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Afghanistan

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Afghanistan

Overview

On 15 August 2021, the Taliban declared an ‘interim government’ following the collapse of the Afghan National Security Forces and the fall of the government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.

Australia does not regard the Taliban as the legitimate representatives of the Afghan people and the Australian Government has no intention of accepting a Taliban-nominated diplomat, honorary consul, or other representative.

Australia’s engagement with Afghanistan

Australia has no diplomatic presence in Afghanistan.

Following the events of August 2021, the Australian Government established Australia’s Special Representative on Afg`hanistan (SRA) accredited to Qatar. The SRA leads Australia’s engagement on Afghanistan with Australian government agencies and international partners.  Where necessary, the SRA engages with Taliban representatives in very limited settings including multilateral forums to advance Australia's interests and reinforce expectations. Such engagement does not confer legitimacy on the Taliban.

Australia’s interests in Afghanistan include:

  • Safe passage for Australian citizens and those eligible to travel to Australia from Afghanistan
  • Reinforcing regional stability, including through humanitarian support
  • Influencing the Taliban to respect human rights – particularly the rights of women, girls, and minorities – and observe humanitarian principles
  • Encouraging the formation of an inclusive political process in Afghanistan
  • Deterring a resurgence in transnational terrorism and maintaining our counter terrorist financing efforts, including by working with the Ambassador for Counter-Terrorism and the Ambassador for People Smuggling and Human Trafficking.

Australia’s longstanding policy is to recognise States, not governments. The Australian Government does not extend or withhold formal recognition to new regimes.

The Taliban continues to impose severe restrictions on the rights of women and girls, limiting access to education, employment and public life, and has failed to meet Afghanistan's international human rights obligations.

Australia, together with the international community, will continue to hold the Taliban to account for its actions, including through sanctions and action under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).

Media release five years since the fall of Kabul

Travel information

Do not travel to Afghanistan due to the extremely dangerous security situation and the high threat of terrorism, kidnapping, arbitrary detention and armed conflict.

Australia has no Embassy in Kabul. Our ability to provide any consular or passport assistance is severely limited.

Afghanistan continues to face significant humanitarian and economic challenges, driven by economic fragility, food insecurity, population movements from neighbouring countries and recurring natural disasters, including severe flooding and earthquakes in recent years.

Current Smartraveller travel advice: Do not travel.

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Afghanistan country/economy fact sheet [PDF]

Political situation

The Taliban is led by Mawlawi Hibatullah Akhundzada from Kandahar, with ‘ministries’ based in the capital of Kabul. The Taliban rule by decree, and there is no democratic process, public representation or accountable institution. Some neighbouring and regional countries maintain working diplomatic and trade ties with the Taliban while withholding formal recognition.

Economic situation

Afghanistan is facing an acute economic crisis. Estimates indicate that around 28 million people in Afghanistan were living in poverty in 2025. Contributing factors include economic mismanagement under the Taliban, the marginalisation of women, the loss of highly qualified professionals following the fall of Kabul, a reduction in international assistance, loss of access to assets abroad, inflation, unemployment and income loss, currency depreciation, and recurrent droughts and other severe weather events affecting agricultural production.

The World Bank provides an assessment of the economic situation in Afghanistan in the absence of credible Taliban reporting.

Humanitarian assistance and development cooperation

The Australian Government remains committed to supporting the Afghan people. Since September 2021, Australia has provided over $310 million in sustained humanitarian assistance through trusted partners, including UN agencies, to ensure it reaches those most in need, not the Taliban. Australia’s assistance helps deliver food, shelter, nutrition, essential health and education services, protection programs, psychosocial support, and sexual and reproductive health services. Our support also contributes to efforts to protect and empower women and girls in the face of ongoing restrictions on their rights and participation in public life.

Australia’s partners include the World Food Programme (WFP), the Afghanistan Humanitarian Fund managed by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Assistance is delivered in accordance with humanitarian principles and relevant sanctions obligations.

