Afghan students accepted for international programs cannot travel

KABUL: A number of Afghan university students who won scholarships cannot attend international programs because the passport office in Kabul remains closed and travel documents cannot be obtained.

The students told the media they need to renew their passports or they will not be able to receive their visas. An Afghan student, Najiullah Aryamehr, won a scholarship to study management at a Russian university last year, but he could not travel due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the closure of borders. However, he took an online class to learn the Russian language. “No one hears our voices. We have serious problems,” Aryamehr told the media. According to these students, classes have already started and there is an urgent need for passports.

Mohammad Zamir Rahmani said: “We have to update our passports to get visas. We will be deprived of an education if we cannot get visas.” “We will lose our scholarships, the fate of more than three hundred students is still unclear,” said Sekander Jamili. Sources said that on average, around 2,000 Afghan students receive scholarships from schools in India, Russia, Pakistan, China, Japan, Uzbekistan and Turkey each year. More than 40,000 Afghan students benefited from scholarships over the last two decades, according to available information.