Local Laws

CRIMINAL PENALTIES:

• While you are traveling in Afghanistan, you are subject to its laws even if you are a U.S. citizen. Foreign laws and legal systems can be vastly different from our own and may not afford the same protections available to you under U.S. law. Penalties for breaking the law can be more severe than in the United States for similar offenses. In addition, U.S. citizens are still subject to U.S. federal laws while traveling or living abroad. Engaging in sexual conduct with children or using or disseminating child pornography in a foreign country is a crime prosecutable in the United States.
• If you break local laws in Afghanistan, your U.S. passport will not help you avoid arrest or prosecution and may result in heightened attention by police and prosecutors, some of whom may seek to exploit your status as a U.S. citizen for financial or political gain. It is very important to know what constitutes legal and illegal actions in the area where you are traveling. Persons violating Afghan laws, even unknowingly, may be fined, arrested, imprisoned, or possibly executed.
• In some areas of Afghanistan, you could be detained for questioning if you do not have your passport with you. Taking pictures of military installations or personnel may result in your questioning or detention.
• Possession of alcohol and driving under the influence could land you in jail for several months.
• Penalties for possessing, using, or trafficking in illegal drugs in Afghanistan are severe, and convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines.
• In addition to being subject to all Afghan laws, Afghan-Americans may also be subject to other laws that impose special obligations on Afghan citizens
• Furthermore, some laws are also prosecutable in the U.S., regardless of local law.  For examples, see our website on crimes against minors abroad and the Department of Justice website.
• We encourage U.S. citizens to carry a copy of their U.S. passport with them at all times, so that if questioned by local officials, proof of identity and U.S. citizenship is readily available. Due to security and travel limitations, consular assistance for U.S. citizens in Afghanistan is limited, particularly for those persons outside the capital.

Arrest Notification:

• If you are arrested or detained, ask police or prison officials to notify the U.S. Embassy immediately. See our webpage for further information.

Religion and Islam:

• Although the Constitution of Afghanistan allows for the free exercise of religion, proselytizing may be deemed contrary to Islam and harmful to society.
• Producing or distributing material deemed blasphemous or critical of Islam may also be punishable in Afghanistan.
• Apostasy may carry a maximum penalty of death for Muslims who denounce Islam or convert to another religion. Allegations of conversion of Afghan citizens are taken particularly seriously. 
• Sexual relations between unmarried couples are generally forbidden, and visitors to Afghanistan should be discreet in this regard.

Islam/Sharia Law:

• Islam provides the foundation of Afghanistan's customs, laws, and practices.
• Foreign visitors -- men and women -- are expected to remain sensitive to the Islamic culture and not dress in a revealing or provocative manner, including the wearing of sleeveless shirts and blouses, halter-tops, and shorts.

Financial Debts

• U.S. citizens have also been arrested in cases involving financial debts to Afghans or contract disputes.
• In Afghanistan, debt and contract disputes are not exclusively civil matters as they are in the United States.
• The Ministries of Commerce and Interior, the Afghan Investment Support Agency, the Afghan National Police, and the Afghan courts have all facilitated the criminalization of commercial disputes involving U.S. citizens in recent years.
• If involved in a commercial dispute, hiring an Afghan attorney early can be beneficial. See Lawyers in Afghanistan on the Embassy’s website. The Embassy does not endorse any attorney listed and the list is not comprehensive.

Women Travelers:

• Women, especially when traveling outside Kabul, may want to ensure that their shirts have long sleeves and to cover their collarbone and waistband, and that their pants/skirts cover their ankles.
• Almost all women in Afghanistan cover their hair in public; U.S. citizen female travelers should carry scarves for this purpose.
• If you are a woman traveling abroad, please review our travel tips for Women Travelers.
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Faith-Based Travelers:  See the Department of State’s International Religious Freedom Report.

Students:  See our Students Abroad page and FBI travel tips.

LGBT rights While homosexuality is not explicitly illegal under Afghan law, individuals may be prosecuted under laws forbidding sodomy. LGBT individuals face discrimination, violence, and persecution in Afghan society. For more detailed information about LGBT rights in Afghanistan, you may review the State Department’s Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2013. For further information on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) travel, please read our LGBT Travel Information page.

Accessibility: While in Afghanistan, individuals with disabilities may find accessibility and accommodation very different from what you would find in the United States. The Constitution of Afghanistan requires the state to assist and protect the rights of persons with disabilities, including the rights to health care and financial protection, but does not mandate access to buildings and transportation. Most buildings, public transportation, communication, and road crossings are inaccessible to persons with physical limitations. 

Banking:  Because of the poor infrastructure in Afghanistan, access to banking facilities is limited and unreliable. Most of Afghanistan's economy operates on a cash-only basis, though the use of credit cards has become more common in the major cities. International wire transfers are limited. ATMs offered by the Afghan International Bank (AIB) participate in the U.S. clearinghouses, including Mastercard and Visa. U.S. banks may deny the transaction, however, and travelers are advised to notify their U.S. bank in advance of their travel plans.

Communication: International communication is difficult, though it has improved remarkably in recent years with the advent of 3G services in all the major cities of Afghanistan. Cellular phone service is available locally in most parts of the country, with service more reliable in Kabul and other large cities. Outside of these cities, injured or distressed travelers could face delays before being able to request the assistance of the U.S. Embassy, family, or friends. Internet access is primarily offered over existing cell phone networks at slower speeds than travelers may be accustomed to in the United States, though several telecommunication companies are currently preparing to lay fiber optic cable in the major cities.

Customs:  Afghan customs authorities may enforce strict regulations concerning the import or export of items such as alcoholic beverages, religious materials, antiquities, medications, and printed materials. U.S. citizen travelers have faced fines and/or confiscation of items considered antiquities upon exiting Afghanistan. Anyone interested in traveling with such items should first contact the Embassy of Afghanistan in Washington or the Ministry of Interior Affairs in Afghanistan for specific information regarding customs requirements.

Firearms:  Contractors and U.S. military personnel traveling to Afghanistan should fully consider restrictions on the movement of firearms into or out of Afghanistan, including antique or display models. If you plan to take firearms or ammunition to another country, you should contact officials at the destination country's embassy and for those countries you will be transiting to learn about any firearms regulations and to fully comply with those regulations before traveling. Please consult the U.S. Customs and Border Protection website for more information on traveling with firearms to or from the United States.