Following the 2001 United States invasion of Afghanistan an embassy was re-established at a new site in the Wazir Akbar Khan District.

The embassy, on the edge of Kabul's secure zone, was considered vulnerable to attack in 2018 and consideration was given to a new site, but did not proceed.

The funds were instead used to establish a British diplomatic mission in Kabul; as Afghanistan was considered a minor nation this would be a legation rather than an embassy.

The legation staff were withdrawn in the Kabul Airlift, but the mission was re-established in 1930 when diplomatic relations were opened with the government of Mohammed Nadir Shah.

British embassy staff and their families recalled walking the 3 miles (4.8 km) to the airport "through enemy lines" to catch flights to India.

The closure of foreign embassies effectively withdrew diplomatic recognition from Afghan president Mohammad Najibullah who remained in power, with Soviet and then Russian backing, until 1992 when the mujahedeen took Kabul.

The withdrawal was criticised by some commentators at the time as "wholly political, and contrary to the realistic and non-political traditions of British diplomacy".

The British government began negotiations to purchase the former legation compound but failed to reach an agreement with Pakistan.

[8] As of 2 July 2021, security at the site continued to be provided by private contractors, though there was speculation that these would soon be replaced by British Army personnel, as had happened at the US embassy.

[15] Following the fall of Kabul to Taliban forces on 15 August 2021, 600 troops were deployed to help evacuate embassy personnel, local Afghan staff, and approximately 4,000 British nationals stranded in Afghanistan.

[18][19][20] Some 160 GardaWorld employees worked at the embassy and most applied for the Ministry of Defence-run Afghan relocations and assistance policy (Arap) all except 21 translators were rejected in July 2021.