Individuals should not continue to practice polygamy in the United States. Additionally, the agencies found that the SIV processing time between the two quarters went from 435 days to 743 days -- nearly doubling -- while actual approvals dropped off. Polygamy is the religious practice or historical custom of having more than 1 spouse at the same time. Update on Special Immigrant Visa Processing Press Statement Ned Price, Department Spokesperson June 9, 2022 The Department of State remains committed to processing Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) applications from Afghan partners as expeditiously as possible. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)Health Department Directorieswebpage lists state, local, and territorial health departments, with more information on finding a vaccination location near you. 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. The department boasts of speeds in processing time, pointing to how it has "already reduced the total average processing time for an Afghan SIV application to 587 days in the most recent quarter . 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. Attn: IV This means that if you are an OAW or certain OEW parolee, we do not need to approve your Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, before you can work in the United States. This legislation would appropriate funding from fiscal year 2022 for SIVs through the Afghan Allies Protection Act of 2009, adding to it additional personnel crucial in reducing the backlog of SIV processing and expediting . If you do not have a passport, you can use your A-Number to retrieve your Form I-94 online at the site above by choosing Get Most Recent I-94. Enter your A-Number in the Passport Number field and enter USA in the Passport Country of Issuance field. because they're further along in processing, while others won't. . Complete a separate Form I-485 for each family member applying to adjust status. At the time, there were about 8,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan. After you meet these requirements, you must enter your attestation at theAfghan Parolee Vaccination Statuswebpage. Worked closely with Latin-American and Afghan immigrant communities. If you are outside of the United States, you or someone on your behalf may be able to request parole into the United States based on urgent humanitarian or significant public benefit reasons. Data examined by IRAP and Freshfields shows that the wait for SIV A refugee is a person who generally is outside their home country and has experienced past persecution or has a well-founded fear of future persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion. USCIS will provide additional guidance to employers about completion of the Form I-9. Tens of Thousands of Afghans Who Fled The Taliban Are Now Marooned in America's Broken Immigration Bureaucracy Afghan refugees are being processed inside Hangar 5 at Ramstein Air Base in Germany. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS In June 2020, OIG reported 1 that the Bureau of Consular Affairs' (CA) method for collecting, verifying, and reporting Afghan SIV application processing times was inconsistent and potentially flawed. Sign your Form I-485 in Part 10, Item 6.a. And thanks so much for joining us for this background briefing on updates to the Afghan Special Immigrant Visa process. Close All Open All [For parole requests filed on behalf of Afghan nationals, USCIS is currently prioritizing the parole applications for Afghan nationals outside of Afghanistan over those who are in Afghanistan given the availability of completing processing for parole beneficiaries in a location with those individuals at a U.S. embassy or consulate, but we continue to process parole applications for individuals in Afghanistan as well.]. Your parents full names, their dates of birth, and their places of birth. A notarized affidavit of birth, which should include: Your date of birth, place of birth, and correct spelling of your full name; The full names of both of your parents; and, Your correct full name, date of birth, and place of birth; and. government reported a total average processing time for Afghan SIV applicants of 564 days. Average processing time for cases that remain pending cannot be calculated until they are completed. Postal Service, FedEx, UPS, and DHL deliveries. Looking for U.S. government information and services? If you do not attend your biometric services appointment, we may deny your application. USCIS will never ask you to transfer money to an individual or pay fees other than through your myUSCIS account. and 18.b. Report your compliance at theAfghan Parolee Vaccination Statuswebpage. The Iraqi and Afghan SIV programs have faced challenges with respect to application processing, security screening, and visa availability. To file Form I-765 online, eligible applicants must first visitmy.uscis.govto create a USCIS online account. For more information, visit our. If you were admitted to the United States as an Afghan SIV LPR and you still have your immigrant visa paper packet, mail your packet to: In the basis of eligibility section, provide your eligibility category; For the category under which you are applying, select , Select your reason for applying as either . 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. Home. If such individuals apply for a Special Immigrant Visa outside of the United States or apply to adjust status in the DS-157 If we approve your Form I-360 or DOS approves your DS-157, but you did not enter the United States on this SIV, you must file Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status,to obtain a Green Card through adjustment of status. 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. Petitioners, beneficiaries, or attorneys of record with aForm G-28, Notice of Entry of Appearance as Attorney or Accredited Representative, on file who have inquiries about a pending petition for Afghan Special Immigrants may contact the USCIS Contact Center at 800-375-5283(TTY 800-767-1833) Monday to Friday, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern. If you are outside the U.S., call 212-620-3418 or checkCase Status Online. 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. For Afghan nationals seeking refugee resettlement, the following priorities are available to Afghan nationals seeking access to the USRAP: Priority-1 Individual Cases: Cases are identified and referred to the program by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, a U.S. embassy, or a designated non-governmental organization. