Email addresses from the U.S. government always end in (.gov). However, registration for TPS does not prevent you from: PLEASE NOTE: To be granted any other immigration benefit, you must still meet all the eligibility requirements for that particular benefit. You are a noncitizen who entered the United States as an A-1, A-2, G-1, or G-2 nonimmigrant; You failed to maintain your A-1, A-2, G-1, or G-2 nonimmigrant status; Your duties were diplomatic or semi-diplomatic; Compelling reasons why you cannot return to the country represented by the government that accredited you as a diplomat; and. When reviewing an email, always remember: Employment Information Regarding Afghan Special Immigrant Visa Holders and Parolees:A fact sheet on protections for Afghan Special Immigrant Visa holders and parolees under INA's anti-discrimination provision. Home. There is no fee to request reissuing a card. By Abigail Hauslohner. You have not yet completed an immigrant medical examination, You must complete an immigration medical examination (documented on, Were admitted into the United States as a lawful permanent resident, You completed your immigration medical examination outside the United States before you arrived. The several appendices cover the purpose, scope, and methodology of the report; congressional request letters, the . Providing a solution for the predicament of Afghan SIV applicants is not the work of the Commander-in-Chief alone. . In 2020, the government agreed to a plan stipulating that SIV application decisions must be made within 120 days and that it would report its progress in clearing the applications backlog every. I worked with Senator McCain on this for years and have continued those efforts in his stead. If you are an Afghan national paroled into the United States due to the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, you do not have to pay the filing fee for your initial Form I-765 or for a replacement EAD. For inquiries regarding a pending Chief of Mission application or immigrant visa, please visit theDepartment of States Special Immigrant Visas for Afghans Who Were Employed by/on Behalf of the U.S. Governmentwebpage for contact information. Form I-693 retains its evidentiary value for 2 years after the date the civil surgeon signed Form I-693. Please include your relatives country of birth on Part 4, Item 7., of the Form I-130. U.S. Embassy Islamabad is processing immigrant visas across all categories. Around 20,000 Afghans are currently in the pipeline waiting for an SIV, while up to 70,000 Afghans including applicants and their immediate family membersare eligible to apply. Average processing time for cases that remain pending cannot be calculated until they are completed. Suite 504 For more information, see the Form I-730 webpage. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. Beginning in early 2022, the Afghan SIV (ASIV) Unit began to dedicate 20 percent of processing time to processing applications that have been documentarily complete and pending decision the longest, regardless of their prioritization tier. UNHCR has the international mandate to provide protection and assistance to refugees and may be able to provide a protection document and other assistance if needed. In the past, we relied on receiving these paper packets to issue Permanent Resident Cards (Green Cards). You entered the U.S. using your immigrant visa, You Have not yet paid the immigrant visa fee, You must pay the immigrant visa fee online before your permanent resident card can be processed. The Department of State will contact you with departure options for your family members after receiving your Form DS-4317. What efficiency improvements have been made to Afghan SIV processing? Fee Information: Through Sept. 30, 2023, there is no fee to file Form I-485 to adjust status on the basis of classification as an Afghan special immigrant, or for any associated biometric services or to file an associated Form I-601, Application for Waiver of Grounds of Inadmissibility. The Department of State will process this form both for COM approval and as a special immigrant petition. Your interview notice will list the exact location where you should report for your asylum interview. Their future is . That your adjustment of status would be in the national interest of the United States; You are a person of good moral character; You are admissible to the United States for lawful permanent residence; and. The elimination of this 19-page form will greatly ease the administrative burden on applicants and reduce processing time. Afghan citizens or nationals who already started the SIV application process and received COM approval on or before July 20, 2022, must still file Form I-360 with USCIS on their own behalf. Individuals employed as civil servants in Afghanistan at any time from September 27, 1996 to December 22, 2001 or after August 15, 2021. . If you have been persecuted or have a fear of future persecution because of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion, you may be eligible for asylum. If you still need to complete the immigration medical examination in the United States, a civil surgeon designated by USCIS must perform the examination. While the U.S. government has withdrawn its personnel from Kabul, we will continue to assist U.S. citizens and their families in Afghanistan from Doha, Qatar. "Trump ordered rapid withdrawal from Afghanistan after election loss", Army Times, October 13, 2022. Lewisville, TX 75067. Each individual parolee must complete the attestation. If you were admitted to the United States as an Afghan SIV LPR more than 6 months ago, and you have not received a Green Card, please contact us using the. The Form I-485 processing time ends when you receive your permanent residence. A lock ( A locked padlock ) or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website. Attn: AFGHAN NFB (Box 21281) Fort Bragg, North Carolina (Various Worldwide Deployments) Low Level Voice Intercept (LLVI) Team/Squad Leader. If you are upset or uncomfortable, ask for a short break to calm down and recollect your thoughts. Managed . Kim Staffieri begins her day by setting up a work station on her front porch in Fairport, N.Y., from where she volunteers to help Afghans . In general, an unaccompanied child is a person under the age of 18 who does not have lawful immigration status in the United States and who does not have a parent or legal guardian in the United States who can provide care and physical custody. 