The Pakistan Government has commenced deporting Afghan nationals without a valid Pakistani visa back to their country of origin.
According to the Pakistan Government, only Afghan nationals with a valid passport and Pakistani visa are permitted to enter and remain in Pakistan. Even if you are an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or an Australian visa holder, you must have lawful immigration status in Pakistan, or a valid exit permit, to be able to depart the country.
The Australian Government advises you to check your immigration status in Pakistan and to comply with all relevant Pakistani laws.
If you have a valid Pakistani visa or an expired Pakistani visa
If you have a valid Pakistani visa or a Pakistani visa that has expired in the last year, you can apply for an exit permit online through the Pakistan National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) website: Exit Permit - Pakistan Online Visa System. You must provide evidence of your:
- last Pakistani visa, and
- entry into Pakistan (stamp in your passport).
Once your exit permit is granted you will have 15 days to exit Pakistan.
Only Australian Humanitarian visa holders are eligible to receive assistance with this process from the Australian Government.
If you have entered Pakistan irregularly or do not have a valid Pakistani visa
If you entered Pakistan without a visa, or do not have proof of a Pakistan visa, you will need the assistance of the Australian High Commission to get a special exit permit called the Humanitarian Safe Passage Permit (HSPP).
To obtain a HSPP, you will need to provide your biometrics to the Pakistan Government at a facility in Islamabad. This is a non-negotiable requirement of the Pakistan Government.
Once your HSPP is granted you will have 30 days to exit Pakistan.
You must ensure that you have valid and genuine passports or travel documents before leaving Pakistan, otherwise you may be prevented from boarding your flight by the airline or an immigration authority.
Australian citizens or permanent residents
If you are an Australian citizen or permanent resident in Pakistan without a valid Pakistani visa and require assistance, please email: [email protected].
Australian refugee visa holders
From October 2024, Toll will be contacting individuals who hold the following Australian Humanitarian visas to schedule appointments for biometrics collection by the Government of Pakistan:
- subclass 200 Refugee
- subclass 201 In-country Special Humanitarian
- subclass 204 Woman at Risk
It is important that you are prepared to travel to Islamabad within 24-hours of notice to attend your biometrics appointment. People who do not attend their scheduled appointments for biometrics collection may not be able to get a HSPP and depart Pakistan.
After your biometrics appointment, Toll will facilitate the HSPP applications online through the Pakistan National Database and Registration Authority website (Humanitarian Safe Passage Permit - Pakistan Online Visa System (nadra.gov.pk) for the visa holders above.
All other visa holders
All other Australian visa holders will need to email [email protected] to schedule a biometrics appointment.
When you make contact, you must attach to your email:
- a copy of your Australian visa grant letter;
- a copy of your passports and/or ImmiCards;
- full particulars about yourself and family, including your name, date of birth as it appears on your Australian visa grant letter; and
- information about your location in Pakistan and your contact email and phone number.
Once you have submitted the information above, a representative from the Australian High Commission in Islamabad will contact you to schedule a biometrics collection appointment at a NADRA centre in Islamabad.
It is important that you are prepared to travel to Islamabad within 24-hours of notice to attend your biometrics appointment. People who do not attend their scheduled appointments for biometrics collection may not be able to get a HSPP and depart Pakistan.
After your biometric appointment, the Pakistan Government will issue you a token. You will need this token to apply for a HSPP online through the NADRA website Humanitarian Safe Passage Permit - Pakistan Online Visa System.
The Australian Government will not assist you with making your online HSPP application, paying the fee for the HSPP, or arranging or paying for your travel to Australia.
If you need to travel inside Pakistan
You must consider the risks to you and your family before travelling within Pakistan to attend any appointments as part of a visa or exit permit process. If you or your family do not have a valid Pakistan visa, you could be detained or questioned by police while travelling inside Pakistan. Should you be detained or deported, the Australian Government would be unable to intervene on your behalf.
If you have been detained or deported by the Pakistan Government
Australian citizens or permanent residents
If you are an Australian citizen or permanent resident who has been detained or deported to Afghanistan by the Pakistan Government, please email [email protected].
Australian visa holders
If you are an Australian visa holder who has been detained or deported to Afghanistan, please email [email protected].
You will need to provide us with evidence of your Australian visa status. If possible, please provide at least one of the following:
- a copy of your Australian visa grant letter, and
- a copy of your passports and/or ImmiCards,
- full particulars about yourself and family, including your name, date of birth as it appears on your Australian visa grant letter, and
- information about your location in Afghanistan, your contact email and phone number, including a WhatsApp number.
If you are currently in Afghanistan or considering travel from Afghanistan to Pakistan
You must consider the risks carefully before attempting to leave Afghanistan by any route. The Australian Government cannot offer advice on the safety of travelling to departure points. Any travel options, you pursue are taken at your own risk. You are responsible for your own safety and that of your family. The Australian Government does not have a consular presence in Afghanistan and will not be able to assist you.
You must ensure that you have valid and genuine passports or travel documents before leaving Afghanistan, otherwise you may be prevented from travelling.
If you are a former Afghan locally engaged employee
If you are certified under an Australian Government Afghan LEE Program, you will still need to apply for a humanitarian visa to be able to migrate to Australia. Information about humanitarian visas, including how to apply, is available on the Department of Home Affairs website.
If you are currently in Pakistan without a valid visa, are a certified Afghan LEE and have been granted an Australian visa, please attach a copy of your certification letter and a copy of your visa grant letter and email [email protected] for further information.
If you have applied to an Afghan Locally Engaged Employee Program (Afghan LEE Program)
If you were employed with the Australian Federal Police in Afghanistan, please contact the AFP by email [email protected].
If you were employed with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), or the former Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) in Afghanistan, please contact DFAT or email [email protected].
If you were employed with the Australian Defence Force (ADF) in Afghanistan, please contact the Department of Defence or email [email protected].
If you are certified under an Australian Government Afghan LEE Program, you will still need to apply for a humanitarian visa to be able to migrate to Australia. Information about humanitarian visas, including how to apply, is available on the Department of Home Affairs website.
If you need to contact the Assisted Passage service provider Toll
From October 2024, Toll replaces IOM as the contracted provider of Assisted Passage services for people who have applied or those who have been granted Australian Humanitarian visa.
If you need to arrange to collect an ImmiCard from Toll or have a query in relation to assisted movement and travel to Australia, please email [email protected].
Migrants resettling to Australia except government funded Refugee visa holders must make their own travel arrangements and cover their own travel costs.
Contact with the Australian High Commission
Please do not call back the Australian High Commission, Islamabad if you have a missed call from us. We will contact you via email to arrange a time to call you again.
The Australian High Commission, Islamabad is unable to respond to general visa queries including advice on how to apply for an Australian visa or the status of an Australian visa application.
For general queries, including information on how to apply for an Australian visa, visit the Department of Home Affairs website at https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/ or call the Home Affairs Global Service Centre number on +61 2 6196 0196, open Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm Australian Eastern Standard Time.
You can also find further information on the Australian High Commission website about Australian visas and citizenship.