Afghanistan
Warnings and insurance
Your travel insurance could be invalidated if you travel against advice from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO).
FCDO advises against all travel to Afghanistan
You should not travel to Afghanistan. The security situation is volatile and tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan have previously resulted in violent clashes in border regions. Travel throughout Afghanistan is extremely dangerous and a number of border crossings are not currently open.
There is a heightened risk of British nationals being detained in Afghanistan. If you are a British national and you are detained in Afghanistan, you could face months or years of imprisonment. FCDO’s ability to help you is extremely limited and support in person is not possible in Afghanistan.
For more details about the risks in Afghanistan, see Safety and security.
Do not travel to Afghanistan
You should not travel to Afghanistan. The FCDO advises against all travel to Afghanistan, even if you are part of an organised tour group. There is a high risk of British nationals being detained or kidnapped, and terrorists often target places frequented by foreign nationals. The FCDO’s ability to provide assistance in Afghanistan is severely limited.
Afghanistan-Pakistan tensions
There are heighted tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan, including clashes in border areas. FCDO advises against all travel to Afghanistan. Sign up to get email notifications when this travel advice is updated.
UK government support
Support for British nationals is severely limited in Afghanistan. There is no British Embassy inin Afghanistan and FCDO Afghanistan and we cannot givegive in-person helpconsular inassistance. If person in Afghanistan. If you are detained, the British government may not be informed.
FCDO cannot offer advice on the safety of travelling to any departure point within Afghanistan.
If you are a British national in Afghanistan and need help from the UK government, you can:
- call FCDO on 020 7008 5000 (24 hours)
- submit an enquiry
- contact us on X or Facebook
Travel insurance
If you choose to travel against FCDO advice, research your destinations and get appropriate travel insurance. Insurance should cover your itinerary, planned activities and expenses in an emergency.
About FCDO travel advice
FCDO provides advice about risks of travel to help you make informed decisions. Find out more about FCDO travel advice.
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Update history
2026-07-30 11:36
Addition of information about UK Government support (see ‘Do not travel to Afghanistan’ on the ‘Warnings and insurance’ page).
2026-02-27 10:38
New information about heightened tension between Afghanistan and Pakistan (‘Warnings and insurance’ page).
2025-12-15 10:52
Updated information on recent regional tension (‘Warnings and insurance’ and ‘Safety and security’ pages).
2025-12-10 12:32
New information about dual nationals returning to the UK (‘Entry requirements’ page).
2025-10-03 17:02
Updated information about the risk of internet outages in Afghanistan (‘Safety and security’ page).
2025-09-30 17:14
New information about the internet shutdown and flight cancellations from Kabul International Airport (‘Warnings and insurance’ page).
2025-07-24 13:34
Addition of information about risks related to religious activities and to women travelling alone (‘Safety and security’ page).
2024-09-26 10:28
New information regarding closure of Afghan embassy in London (‘Entry requirements’ page)
2024-06-21 09:19
Information about the risks of travelling to Afghanistan while on a guided tour (‘Safety and security’ page).
2024-05-31 11:14
New information about criminal kidnaps (‘Safety and security’ page).
2024-05-17 19:08
On 17 May, foreign national tourists were reportedly shot dead and others wounded in a market in Bamiyan in Central Afghanistan (Safety and security)
2024-04-03 16:23
Information on passport validity requirements (‘Entry requirements’ page).
2024-03-08 14:47
This travel advice has been rewritten to make it easier to read and understand.
2024-02-02 15:49
Information that Kabul International Airport does not meet international aviation safety standards (‘Safety and security’ page).
2023-10-20 18:25
Information about the risk of detention in Afghanistan (‘Summary’ and ‘Safety and security’ pages).
2023-06-22 09:16
Information about the global terrorism risks to British nationals abroad on all FCDO travel advice pages.
2023-05-26 14:48
Information about the safety of airlines in Afghanistan (‘Safety and security’ page).
2023-05-09 12:45
New information about altitude sickness (‘Health’ page).
2023-03-22 14:27
Updated with information about heightened security risks during Ramadan (‘Summary’ and ‘Terrorism’ pages).
2022-11-11 12:59
Updated information with contact details for British nationals in Afghanistan who need to speak to a consular officer (See ‘Summary’ page)
2022-08-02 18:42
Updated information following the death of Al Qaida leader, Ayman al-Zawahiri (See ‘Summary’ and ‘Terrorism’ pages)
2022-06-22 17:14
Addition of information on a severe earthquake of magnitude 5.9 in the Gyan district and surrounding areas of Paktika on 22 June. Updated information on terrorist attacks in Afghanistan (‘Summary’, ‘Natural disasters’ and ‘Terrorism’ pages)
2022-04-12 13:56
Review and update on Entry Requirements and Terrorism pages.
2022-02-18 10:15
Addition of information on the risk of detention (‘Summary’ and ‘Safety and security’ pages)