Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they considered the difficulty of obtaining visas for those wishing to visit Afghanistan before requesting the Afghan embassy in London to be closed.

The State of Afghanistan decided to close the Afghan Embassy in London and dismiss its staff. This decision was not made by the UK Government. UK policy towards Afghanistan has not changed, especially regarding women and girls. In line with the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, Afghanistan is responsible for the appointment and termination of staff at its embassies. We recognise the closure of the embassy is likely to create challenges for Afghans in the UK who require consular services.

The FCDO recommends against all travel to Afghanistan.