Just Landed in Afghanistan? Your First 7 Days

Mobile networks cover the main cities but are slow, congested and subject to periodic government-ordered shutdowns, so treat connectivity as fragile rather than guaranteed. Fixed broadband exists in parts of Kabul and larger towns but is limited and unreliable, which is why almost everyone relies on mobile data and hotspots. Buy a prepaid SIM with your passport at a provider shop or a bazaar stall, and keep a second SIM on a different network as backup.

Typical cost: A SIM costs around AFN 50-150; a monthly data bundle of a few GB runs roughly AFN 300-700, with smaller daily bundles widely available.

Afghanistan runs almost entirely on physical cash in afghanis and US dollars; the formal banking system is largely cut off from the international financial system, and foreign cards, Apple Pay and online payments do not work for ordinary transactions. Licensed money exchanges (sarai) and the informal hawala network handle most exchange and transfers, and the hawala system is how many people move money in and out of the country. Bring clean, unmarked, newer US dollar notes, as torn or old bills are often refused or discounted.

Opening an account: Opening a local account (for example with Azizi Bank, Afghanistan International Bank, Ghazanfar Bank or Bank-e-Millie) as a foreigner is difficult, usually needs sponsorship or a work contract, and offers limited use given withdrawal caps and frozen international links. Most expats skip a local account entirely and manage everything through cash and trusted hawala dealers.

Cash: Cash is king and negotiation is normal. Carry afghanis for daily spending and keep US dollars for larger sums, rent and exchange; always count notes at the sarai before you leave, and never flash large amounts in public.

Tipping: Tipping is not obligatory. Rounding up a taxi fare or leaving a small note for good service in a restaurant is appreciated but not expected, and never demanded.

There is no functioning civil address-registration scheme for foreigners of the kind found in Europe, so you do not report your home address to a town hall. In practice, what matters legally is your visa or entry permit and any employer, NGO or personal sponsorship, and organisations must be registered with the relevant ministry to operate. Entry-permit and stay rules are set by the de facto authorities and can change with little notice, so confirm current requirements through your sponsoring organisation and the nearest Afghan mission before you travel, and keep your paperwork current while you are in the country.

Where: Immigration and stay matters are handled through the Ministry of Interior's passport department, with NGO and aid registration via the Ministry of Economy; confirm the current process through your sponsor rather than relying on any published procedure.

There is no mass transit system or reliable ride-hailing app; travel is by private car, a pre-arranged driver or shared taxi, and for most foreigners movement is planned rather than spontaneous. Road travel between cities carries real security risk, so many organisations restrict inter-city movement and require prior clearance and route approval. Within cities, shared taxis and rickshaws exist but are negotiated in cash, and women's movement is heavily constrained in practice.

From the airport: From Kabul's Hamid Karzai International Airport (KBL), arrange a vetted driver through your employer or guesthouse in advance rather than taking a terminal taxi. The airport sits only a short drive northeast of the city centre, but the route runs through layered Taliban checkpoints, so allow extra time and carry your documents. Never accept an unsolicited lift, and confirm your driver's identity before getting in.

Most foreigners live in secure guesthouses or organisation-provided compounds rather than renting independently, because security vetting, blast protection and 24-hour guards are standard requirements. Independent rentals do exist and are arranged through local brokers (dalal) and word of mouth, always in cash and rarely with a formal Western-style lease. Whichever route you take, a trusted local intermediary is essential to avoid overpaying and to verify the landlord and the property.

Typical rent: A room in a shared Kabul guesthouse commonly runs several hundred US dollars a month; a small independent flat can be roughly USD 90-350, while a secure standalone compound with guards costs far more. Rent is usually quoted and paid in dollars for higher-end properties.

Deposit norm: Landlords typically expect several months' rent up front in cash, and sometimes a full year. Written leases, deposit protection and refunds are informal at best, so agree terms clearly through your intermediary and get any agreement in writing where you can.

The public health system is under severe strain, understaffed and short of supplies after years of conflict and deep cuts to international aid, and it cannot be relied on for serious care. Public hospitals are overstretched, and quality varies enormously; serious cases are routinely evacuated abroad, usually to Pakistan, India or the UAE. Assume you are largely responsible for your own medical safety net.

How to access it: For anything beyond minor issues, use a reputable private clinic or an NGO-run facility in Kabul and pay in cash on the spot, as billing to insurers is not the norm. Carry your own basic first-aid supplies and a stock of any prescription medication, since pharmacy availability is inconsistent and counterfeit drugs circulate.

Insurance: Arrange comprehensive international health insurance with medical-evacuation and repatriation cover before you arrive, and confirm the provider actually operates for Afghanistan. Local care cannot handle major trauma or complex emergencies, so a realistic plan assumes you may need to be flown out, and the evacuation itself must be pre-funded or pre-authorised.

• Dress conservatively at all times; women should cover their hair and body loosely and modestly, and men should avoid shorts. Dress rules are enforced by the authorities on the street, not merely encouraged.
• Greet with the right hand and a respectful 'Salaam alaikum', and let elders lead; the left hand is considered unclean, so eat, pass items and greet with the right.
• Avoid physical contact between unrelated men and women in public, including handshakes unless a hand is clearly offered first, and keep interactions with women reserved and formal.
• Do not photograph people, checkpoints, military or government sites without clear permission, and never photograph women without explicit consent.
• Respect prayer times and the fasting month of Ramadan; do not eat, drink or smoke in public during daylight hours in Ramadan, even if you are not fasting.
• Accept offered tea and hospitality graciously, as refusing can cause offence, and remove your shoes when entering homes and many indoor spaces.
• Show deference at checkpoints: stay calm, keep hands visible, lower music, and follow instructions without arguing or filming.

• Rules on movement, dress and behaviour, especially for women, are strict and can change quickly; a female foreigner may be expected to travel with a mahram (male guardian) and to cover fully.
• Alcohol is illegal, and drug possession carries severe penalties; do not carry, buy or be seen with either.
• Discussing politics, religion or the authorities in public can be dangerous; assume conversations, phones and messages may be monitored.
• Avoid crowds, gatherings and any sign of protest, as they can turn dangerous or attract a security response with no warning.
• Never improvise inter-city road travel; routes, timing and checkpoints change, and organisational clearance exists for good reason.