Afghanistan's Canberra Embassy to Close in June After Years in Exile
Afghanistan's embassy in Canberra is set to close its doors permanently in June 2026, marking the end of more than four years of operations in exile. This decision follows confirmation from Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong late last year that the diplomatic mission could no longer continue functioning effectively.
Diplomatic Status at Risk Since Taliban Takeover
The embassy has been operating in exile since the fall of Kabul to the Taliban in August 2021. In December 2025, Senator Wong declared it was not "practically possible" for the embassy to maintain operations. Ambassador Wahidullah Waissi, a vocal critic of the Taliban regime, was reportedly informed that his diplomatic credentials would not be renewed this year.
The Department of Foreign Affairs announced the closure date as June 30 via a joint statement quietly uploaded to its website. The statement thanked Ambassador Waissi for his work while reaffirming Australia's position on the Taliban.
Limited Functionality and Financial Challenges
Operating with a minimal staff, the embassy had continued issuing passports and visas to Afghan citizens in Australia. However, its effectiveness became severely limited in July 2024 when the Taliban announced it would no longer accept documents issued by missions in designated countries including Australia.
Since that time, the embassy has struggled financially and is understood to have had no contact with the Taliban regime. The Australian government has implemented a sanctions framework targeting the Taliban and maintains it has "no intention of accepting a Taliban-appointed diplomat."
Concerns Over Legitimacy and Representation
Some Afghan Australians and academics view the embassy's closure as validating Taliban demands and removing crucial representation for the Afghan diaspora. Australian National University emeritus professor William Maley told media outlets that the closure follows Taliban demands for all embassies under anti-Taliban ambassadors to cease operations.
"This really dents, if not fatally, Australia's credibility when complaining about the human rights performance of the Taliban," Professor Maley said. "It's a terrible blow not only to the Afghan community but also to Australian service personnel who served in Afghanistan."
International Context and Australian Response
Russia remains the only country to have formally recognised a Taliban-led Afghanistan, appointing an ambassador in July 2025. India recently accepted a Taliban-appointed diplomat as Chargé d'Affaires, while other nations including Japan have closed their diplomatic missions.
Shadow foreign affairs minister Michaelia Cash petitioned the government in November to clarify Afghanistan's status, warning against being moved "even inadvertently" by Taliban demands. She described the situation as "the direct result of the Taliban's attempt to exert influence over Australia's sovereign democratic processes."
Ongoing Support for Afghan Community
Australia has granted more than 30,000 visas to Afghan nationals under the offshore humanitarian program since Kabul's fall and continues providing aid to those in Afghanistan. A Department of Foreign Affairs spokesperson confirmed the government's focus remains on supporting the Australian Afghan community.
The Australian Passport Office and Department of Home Affairs will continue assisting community members requiring travel documents and processing visa or citizenship applications. The government's joint statement emphasised: "We do not recognise the Taliban as the legitimate representatives of the Afghan people. We strongly condemn the Taliban's persistent systematic abuses of human rights."