2501 S State Hwy 121 Business We will mail secure documents to the address on file, so it is important to include receipt numbers for all pending cases. You may apply for an EAD as an Afghan parolee if you were paroled into the United States for urgent humanitarian reasons or reasons of significant public benefit under Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) 212(d)(5) on or after July 30, 2021. 279(g)(2); and, If you are submittingForm I-589, address the envelope according to guidance in the Where to File or Special Instructions section (whichever applies) on the webpage for. Include a copy of your Form I-360 approval notice or COM approval letter, which also indicates approval of your Form DS-157. a one-time payment of $2,275 for each Afghan an agency serves, of . It is not rude or impolite to ask for a short break during the interview. Operation Allies Welcome Expeditious Processing for Asylum Applications. The Afghanistan SIV process covers Afghan nationals employed by or on behalf of the U.S. government or the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF). . Who May Apply for an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) as an Afghan Parolee. The Afghan SIV process and number of days allotted to complete each step. If you are an Afghan parolee covered under section 2502(b), P.L. Be aware that the NVC may take a considerable time to respond to emails. If you need to find legal services, please visit theFind Legal Serviceswebpage. As of June 2022, an Afghan national applicant was required to complete a three-phased process to receive an SIV: Chief of Mission (COM) approval, I-360 petition, 4 and visa application. You must complete a paper version of Form I-130 (PDF, 689.95 KB) and follow the instructions for filing the Form I-130 by mail (paper). No. If you need help finding a medical provider to meet these requirements, visit the CDCHealth Department Directorieswebpage. 2022, you may file your fee exempt Form I-765 online. Paula Bronstein/Getty Images August 19, 2021, 12:42 PM For those petitioners that wish to be considered for the fee exemption and whose Afghan national relative was not born in Afghanistan, you cannot submit your petition online. There is no filing fee for an Afghan Special Immigrant filing Form I-824. For more information on obtaining a Form I-94, see the CBP. You can email your DD Form 2870 to dha.ncr.healthcare-ops.mbx.dod-oaw-health-records-request@mail.mil or mail it to: Defense Health Agency The Afghan Allies Protection Act of 2009, Section 602(b), as amended, created a special immigrant category for Afghans who were employed by or on behalf of the U.S. government, International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), or any successor name for such a force, in Afghanistan between Oct. 7, 2001, and Dec. 31, 2023, for a minimum of 1 year. If you have an asylum application pending with USCIS, you can check yourCase Status Online. TPS is a temporary benefit. For more information, see theUSCIS Policy Manualand the DOS Special Immigrant Visas for Afghans webpage. Afghanistan Resources (SIV & P-2) (P-2 & SIV) If you are an Afghan national who has worked directly as an employee for DAI in Afghanistan and you need an Employment Verification Letter (EVL) to apply for the Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) Program or need an Employer Priority-2 Designation (P-2) Referral, please email [email protected]. For more information on getting an SIV overseas, see the Consular Processingpage. If you are unable to provide any of the above requested documents or notarized affidavits, provide a detailed written explanation describing why you are unable to provide them. You must complete all remaining medical requirements listed on the USCIS Notice Regarding Conditions for Parole, which may include required vaccinations and TB testing, within 60 days of arrival in the United States. Polygamous marriages are legal under Afghan law, but they are illegal in all states in the United States. August 9, 2022, 3:42 PM. This usually takes 8 to 14 months after filing. This article provides an overview of the SIV program . Since July 2021, USCIS has received over 46,000 applications from Afghans hoping to come to the U.S. through the parole process. Thousands of individuals have been referred for this program, but the U.S. government has not built all of the steps needed for processing. If we approve your Form I-765, we will mail your EAD to you at your address on record. However, we may deny your application for TPS on the same grounds we deny your other application. Individuals who are authorized parole may apply for employment authorization after arrival. If your address changes, you must notify us of your new address within 10 days by submitting, You do not have to pay the filing or biometric services fees for