Treatment Visa for Afghan Patients in Pakistan: 3 Months at Torkham, 6 Months From the Mission
Pakistan's visa policy gives Afghan patients a 3 month visa at Torkham and up to 6 months from the mission, with one attendant. See the limits and extension.
Pakistan's visa policy for Afghan nationals offers two treatment routes: a three month visa on arrival at the Torkham border for serious illness or injury, and a treatment visa of up to six months from the Pakistan mission in Afghanistan for long illnesses such as cancer, heart, liver and kidney disease. Each patient may bring one attendant, and ballistic wound cases are excluded from the border route.
We read the treatment visa section of the Directorate General of Immigration and Passports (DGI&P) page for Afghan nationals on 22 October 2026. The page was last modified on 4 October 2023. It describes the policy, not today's border practice, and we could not confirm that the Torkham facility is working now.
The Torkham route gives three months for serious illness and injury
The page allows a three month visa on arrival at the Torkham border terminal for serious illness, including injuries, broken bones or limbs, ailing children and pregnant female patients. One attendant may come with the patient. It says no visa is given for ballistic wound cases.
A visa on arrival is a visa given at the border, not before travel. The page does not say what papers an officer will ask for at Torkham or how serious is serious. Expect the officer to decide, and travel with a doctor's letter. That advice is ours, not the page's.
| Route | Where | Length | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visa on arrival | Torkham border terminal | 3 months | Serious illness, injury, broken bones, ailing children, pregnant patients |
| Treatment visa | Pakistan mission in Afghanistan | Up to 6 months, multiple entry | Long or complicated disease such as cancer, cardiac, liver, kidney, TB, hepatitis |
| Extension | Ministry of Interior | As approved, multiple entry | Patient and one attendant, with hospital recommendation |
The mission route gives up to six months for long illness
The Pakistan mission in Afghanistan may grant a treatment visa of up to six months, with multiple entries, to Afghan nationals who need treatment for prolonging or complicated diseases. The page names cancer, cardiac disease, liver and kidney disease, TB and hepatitis. The patient may travel with one attendant.
The list ends with the word etc., so other long illnesses may qualify. The page gives no fee, no document list and no processing time. Ask the mission directly. The general medical visa rules for foreign patients, with their own time limits, are in our guide to the Pakistan medical visa for foreign patients.
An extension needs a recommendation from a recognised hospital
A further extension, with multiple entries, may be given by the Ministry of Interior. The application needs a recommendation from a registered or recognised and well reputed hospital or medical practitioner in Pakistan. The extension covers the patient and one attendant, and the security agencies are told.
Ask the treating hospital for a letter that states the diagnosis, the treatment plan and how long it will take. Then apply early, because the page gives no time limit for a decision. For the usual way to extend any visa, see how to extend a Pakistan visa.
The border status is the first thing to check
Torkham is one of the crossings that has carried no regular trade since 12 October 2025, as our report on the year-long closure of land trade with Afghanistan explains. We did not find a public notice on whether the treatment visa on arrival is being issued there now.
So do not plan a trip around the three month border visa until you have confirmed it. Call the directorate helpline on 051-111-344-777 or a Pakistan mission.
- Get a doctor's letter in Afghanistan that names the illness and the treatment needed.
- Confirm with a Pakistan mission whether to apply there or at Torkham.
- Choose one attendant who will travel with the patient.
- Carry passports, the medical papers and the hospital appointment details.
- If treatment runs long, ask the hospital for a recommendation letter before the visa ends.
Overstaying has a cost, and the policy allows an exit permit with no overstay charge only up to 14 days. The page is explained in the guide to Pakistan's visa policy for Afghan nationals.
Common questions
How long is the treatment visa on arrival at Torkham?
Three months, according to the DGI&P page, for serious illness or injury, with one attendant. Confirm it is available before travelling.
Who counts as a serious patient at the border?
The page names serious illness, injuries, broken bones or limbs, ailing children and pregnant female patients. It does not give a medical test.
Are gunshot injuries covered?
No. The page says no visa is given for ballistic wound cases on the border route.
How long is the mission treatment visa?
Up to six months with multiple entries, for long or complicated diseases, from the Pakistan mission in Afghanistan.
Can the attendant stay for the whole treatment?
The page allows one attendant with the patient, and extensions cover the patient and one attendant.
Who approves a longer stay?
The Ministry of Interior, on an application with a recommendation from a recognised hospital or doctor in Pakistan.
How we verified this
What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.
Last checked 22 October 2026. All routes, lengths and conditions come from the DGI&P Visa Policy for Afghanistan page, which we read on 22 October 2026 and which shows a last modified date of 4 October 2023. We could not verify the fee, the documents, the processing time, or whether Torkham issues treatment visas now. The helpline number is the one printed on the directorate's own page. The advice to carry a doctor's letter is ours.
About the author
Public Services and Education Journalist
Fajr Riaz is a journalist and content writer at Pakistan Era, based in Lahore. She covers the questions people meet in everyday life in Pakistan: how a public service works, what a change in the rules means, and where to find a reliable answer.
