India has resumed issuing visas for Afghan citizens after a four-year suspension, government sources told The Hindu.

A new online visa portal, launched in late April 2025, allows Afghans including investors, artists, athletes, students and medical patients to apply for student, business, medical, medical-attendant, entry and UN diplomat visas.

Visa categories also cover cultural figures participating in unpaid events, property owners in India and those with family members studying in the country. Applicants must upload a front-facing photograph, valid passport and national ID showing personal details, date of birth and passport expiry.

India halted visa services for Afghans following the August 2021 fall of the former government and the Taliban’s takeover. It closed its embassy and consulates in Kabul and revoked thousands of existing visas, leaving hundreds of students unable to complete their courses.

While New Delhi has yet to issue an official statement, a senior government official confirmed that the “New Afghan Visa” section is now live on the Ministry of Home Affairs immigration website.

The move follows growing diplomatic engagement between India and the Taliban regime. Last month, External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar spoke by phone with Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, thanking him for condemning a “terrorist attack” in Kashmir. In November 2024, Muttaqi met with senior Indian diplomat JP Singh in Kabul and urged New Delhi to facilitate visas, especially for businessmen.