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) or another country's resettlement program. If you do not have a passport, you can use your A-Number to retrieve your Form I-94 online from the site above by choosing Get Most Recent I-94. Enter your A-Number in the Passport Number field and enter USA in the Passport Country of Issuance field. Our Information for Afghan Nationals webpage offers complete information on what you need to do as a parolee. Also available inDariandPashto. But most parole applications from Afghans remain unresolved and. After we review your Form I-693 to ensure a civil surgeon properly completed it and did not identify any health-related grounds of inadmissibility, we will remove the conditions on your LPR status. U.S. law does not recognize polygamous marriages. Upon arrival, you must complete an immigration medical examination within 30 days of admission to remove conditions on your permanent resident status. If you did not complete the medical requirements before traveling to the United States or at a government-run location where these vaccination services are provided, you must report compliance with these medical requirements. Application Type: In Part 2, Item 1.c., select the checkbox for Certain Afghan or Iraqi National, Form I-360 or Form DS-157, and in Part 2, Item 3., enter the receipt number of your approved Form I-360 immigrant petition or the case number on your COM approval letter for your Form DS-157. This has already produced significant 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. L. 117-2617 (PDF)amended the act to extend the program through Dec. 31, 2024, and to increase thetotal number of principal noncitizens who may receive special immigrant status to38,500. If you have any issues or questions about an address change request, emailnbcafghancoa@uscis.dhs.gov. See the Social Security Administrations Types of Social Security Cards webpage. The following resources are kept up-to-date with key policy and legal developments. A spouse or unmarried child younger than 21 years old following to join a principal immigrant may receive the same special immigrant classification as a principal Afghan special immigrant. Petitioners and attorneys of record with a Form G-28 on file who have inquiries about a pending Form I-130 or Form I-730 petition for family-based immigration may contact the USCIS Contact Center at 800-375-5283(TTY 800-767-1833), Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern. USCIS Use the Asylum Office Locator to find your asylum office. of your Form I-765, and we approve your application for employment authorization, USCIS will electronically send that data to the Social Security Administration (SSA), and SSA will assign you an SSN and issue you a Social Security card. Through Sept. 30, 2023, there is no fee to file a petition on behalf of any Afghan national (beneficiary) with a visa immediately available. We will mail your Green Cardto the address on record. Hi Sir, I have USRAP Afghan P-2 Referral from International Rescue Committee (IRC). If we determine you are not inadmissible based on health-related grounds, we will remove the conditions on your permanent residence. "These deficiencies have contributed to Afghan SIV applicant processing times exceeding the 9-month goal set by Congress and may have delayed vulnerable Afghan allies from reaching safety in the United States," according to the IG report, which was requested by Congress. For more information, see DOSs, If you already started the started the SIV application process and received COM approval on or before July 20, 2022, you must file, Once your petition for classification as an Afghan special immigrant is approved by USCIS or DOS, you may apply for a Green Card (lawful permanent resident status) using. Individuals in the United States may apply for asylum regardless of country of nationality or current immigration status. Applying for any other immigration benefit or protection for which you may be eligible. Beginning July 20, 2022, new Afghan SIV applicants need to submit only a DS-157 form along with their COM approval application. Through Sept. 30, 2023, USCIS will not charge an immigrant fee to Afghan nationals. 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). 2022, you may file your fee exempt Form I-765 online. Organizations that are assisting applicants with their Form I-765 may submit bulk filings to USCIS. Afghan citizens or nationals who already started the SIV application process and received COM approval on or before July 20, 2022, must still file a Form I-360 with USCIS on their own behalf. A high number in this field reflects older cases being completed, not older . File Online On Nov. 21, 2022, USCIS announced that Afghans paroled into the United States under Operation Allies Welcome (OAW) and certain Afghans paroled under Operation Enduring Welcome (OEW) are employment authorized incident to parole. Individuals who are authorized parole may apply for employment authorization after arrival. Once you have received the required testing and vaccinations, you must complete the certification at theAfghan Parolee Vaccination Statuswebpage. All steps in the Afghan SIV application process are outlined below and include the If you have not received your EAD after submitting a Form I-765, checkCase Status Onlineor contact the USCIS Contact Center at 800-375-5283(TTY 800-767-1833) Monday to Friday, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern, for information on the status of your application. During a designated period, TPS beneficiaries (or individuals found preliminarily eligible for TPS after an initial review of their cases, called prima facie eligible): Once an individual has TPS, the Department of Homeland Security cannot detain them on the basis of their immigration status in the United States. 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. Filing Form DS-4317 will not prevent you from filing a Form I-730, Refugee/Asylee Relative Petition, if you are granted asylum or refugee status in the United States. 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. Please submit any urgent interview scheduling requests in writing to the asylum office with jurisdiction over your case. In addition, all Afghan refugees and asylum-seekers located in third countries should register with the nearest United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) office. The above method of changing your address will update the address on file with USCIS for all pending applications, petitions, or requests that you include receipt numbers for on the form. Applying for TPS does not affect your application for asylum, parole, or any other immigration benefit, and vice versa. We will reject the form if any of these fields are missing: Submit Form I-765 with a copy of the Form I-94, passport, or other travel document described above. If the U.S. government can help your lawful spouse* and unmarried children under 21 depart Afghanistan, your family members will travel to a country outside the United States where they can be considered for refugee status through the U.S. The program is deeply troubled by insufficient staffing . If you did not complete Form I-485 at a U.S. government reception center or safe haven, we encourage you to file Form I-485 as soon as possible to apply to become a lawful permanent resident and get a Green Card. It is not possible to provide precise wait times as staffing and local conditions affect capacity and scheduling. 2022 CS Pro Media x No One Left Behind Inc . Effective July 20, 2022, USCIS has transitioned the responsibility to adjudicate Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) petitions filed under the AAPA special immigrant program to the Department of State. 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. On March 16, 2022, Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas announced a new designation of Afghanistan for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 18 months. 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. Green Card Delays for Afghan Special Immigrants. In 2009, Congress created the SIV program to provide a safe path to U.S. lawful permanent resident status for Afghans who worked with U.S. forces as interpreters, translators, and other roles over 20 years of war in Afghanistan, and are now under serious threat because of that employment. If you have questions or need to update your personal information with USCIS, visit the USCIS Contact Center to connect with a USCIS representative. The Afghan SIV program was an important mechanism to repay these courageous individuals, but it has not lived up to the promise we made to participants when it was established over a decade ago. Application for asylum, parole, or any other immigration benefit, and DHL deliveries because &! 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