I did the crossing at Torkham (🇵🇰>>🇦🇫) on 14 Nov 2024, with a visa prior to arrival granted on 23 Oct ‘24 (declared ISB airport as entry and exit point). Everything at Torkham can always subject to change so this report is for reference only. Always have your plan B.
Note: Visa Prior to Arrival generally cannot be used for Torkham border and recently these new changes were made by Authorities.
Starting Journey from Pakistan to Afghanistan via Torkham Border
From Peshawar I booked an InDrive drive to Torkham International Border Crossing. Starting at my hotel in the University town, the starting price was 3250pkr which one driver picked up (ended up giving the boy 5k as it was a 50km long drive with many stops for security checks en route).
At the first security check post around Khyber pass, a police escort was given. Friendly guy. You will need to take a photo with him for formality (and you can give your phone and ask one for yourself).
At the second security check post after the pass, they changed the escort. Another police came into my car. Also one photo of me and the escort for formality.
At somewhat the last check post, they changed the escort one more time. They invited me for tea, friendly talk. Another photo with the escort was required. Everything was smooth and friendly.
Arrival at Torkham Border
Finally we arrived at Torkham after ~2hours drive from Peshawar. All the check posts and security formality slowed down the trip quite a lot. So estimate your leaving time appropriately. I left my hotel in Peshawar at 8.40am and reached Torkham border ~10.40am. At the gate before entering the immigration (quite chaotic scene), a final photo was made of you and the escort then also the army guy whom he asked to help me proceed with immigration, I guess for both formality (that he has dropped you safely) and personal memory.
The last escort asked me 1000pkr for his taxi to return to his post, I gave him with no hesitation but I guess you can decide to give or not to give at your own will. He helped me call the army guy and also get rid of the crowd trying to jump into me so I did not mind.
Immigration Process at Torkham Border
The Pak army guy later helped me proceed into the immigration. I also hired a porter (500pkr from outside gate until border gate with Afghanistan, and oh hell it was long + crazy, totally worth the small fee). With the help of the army guy and the porter, I proceeded very quickly. They helped with putting stuff through scanning, security checks and I was literally running after these 2, bypassing a hell of a line of locals (Afghans & Pakistanis).
There was a guy who helped with declaration about how much money I was carrying. He asked politely to count my usd. I have prepared an envelop of ~500usd, and some RMB left on my previous China trip. The man did count the cash. But he only counted what I showed him. Then he put the info into the declaration paper and asked me please take a photo of this in case anyone would ask later. During the whole process he kept saying please do not worry this is just formality.
Process at Torkham Border
After this, it was a marathon running through a long long chaotic line of people, bypassing everyone until the stamping post. I have to say the walk was an eye-opening journey and I was introspecting my privilege at every step. I think the only reason I wanted to go through Torkham was to witness all of this madness.
At the stamping post, the army guy helped me cut the line and have my passport stamped as quickly as possible. The immigration man looked at my visa paper and said something with his colleague but did not give much attention and stamped my pp anyway, despite my ‘visa prior to arrival’ status. I asked him before leaving: Can I come back to Torkham again with this visa? He said: Sure, you can come back.
After this, the madness continued. I kept chasing after my porter and the army guy. At one point we needed to change to another army guy who would take me to the border gate. Bid farewell to the previous guy and he was very welcoming & helpful. He asked for nothing. The second guy was polite and also friendly. He helped me bypassing (again) a madly chaotic line of people, some looked like they were on their death beds. We even crawled over a fence hole to cut the line.
Then we entered the section where the border gate was with a notice from the army guy to put my phone into my bag. I was sit there in the open for around 10-15mins to take further information and to answer a few questions about my Afghan trip, a photo taken. Just answer honestly like how long you intend to stay in Afghan, where will you plan to go after that, whether you plan to come back to Pakistan, where have you been during the time you are in Pakistan, where did you come to Pakistan from (I said Wagah with no problem).
During this short interview, you can witness some of the craziest things at a border crossing. Chaos and violence. Made me introspect again my privilege of having a foreign passport in here, and many other thoughts.
Entering Afghanistan
After that the security guy bid farewell to me at the gate. I asked him again whether I could come back to Torkham with my visa, he looked at it again and said “yes of course please come, your visa is multiple”. No one seemed to care much about the ‘visa prior to arrival’ as of today.
I paid the fee to the porter boy with a little tip to him. It was such a long crazy walk and he has helped me proceed very fast. Worth every penny. At this point I hired another Afghan boy to carry my luggage again and that also helped me proceed quite smoothly, but no Afghan army helper like on the other side. It took me only 30mins since entering Pakistan immigration until getting into Afghanistan immigration. And roughly another 30mins for stamping, polio drop, an interview on Afghan side, plus exchanging money… Lady travellers can use the washroom at the interview area. Finished and got on the shared taxi in Afghan side around 12pm, and arrived at the guesthouse in Kabul around 5.30pm.
I had a plan B in my mind in case I would be turned back at Torkham 🇵akistan, that is to go directly to Faisal Movers and get on the bus to Islamabad and fly to Kabul with Kam Air the next day. Luckily everything worked out so well.
Hope this helps! Safe travels!
