another country and sets 30 July 2024 as a key date. The Jakarta notice comes from a page whose passport section is password protected, so its requirements and fees couldn’t be read.
The 2016 SBS item and several archived US embassy pages appeared in the search results and were not used, since they predate the current situation by many years. Because the policy picture has shifted between 2024 and 2026, a source from last year can describe a service that has since changed. Treat every figure here as a starting point for a conversation with your mission, not as a quote.
What Should You Ask Your Mission Before You Apply?
Ask which service it offers, which documents it needs and how the passport reaches you. Four questions cover most of the gaps.
- Does the mission extend passports, issue new ones or both, and is new issuance open?
- Does it need a tazkira confirmed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, or will an e-Tazkira do?
- What is the exact fee, including any late-renewal charge, and which payment method does it accept?
- How long does processing take, and will the passport be mailed or collected?
Write down the answers with the date. A mission that quotes EUR 100 today may quote a different amount next quarter.
Which Mistakes Delay Passport Renewal Afghanistan?
Applying to the wrong mission and submitting unverified documents cause most delays. Check each point first.
- Assuming a mission issues new passports when it only extends them.
- Applying for an extension on a passport that was already extended once.
- Submitting a tazkira that isn’t confirmed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
- Booking more than one appointment in Bonn.
- Sending cash or an original tazkira by post to Stockholm.
- Skipping the late-renewal payment for a passport expired a year or more.
- Relying on a fee from another mission.
- Treating a 2025 report as current without calling the mission.
FAQs
How much does passport renewal Afghanistan cost?
It varies by mission. Bonn lists EUR 100 for a 5-year extension, and Stockholm lists EUR 125 or SEK 1,450.
Can I get a new Afghan passport abroad?
Yes at some missions. A February 2025 report says Munich issues them, while Stockholm says new issuance is suspended.
Can I renew by post?
Yes at some missions. Stockholm accepts registered, tracked mail, while Bonn requires an in-person appointment.
Which documents are required?
The current passport, a verified tazkira, a biometric photo and a residence permit copy, according to Bonn and Stockholm.
How long does it take?
Stockholm says delivery within 48 hours of verification. Other sources give no timeline.
Which missions do authorities accept?
The UDI says Afghan authorities accept documents from Munich, Amsterdam, Madrid, Sofia and Prague since 30 July 2024.
Conclusion
Passport renewal Afghanistan is a mission-by-mission process: Bonn charges EUR 100 for a 5-year extension, Stockholm charges EUR 125, and Munich was reported to issue new passports in 2025. Call your own mission before you pay, since no single source covers all of them.
