Hundreds of Afghans are lining up outside the Iranian consulate in the western province of Herat to get visas every day.
TOLOnews’ correspondent Samim Faramarz who has visited the consulate reports that up to 2,500 Afghans visit the Iranian consulate in Herat on a daily basis in the hope of getting visas. Once they have visas they try to get work in Iran.
Last week Iranian embassy officials in Afghanistan announced some changes for issuing visas to Afghan nationals.
Iranian embassy also stopped the 300 Euro cash guarantee for Afghan applicants.
“I have received a one year labor visa,” said one applicant Abdullah.
Currently, the Iranian consulate in Herat issues two types of visas. Labor visas which are valid for one year are issued for 100 Euros while the tourism visa for one month is about 80 Euros.
“We issue work permits to them and they go to Iran and work there for one year and come back to Afghanistan and remain here for six months, after six months, they again consult us and again we issue them with work visas,” said Mohammad Afkhami, Iran’s general consul in Herat.
According to Iranian officials, this year Tehran increased the number of visas to Afghans by 100 percent.
Based on statistics, last year Iran issued 100,000 work visas to the Afghans.
Source Tolonews