Widespread rejection of Iranian study visas for Afghan students; ambiguity, concerns and unanswered questions

Afghan Voice Agency (AVA) - Kabul: Every year, thousands of Afghan students apply for a study visa to continue their studies at universities in the Islamic Republic of Iran, and this process follows admission to the university, its approval by the Ministry of Science, and finally the issuance of a visa by the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. However, in recent days, numerous reports have been published of the rejection or non-issuance of a pre-study visa by the Iranian embassy and consular missions in Afghanistan, despite its issuance by the country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This action is being taken in a situation where Iranian universities, the Ministry of Science, and even the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs are unaware of this sudden decision.

 

New strictures at the Iranian Embassy in Kabul

Abdul Ghafoor Nazer Sighani, head of student affairs at the Tebyan Center for Cultural and Social Activities, told AVA: In recent days, the process of issuing study visas at the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Kabul and its missions has been accompanied by unprecedented strictures. Some students we spoke to say: “Interviews at the Iranian embassy have become very difficult and many applicants have been denied visas, even after receiving a letter of introduction from the university and official approval from the Ministry of Science.”

Among the cases that are said to have led to visa denials are:

- Having a history of previous presence in Iran, even with a legal visa;

- Voluntary return or deportation from Iran after the visa expired;

- Receiving a census form during the previous period of residence;

- Requesting a previous passport while the student has obtained a passport for the first time.

In some cases, none of the above applies to the student, but the Iranian embassy in Kabul has refused to issue visas. Also, the Iranian consulate in Mazar-e-Sharif has made a general decision not to issue any type of study visa.

 

Students’ stories from Kabul to Mazar-e-Sharif and Kandahar

Hamed Sharifizadeh, a student at Ahlul Bayt International University (AS), said:

“I went to the embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran to get a visa. The official asked: “Why are you going to Iran?” I replied: “To study.” Then he asked: “Have you ever traveled to Iran?” I said: “No.” He said in a harsh tone: “Since you have never been to Iran, we will not issue a visa. Goodbye.” More than two weeks have passed since that day and I go every day, but they do not allow me to enter the embassy.”

Seyed Abdullah Sakhisadah, a student at Qom University of Technology, also said:

“My visa was based on zoning in Kandahar. When I went to the Iranian consulate in Kandahar, they did not issue me a visa because I was illegally present in Iran. Although I had entered with a visa, I participated in the census and a few months ago I voluntarily returned to Afghanistan.”

Abdul Masoud Hamidi, a student at Imam Reza International University (AS), said:

“I went to the Iranian embassy in Kabul to get a study visa, but the interviewer treated me inappropriately and the visa was not issued. The reason for the visa rejection was not announced either.”

Basir-ul-Rahman Rahmani, a student at Ahlul Bayt International University (AS), said:

“The Iranian embassy did not issue a visa because of my previous presence in this country.”

Zahra Ghasemi and Atefe Ahmadi, students at Hazrat Masoumeh University (AS), also stated:

“In the first stage, the embassy interviewer demanded our previous passport, even though we had obtained a passport for the first time. After several days of follow-up and inquiries from the passport department, we were able to obtain a visa. The embassy seems to be looking for an excuse to reject visas; it rejects many people because they have a previous passport, even though they have no previous presence in Iran or a previous passport.”

Omid Habibi, a student at Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, recounts:

“I was in Iran before with a visa and legally. I got a new passport from the Afghan consulate in Mashhad. My previous visa was still valid and I returned to Afghanistan on time. But the Mazar-e-Sharif consulate refused to issue a visa because my new passport was issued from Mashhad; while I was not illegally present and the entry and exit stamps were present in my previous passport.”

Other students, including Ms. Kazemi, Nazari, Fazeli and Sadeghi, are also facing similar concerns. They say:

“We have been visiting the Iranian consulate in Mazar-e-Sharif since Wednesday of last week, but they have refused to issue visas. At first, they said that the visa form was incomplete, but after a few days it became clear that there was no defect. The visa issuing officer has announced in a message to Hazrat Masoumeh University: “Do not register for studies; study visas will not be issued at the Mazar-e-Sharif consulate.”

Dozens of students from Ahlul Bayt (AS) University, Qom University of Technology, Persian Gulf University, Tehran University and other universities in Mazar-e-Sharif have failed to receive visas.

Talib Hossein Yekta, a student at Tolo Mehr University in Qom, said:

“I applied in Kandahar, but the consulate refused to issue a visa and said your university is not recognized.”

Ahmad Hosseini, a student at the University of Z. also stated:

“I was denied a study visa because of my history of presence in Iran and having a census form.” 

Abdulbasir Azimi, a student at the Islamic Azad University of Isfahan, was also unable to obtain a visa at the Mazar-e-Sharif consulate due to his history of presence in Iran. 

Dozens of other students have faced similar cases and have not been able to obtain a visa.

 

Security mechanism and the “SAORG” code

The head of student affairs at the Tebyan Center says:

“If the reason for these visa rejections is security concerns, it should be noted that such assessments are carried out earlier within the official Iranian system. According to regulations, before receiving a study visa, every foreign student must receive a tracking code from a system called SAORG (Non-Iranian Student Registration System), also known as a “security code.”

 

The process of checking this code is multi-stage:

- The receiving university registers and verifies the student’s information in the system.

- The provincial expert and the Ministry of Science review the file.

- Then the security agencies and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran evaluate the applicant's status and, if it is unimpeded, a final permit is issued.

According to him, when these steps are completed and the SAORG code is approved, it means that the code holder's education in Iran is unimpeded from a security perspective. In these circumstances, the question arises as to why the Iranian embassy refuses to issue a visa despite the approval of official institutions within the country?

 

Concerns about the impact of this process on scientific and cultural relations between the two countries

Afghan academic institutions and a number of cultural elites have expressed concern about this situation. They believe that stopping the issuance of study visas could lead to a significant reduction in scientific and cultural exchanges between Iran and Afghanistan.

In recent years, the Islamic Republic of Iran has been one of the main destinations for Afghan students. According to official statistics from the Iranian Ministry of Science, more than 60,000 foreign students from 101 countries are studying in Iranian universities, a large portion of whom are Afghan students.

Iran has set a goal in its scientific development programs to increase the number of international students to more than 300,000 in the coming years; an action that is described as part of the macro-policy of “Islamic and regional civilization.” However, the recent arbitrary action of the Iranian embassy and consulates in Afghanistan in denying study visas contradicts these goals.

As of the time of writing, no Iranian or Afghan official has provided an explanation for this decision. Repeated calls by Ava journalists to Iranian consular representations in Afghanistan have gone unanswered, and the universities have not responded.