Form I-485 if you were paroled into the United States on or after July 30, 2021 , with an approved. Attn: OAW EAD Card Corrections (Your parole will not be valid if you violate its terms.) Close All Open All Afghan Parolees Employment Authorized Incident to Parole. Are not removable from the United States; Can obtain an Employment Authorization Document (EAD); and, Filing for adjustment of status based on an immigrant petition; or. 2022 CS Pro Media x No One Left Behind Inc . See USCIS, Were admitted into the United States as a conditional permanent resident with a CBP stamp admitting you as a CQ1, CQ2, or CQ3 Class of Admission (COA), You believe you have already completed the immigration medical examination, either outside the United States with a panel physician (as documented on the appropriate DS forms) or at a government-run facility in the United States (as documented on Form I-693). CNN There are tens of thousands of Afghans who have applied for Special Immigrant Visas (SIV) whose applications are still being processed nearly a year after the botched US withdrawal from. In a report ( PDF) late last month, DHS said more than 36,400 Afghan refugees do not qualify for the special immigrant visa (SIV) programme designed for Afghans who worked with US forces during. Beginning Dec. 5. Read the Payments by Phone or Email section on our. File Online 1. Circuit-Ride Locations to Conduct Interviews for Operation Allies Welcome (OAW) Asylum Applicants. If such individuals apply for a Special Immigrant Visa outside of the United States or apply to adjust status in the DS-157 government reported a total average processing time for Afghan SIV applicants of 564 days. You are a citizen or national of Afghanistan, or you have no nationality and last habitually resided in Afghanistan; You were paroled into the United States between July 30, 2021, and Sept. 30, 2022; and, You were paroled into the United States after Sept. 30, 2022, and, You are the spouse or child of an individual who meets Category 1 above, or, You are the parent or legal guardian of an individual who meets Category 1 above and who is determined to be an unaccompanied child as defined under 6 U.S.C. We've made important strides to . Below are some tips for completing Form I-765: Please note: Applications for Afghan nationals will receive priority scheduling at Application Support Centers to collect their biometrics. 1820 E. Skyharbor Circle S For more information, see ourGreen Card for a Refugee page. For these parolees, their unexpired Form I-94 is an acceptable List A receipt that shows their identity and employment authorization for Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification. A high number in this field reflects older cases being completed, not older . If you request an SSN in Part 2 (Items 13.a.-17.b.) If you are applying for a Green Card after you wereparoled into the United States due to the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, and you are an Afghan national or derivative family member (spouse or unmarried child younger than 21) with an approvedForm I-360 from USCIS or an approved Form DS-157 from DOS, follow the instructions below to submitForm I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status. However, with significant backlogs in most categories and continuing staffing shortages, wait times for interviews are lengthy. If you are submitting any of the secondary documents listed below, you should include an explanation about why primary documents are unavailable. In Part 1, Reason for Applying, select 1.a., Initial permission to accept employment, In Part 2, list your country of birth as Afghanistan. (Questions 19.c.) The Biden administration is establishing a system based in Qatar designed to fast-track the processing of at-risk Afghans overseas and ensure they can arrive in the U.S. with permanent legal. A State Department spokesperson said in mid-July that 20,000 applicants are in various stages of. Note: Confidentiality restrictions may apply to certain information on the Form I-730, depending on who submitted the information, who it relates to, and with whom it is being shared. For more information, see the One-Year Filing Deadline Lesson Plan (PDF, 545.34 KB). Many Afghans paroled into the United States in 2021 and 2022 are seeking to reunify with family members left behind in Afghanistan or who are residing in third countries. For more information on asylum, see the Obtaining Asylum in the United States webpage. the ASIV team, the Afghan SIV team . If we determine you are inadmissible based on health-related grounds, you may be eligible to obtain a waiver of inadmissibility by filing. July 18, 2022. We will also continue our efforts to help Lawful Permanent Residents, as well as the many Afghans who have stood with us over the years, who are seeking to leave Afghanistan. Contact the International Organization for Migration (IOM) at. Green Card Delays for Afghan Special Immigrants. The law requires applicants for asylum to apply within 1 year of their last arrival to the United States, unless they can show that they qualify for an exception to the 1-year filing deadline. And thanks so much for joining us for this background briefing on updates to the Afghan Special Immigrant Visa process. Attn: IV What is the average U.S. government processing time for Afghan SIVs and . For additional information, please see the news release. Official websites use .gov Please always check the sender information to make sure it ends in (.gov). USCIS offers many other online services and tools at uscis.gov to help you find the information you need. 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