Human Rights

Australia remains deeply concerned by the human rights situation in Afghanistan. The Taliban continues to disregard their international human rights obligations and have pursued a sustained and systematic campaign of oppression, particularly against women and girls, and ethnic minorities. These measures include bans on girls' secondary and tertiary education, restrictions on women's employment and participation in public life, constraints on freedom of movement, prescribed dress requirements, and barriers to accessing essential services.

Australia strongly condemns intimidation, harassment and violence against journalists, media workers and civil society actors. Freedom of expression, freedom of assembly and access to independent information are fundamental rights that must be protected. Those responsible for acts of violence, intimidation and reprisals must be held accountable.

The Australia government will continue to raise these concerns through international forums, including the UN Human Rights Council and UN General Assembly, and will continue to advocate for the rights and dignity of all Afghans. Australia is also working with international partners to hold the Taliban accountable for violations of the rights of women and girls under CEDAW. We will continue to advocate for a robust and coordinated international response to the Taliban's systematic oppression of women and girls.

Sanctions

Australia implements United Nations Security Council (UNSC) sanctions relating to the Taliban, including restrictions on the supply of arms and related materiel, the provision of military related services, asset freezes and travel bans on designated individuals and entities. Australia currently enforces UNSC sanctions against more than 140 Taliban-linked individuals and entities.

In December 2025, Australia became the first county to establish a dedicated autonomous sanctions framework for Afghanistan. The framework enables Australia to impose targeted sanctions on persons and entities involved in the oppression of women and girls, the oppression of minority groups, the general oppression of people in Afghanistan, or actions that undermine good governance or the rule of law. Australia subsequently imposed targeted financial sanctions and travel bans on four senior Taliban officials.

Recognising the severe humanitarian challenges facing Afghanistan, UNSC Resolution 2615 (2021) provides an exemption for humanitarian assistance and other activities that support basic human needs. Australia has also established a class based humanitarian permit under its autonomous sanctions framework to facilitate essential humanitarian activities and ensure humanitarian organisations can continue providing aid and services in Afghanistan.

Further information on Australia's sanctions measures and humanitarian exemptions is available from the Australian Sanctions Office. Information on United States sanctions licences and exemptions is available through the US Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).

Embassies and consulates

Australia

Australia has no diplomatic presence in Afghanistan.

Following the events of August 2021, the Australian Government established Australia’s Special Representative on Afghanistan (SRA) accredited to Qatar.

The SRA’s X account is: Aus Gov Afghanistan (@AusMissionAF) / X

Australians in Afghanistan in need of consular assistance should contact the 24-hour Consular Emergency Centre in Canberra on +61 2 6261 3305.

Australians, permanent residents, and immediate family members who have made their way out of Afghanistan and require consular assistance should contact the nearest Australian embassy or consulate.

For all visa enquiries, see the Afghanistan page on the Department of Home Affairs website.

Afghanistan Embassy in Australia

The Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in Canberra suspended operations on 30 June 2026. The decision was mutually agreed between the embassy and the Department of Foreign Affairs and as the embassy has no functional link to any sending State to fund and authorise its operations. The closure was not due to any demand from the Taliban.

The Australian Government, as the host nation, will continue to respect and protect the Embassy premises, together with any remaining property and archives, in accordance with international law, including the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations (1961). Australia does not regard the Taliban as the legitimate representatives of the Afghan people and has no intention of accepting a Taliban-appointed diplomat, honorary consul or other representative.

Afghan citizens in Australia whose Afghan travel documents have expired may be eligible for a travel-related document from the Australian Passport Office, such as a Certificate of Identity, subject to meeting eligibility requirements. Individuals seeking assistance should contact the Australian Passport Office online or by telephone on 131 232 and are encouraged to do so early to understand the relevant requirements.

Individuals seeking to lodge Australian visa or citizenship applications can contact the Department of Home Affairs Global Service Centre on 131 881 (within Australia) or +61 2 6196 0196 (outside Australia) or use the Department's Afghanistan contact form if they are unable to obtain the documents normally required to support their application.

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