Traveling With A Partner: Navigating Relationship Challenges During Overseas Government Contracts

Afghanistan is currently considered a Level 4: Do Not Travel country by the U.S. Department of State due to terrorism, the risk of wrongful detention, kidnapping, and crime. The U.S. Embassy in Kabul has suspended operations, and the U.S. government is unable to provide emergency consular services to U.S. citizens in Afghanistan. As such, U.S. citizens are urged not to travel to Afghanistan for any reason and those in Afghanistan are advised to depart immediately via commercial means if possible.

Given the current situation in Afghanistan, it is highly unlikely that you would be able to take your girlfriend to Afghanistan for a government contract.

The U.S. Embassy in Kabul has suspended operations, and the U.S. government is not able to provide any emergency consular services to U.S. citizens in Afghanistan

The U.S. Embassy in Kabul has suspended its operations and the U.S. government has withdrawn its personnel from the city. This means that the U.S. government is unable to provide emergency consular services to U.S. citizens in Afghanistan. However, U.S. citizens in Afghanistan who require routine consular services can contact any U.S. embassy or consulate outside of Afghanistan for assistance. To locate the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate, U.S. citizens can visit www.usembassy.gov.

U.S. citizens in Afghanistan are urged to depart immediately via commercial means if possible. Those who are seeking U.S. government assistance to depart should email their complete biographic details and contact information (including an email address and phone number), as well as their U.S. passport number, to [email protected].

The Department of State will continue to provide information via the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP), the Embassy web page, Travel.State.Gov, Facebook, and Twitter. Consular services remain available outside Afghanistan. When scheduling consular services and visa appointments at an embassy or consulate outside of Afghanistan, U.S. citizens should ensure that they are, or will be, physically present in the country in which they are requesting services.

The U.S. Department of State's Travel Advisory for Afghanistan is Level 4: Do Not Travel

The U.S. Department of State Travel Advisory for Afghanistan is Level 4: Do Not Travel. This is due to the high risk of terrorism, kidnapping, crime, wrongful detention, and civil unrest in the country. The security situation is highly volatile and dangerous, with frequent attacks from terrorist groups and criminals. The U.S. Embassy in Kabul has suspended its operations, and the U.S. government is unable to provide emergency consular services to U.S. citizens in Afghanistan. U.S. citizens are urged to depart immediately via commercial means if possible and are advised not to travel to Afghanistan for any reason.

The State Department has also ordered the departure of non-essential personnel from the U.S. Embassy in Kabul due to concerns about heightened violence. The number of personnel leaving is relatively small, and the embassy will continue to operate with all offices and services open. However, the ability to provide consular assistance to U.S. citizens in Afghanistan is extremely limited.

Multiple terrorist groups are active in Afghanistan, and U.S. citizens are targets of kidnapping and wrongful detentions

Multiple terrorist groups are active in Afghanistan, and the country is deemed unsafe for travel by the U.S. Department of State. The Department has assessed that there is a risk of wrongful detention of U.S. citizens by the Taliban, who have a history of holding Westerners hostage to trade for political advantage. The Taliban have harassed and detained aid and humanitarian workers, and the activities of foreigners may be viewed with suspicion. Even if you are registered with the appropriate authorities to conduct business, the risk of detention is high.

U.S. citizens are targets of kidnapping and wrongful detention by the Taliban and other extremist groups in Afghanistan. These groups are intent on attacking U.S. citizens abroad and often target unprotected or vulnerable targets, such as public events, hotels, clubs, restaurants, shopping malls, and public transportation systems. Kidnap-for-ransom syndicates may also sell their captives to terrorist groups, with victims potentially spending years in captivity.

The U.S. Embassy in Kabul has suspended operations, and the U.S. government is unable to provide any emergency consular services to U.S. citizens in Afghanistan. The Taliban do not regularly permit the United States to conduct welfare checks on detained U.S. citizens, and detention can be lengthy. While in detention, U.S. citizens have limited or no access to medical attention and may be subject to physical abuse.

Due to the extremely high risk to personal safety, U.S. citizens in Afghanistan are urged to depart immediately via commercial means if possible.

The Taliban do not regularly permit the United States to conduct welfare checks on U.S. citizens in detention, including by phone

The Taliban do not regularly allow the United States to conduct welfare checks on U.S. citizens in detention, including by phone. Detention can be lengthy, and U.S. citizens have limited or no access to medical attention while in detention. They may also be subject to physical abuse.

The U.S. Department of State has issued a Level 4: Do Not Travel advisory for Afghanistan, warning U.S. citizens not to travel to the country due to terrorism, the risk of wrongful detention, kidnapping, and crime. The Department has assessed that there is a risk of wrongful detention of U.S. citizens by the Taliban. The Taliban have a history of harassing and detaining aid and humanitarian workers, and the activities of foreigners in Afghanistan may be viewed with suspicion.

The U.S. Embassy in Kabul suspended operations on August 31, 2021, and the U.S. government is currently unable to provide emergency consular services to U.S. citizens in Afghanistan. U.S. citizens in Afghanistan are urged to depart immediately via commercial means if possible. Those seeking U.S. government assistance to depart should email their complete biographic details, contact information, and U.S. passport number to [email protected].

U.S. citizens in Afghanistan in need of routine consular services can contact any U.S. embassy or consulate outside of Afghanistan for assistance

The U.S. Embassy in Kabul suspended its operations on August 31, 2021, and the U.S. government has withdrawn its personnel from the city. While the U.S. government is unable to provide emergency consular services to U.S. citizens in Afghanistan, those in need of routine consular services can contact any U.S. embassy or consulate outside of Afghanistan for assistance. The U.S. government's ability to assist U.S. citizens in Afghanistan is extremely limited.

U.S. citizens in Afghanistan are urged to depart immediately via commercial means if possible. Those seeking U.S. government assistance to depart should email their complete biographic details and contact information (including email and phone number), as well as their U.S. passport number, to [email protected].

The Department of State will continue to provide information via the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP), the Embassy web page, Travel.State.Gov, Facebook, and Twitter.

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