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People in Afghanistan Ask For a Passport to Escape Terror

Published July 29th, 2021 - 06:58 GMT

People in Afghanistan apply for precious travel documents, passports that would allow them to leave the war-torn nation.

With the Taliban is making huge advances in the countryside as foreign forces wind up their withdrawal, many Afghans -- those with the means, at least -- are looking for a way out. Not everyone will make an immediate exit, but most want the safety net -- knowing they can leave at short notice.

Dozens begin lining up at the passport office in Kabul before dawn most days, and by eight in the morning the queue already stretches for a good hundred meters.

Applicants need to have their picture taken, eyes biometrically recorded and fingerprints taken as part of the process, with a thorough security frisk thrown in for good measure.

Many of those in line had no idea where they would go if given the chance -- or if any other country would even have them.

Most nations require Afghans to jump through hoops for a visa, with massive quantities of documentation required along with proof of financial stability that few possess.

Still, everyone wants to be ready.

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An elderly woman reacts as she sits in a queue along with others to submit their passport applications at an office in Kabul on July 25, 2021. Dozens begin lining up at the passport office in Kabul before dawn most days, and by eight in the morning the queue already stretches for a good hundred metres.

An elderly woman reacts as she sits in a queue along with others to submit their passport applications at an office in Kabul on July 25, 2021. Dozens begin lining up at the passport office in Kabul before dawn most days, and by eight in the morning the queue already stretches for a good hundred metres. SAJJAD HUSSAIN / AFP

People wait to process a biometric registration to submit their passport applications at an office in Kabul on July 25, 2021. Dozens begin lining up at the passport office in Kabul before dawn most days, and by eight in the morning the queue already stretches for a good hundred metres.

People wait to process a biometric registration to submit their passport applications at an office in Kabul on July 25, 2021. Dozens begin lining up at the passport office in Kabul before dawn most days, and by eight in the morning the queue already stretches for a good hundred metres. SAJJAD HUSSAIN / AFP

A woman sits as others queue to submit their passport applications at an office in Kabul on July 25, 2021. Dozens begin lining up at the passport office in Kabul before dawn most days, and by eight in the morning the queue already stretches for a good hundred metres.

A woman sits as others queue to submit their passport applications at an office in Kabul on July 25, 2021. Dozens begin lining up at the passport office in Kabul before dawn most days, and by eight in the morning the queue already stretches for a good hundred metres. SAJJAD HUSSAIN / AFP

People sit in a queue to submit their passport applications at an office in Kabul on July 25, 2021. Dozens begin lining up at the passport office in Kabul before dawn most days, and by eight in the morning the queue already stretches for a good hundred metres.

People sit in a queue to submit their passport applications at an office in Kabul on July 25, 2021. Dozens begin lining up at the passport office in Kabul before dawn most days, and by eight in the morning the queue already stretches for a good hundred metres. SAJJAD HUSSAIN / AFP

People stand in a queue to submit their passport applications at an office in Kabul on July 25, 2021. Dozens begin lining up at the passport office in Kabul before dawn most days, and by eight in the morning the queue already stretches for a good hundred metres.

People stand in a queue to submit their passport applications at an office in Kabul on July 25, 2021. Dozens begin lining up at the passport office in Kabul before dawn most days, and by eight in the morning the queue already stretches for a good hundred metres. SAJJAD HUSSAIN / AFP

A family stand in a queue to submit their passport applications at an office in Kabul on July 25, 2021. Dozens begin lining up at the passport office in Kabul before dawn most days, and by eight in the morning the queue already stretches for a good hundred metres.

A family stand in a queue to submit their passport applications at an office in Kabul on July 25, 2021. Dozens begin lining up at the passport office in Kabul before dawn most days, and by eight in the morning the queue already stretches for a good hundred metres. SAJJAD HUSSAIN / AFP

A man arrives to submit his passport application at an office in Kabul on July 25, 2021. Dozens begin lining up at the passport office in Kabul before dawn most days, and by eight in the morning the queue already stretches for a good hundred metres.

A man arrives to submit his passport application at an office in Kabul on July 25, 2021. Dozens begin lining up at the passport office in Kabul before dawn most days, and by eight in the morning the queue already stretches for a good hundred metres. SAJJAD HUSSAIN / AFP

A man looks through an optical biometric reader to submit his passport application at an office in Kabul on July 25, 2021. Dozens begin lining up at the passport office in Kabul before dawn most days, and by eight in the morning the queue already stretches for a good hundred metres.

A man looks through an optical biometric reader to submit his passport application at an office in Kabul on July 25, 2021. Dozens begin lining up at the passport office in Kabul before dawn most days, and by eight in the morning the queue already stretches for a good hundred metres. SAJJAD HUSSAIN / AFP

A woman wearing a burqa arrives to submit a passport application at an office in Kabul on July 25, 2021. Dozens begin lining up at the passport office in Kabul before dawn most days, and by eight in the morning the queue already stretches for a good hundred metres.

A woman wearing a burqa arrives to submit a passport application at an office in Kabul on July 25, 2021. Dozens begin lining up at the passport office in Kabul before dawn most days, and by eight in the morning the queue already stretches for a good hundred metres. SAJJAD HUSSAIN / AFP

An elderly woman reacts as she sits in a queue along with others to submit their passport applications at an office in Kabul on July 25, 2021. Dozens begin lining up at the passport office in Kabul before dawn most days, and by eight in the morning the queue already stretches for a good hundred metres.
People wait to process a biometric registration to submit their passport applications at an office in Kabul on July 25, 2021. Dozens begin lining up at the passport office in Kabul before dawn most days, and by eight in the morning the queue already stretches for a good hundred metres.
A woman sits as others queue to submit their passport applications at an office in Kabul on July 25, 2021. Dozens begin lining up at the passport office in Kabul before dawn most days, and by eight in the morning the queue already stretches for a good hundred metres.
People sit in a queue to submit their passport applications at an office in Kabul on July 25, 2021. Dozens begin lining up at the passport office in Kabul before dawn most days, and by eight in the morning the queue already stretches for a good hundred metres.
People stand in a queue to submit their passport applications at an office in Kabul on July 25, 2021. Dozens begin lining up at the passport office in Kabul before dawn most days, and by eight in the morning the queue already stretches for a good hundred metres.
A family stand in a queue to submit their passport applications at an office in Kabul on July 25, 2021. Dozens begin lining up at the passport office in Kabul before dawn most days, and by eight in the morning the queue already stretches for a good hundred metres.
A man arrives to submit his passport application at an office in Kabul on July 25, 2021. Dozens begin lining up at the passport office in Kabul before dawn most days, and by eight in the morning the queue already stretches for a good hundred metres.
A man looks through an optical biometric reader to submit his passport application at an office in Kabul on July 25, 2021. Dozens begin lining up at the passport office in Kabul before dawn most days, and by eight in the morning the queue already stretches for a good hundred metres.
A woman wearing a burqa arrives to submit a passport application at an office in Kabul on July 25, 2021. Dozens begin lining up at the passport office in Kabul before dawn most days, and by eight in the morning the queue already stretches for a good hundred metres.
An elderly woman reacts as she sits in a queue along with others to submit their passport applications at an office in Kabul on July 25, 2021. Dozens begin lining up at the passport office in Kabul before dawn most days, and by eight in the morning the queue already stretches for a good hundred metres.
An elderly woman reacts as she sits in a queue along with others to submit their passport applications at an office in Kabul on July 25, 2021. Dozens begin lining up at the passport office in Kabul before dawn most days, and by eight in the morning the queue already stretches for a good hundred metres. SAJJAD HUSSAIN / AFP
People wait to process a biometric registration to submit their passport applications at an office in Kabul on July 25, 2021. Dozens begin lining up at the passport office in Kabul before dawn most days, and by eight in the morning the queue already stretches for a good hundred metres.
People wait to process a biometric registration to submit their passport applications at an office in Kabul on July 25, 2021. Dozens begin lining up at the passport office in Kabul before dawn most days, and by eight in the morning the queue already stretches for a good hundred metres. SAJJAD HUSSAIN / AFP
A woman sits as others queue to submit their passport applications at an office in Kabul on July 25, 2021. Dozens begin lining up at the passport office in Kabul before dawn most days, and by eight in the morning the queue already stretches for a good hundred metres.
A woman sits as others queue to submit their passport applications at an office in Kabul on July 25, 2021. Dozens begin lining up at the passport office in Kabul before dawn most days, and by eight in the morning the queue already stretches for a good hundred metres. SAJJAD HUSSAIN / AFP
People sit in a queue to submit their passport applications at an office in Kabul on July 25, 2021. Dozens begin lining up at the passport office in Kabul before dawn most days, and by eight in the morning the queue already stretches for a good hundred metres.
People sit in a queue to submit their passport applications at an office in Kabul on July 25, 2021. Dozens begin lining up at the passport office in Kabul before dawn most days, and by eight in the morning the queue already stretches for a good hundred metres. SAJJAD HUSSAIN / AFP
People stand in a queue to submit their passport applications at an office in Kabul on July 25, 2021. Dozens begin lining up at the passport office in Kabul before dawn most days, and by eight in the morning the queue already stretches for a good hundred metres.
People stand in a queue to submit their passport applications at an office in Kabul on July 25, 2021. Dozens begin lining up at the passport office in Kabul before dawn most days, and by eight in the morning the queue already stretches for a good hundred metres. SAJJAD HUSSAIN / AFP
A family stand in a queue to submit their passport applications at an office in Kabul on July 25, 2021. Dozens begin lining up at the passport office in Kabul before dawn most days, and by eight in the morning the queue already stretches for a good hundred metres.
A family stand in a queue to submit their passport applications at an office in Kabul on July 25, 2021. Dozens begin lining up at the passport office in Kabul before dawn most days, and by eight in the morning the queue already stretches for a good hundred metres. SAJJAD HUSSAIN / AFP
A man arrives to submit his passport application at an office in Kabul on July 25, 2021. Dozens begin lining up at the passport office in Kabul before dawn most days, and by eight in the morning the queue already stretches for a good hundred metres.
A man arrives to submit his passport application at an office in Kabul on July 25, 2021. Dozens begin lining up at the passport office in Kabul before dawn most days, and by eight in the morning the queue already stretches for a good hundred metres. SAJJAD HUSSAIN / AFP
A man looks through an optical biometric reader to submit his passport application at an office in Kabul on July 25, 2021. Dozens begin lining up at the passport office in Kabul before dawn most days, and by eight in the morning the queue already stretches for a good hundred metres.
A man looks through an optical biometric reader to submit his passport application at an office in Kabul on July 25, 2021. Dozens begin lining up at the passport office in Kabul before dawn most days, and by eight in the morning the queue already stretches for a good hundred metres. SAJJAD HUSSAIN / AFP
A woman wearing a burqa arrives to submit a passport application at an office in Kabul on July 25, 2021. Dozens begin lining up at the passport office in Kabul before dawn most days, and by eight in the morning the queue already stretches for a good hundred metres.
A woman wearing a burqa arrives to submit a passport application at an office in Kabul on July 25, 2021. Dozens begin lining up at the passport office in Kabul before dawn most days, and by eight in the morning the queue already stretches for a good hundred metres. SAJJAD HUSSAIN / AFP
Tags:AfghanistanKabulTalibanAshraf Ghani

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