Afghanistan Crises Related Resources Page

Statements and Actions by Senator Scott:

Latest information from the Department of State:

 

Special Immigrant Visas for Afghans Who Were Employed by/on Behalf of the U.S. Government

  

If the Individual is Qualified for an SIV but has Not Yet Submitted a Complete Application:

Afghan nationals who are eligible for the SIV program are encouraged to submit one complete application package to the National Visa Center ASAP.  When the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) approves an SIV petition and it reaches the National Visa Center (NVC), applicants are advised by email and provided with instructions.  Information on the Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) program, including instructions on how to apply is available here.   

We are expediting SIV applications at all stages of the process and are urgently working to assist SIV applicants.  NVC is responsible for answering status inquiries regarding pending SIV cases, and is reachable at NVCSIV@state.gov.   

If the Individual has Submitted a Complete Application and Received a Case Number:

The Department of State communicates with applicants through email?during the application process.? Applicants should be responsive to requests for information throughout the process.  They will receive instructions and feedback at each stage, specific to their case. 

Applicants are NOT REQUIRED to stay in Afghanistan to pursue their applications.  Applicants who have departed Afghanistan may request their case be transferred to the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate outside of Afghanistan to complete processing.  To request a case transfer, applicants may submit a request to the National Visa Center using this form.      

If the Individual is Not Eligible for an SIV or has been Refused an SIV:

For Afghans at risk of persecution due to their affiliation with the U.S. but who are not eligible for an SIV, the U.S. Refugee Admission Program (USRAP) also administers the Priority 1 (P-1) and Priority 2 (P-2) programs. U.S. government officials looking to refer an Afghan national for a P-1 or P-2 can find more information here, and questions about these programs can be emailed to USRAPAfghanInquiries@state.gov.  

Refugee Resettlement Program:

Afghans who do not meet the eligibility requirements for an Afghan SIV or the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) P1 or P2 Afghan refugee programs may still be eligible to be considered for refugee resettlement in the United States if they are referred to the USRAP by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).  More information on these options is available at Afghanistan Inquiries - United States Department of State.  

Resettlement Information

(Provided by United States Citizenship and Immigration Services)

Resources for Afghan Nationals on Parole Into the United States

Background:

Individuals who are outside of the United States may request parole into the United States based on urgent humanitarian or significant public benefit reasons for a temporary period, on a case-by-case basis. If USCIS authorizes parole, we will specify its duration. While parole allows for lawful presence in the United States, the parolee technically remains an applicant for admission. Parole does not confer immigration status and does not provide a path to permanent residency or the ability to obtain lawful immigration status. However, a parolee may be able to obtain lawful status in the United States through other means.

The U.S. government is making every effort to assist individuals who have been granted parole into the United States. Due to quickly changing circumstances in the region and the closure of the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, beneficiaries may experience delays in processing their cases and may need to arrange travel to a U.S. embassy outside of Afghanistan to continue processing their parole request.

Eligibility:

USCIS may exercise discretion to authorize parole on a case-by-case basis for individuals with urgent humanitarian or significant public benefit reasons to come to the United States for a temporary period. To avoid delays, all relevant supporting evidence to show that the beneficiary qualifies for parole and merits a favorable exercise of discretion must be submitted with the Form I-131, Application for Travel Document. USCIS provides guidance on documentation to support parole requests on its webpage, Guidance on Evidence for Certain Types of Humanitarian or Significant Public Benefit Parole Requests.

How to Apply:

Anyone may request parole for themselves, or on behalf of another individual, by filing a Form I-131, Application for Travel Document, along with a statement explaining the beneficiary’s urgent humanitarian circumstances and including any relevant evidence supporting the parole request. It is essential that the beneficiary’s best contact information (email address, phone number, and local address) is included in the parole application, either on the Form I-131’s applicable section or on a supplemental document, and that USCIS is notified of any changes to that contact information. If the beneficiary is able to make private arrangements to travel to a third country where there is a U.S. embassy or where consular services are available, please notify USCIS immediately at HumanitarianParole@uscis.dhs.gov.

The Form I-131 must include the applicable filing fee or fee waiver request using Form I-912, Request for Fee Waiver. See the USCIS webpage on Additional Information on Filing a Fee Waiver. Each family member must file a separate Form I-131 with required fees or Form I-912 and supporting documentation. Write “Afghanistan Humanitarian Parole” on the mailing envelope. For expedited processing, write the word EXPEDITE in the top right corner of the application in black ink. Detailed instructions for filing for humanitarian parole can be found on the USCIS webpage on Humanitarian or Significant Public Benefit Parole for Individuals Outside the United States.

Humanitarian parole beneficiaries usually must have a valid and unexpired passport. If the beneficiary does not have a valid Afghan passport, include a copy of available identification documentation and an explanation of why they do not have an Afghan passport when filing the Form I-131. The parole beneficiary should present available identity documentation to the U.S. embassy during consular processing (if outside of Afghanistan) or to U.S. government officials if asked to report to the airport in Kabul.

The sponsor must include a Form I-134, Affidavit of Support, and supporting documentation with each parole request. USCIS requires evidence of a sponsor who agrees to provide financial support to the parolee while in the United States. There may be multiple sponsors, the beneficiary may self-sponsor, and an organization may support the parolee by submitting a Form I-134. If an employee of an organization cannot complete the Form I-134, a letter from the organization committing to support the beneficiary may be included with the parole application.

Humanitarian parole applications must be submitted through the mail to the USCIS Dallas Lockbox: 

             For U.S. Postal Service (USPS) Deliveries: 
             USCIS 
             Attn: HP 
             P.O. Box 660865 
             Dallas, TX 75266-0865 

             For FedEx, UPS, and DHL: 
             USCIS 
             Attn: HP (Box 660865)
             2501 S. State Hwy 121, Business 
             Suite 400 
             Lewisville, TX 75067-8003 

Filing Tips:

  • Go to our Form Filing Tips webpage for information on how to help ensure we will accept your form. 
  • Applications that are not submitted to the appropriate filing address may experience processing delays. 
  • Be sure to complete all sections of the form. We will reject the form if these fields are missing: 

Part 1 – Information About You

  • Family Name 
  • Physical Address 
  • Date of Birth 

Part 2 – Application Type

If Parole Is Authorized:

If USCIS conditionally approves parole, we will send a conditional approval letter to the petitioner who filed the Form I-131 and any representative of record.

Currently, the U.S. Embassy in Kabul is closed and all normal consular services in Afghanistan have been suspended until further notice. The U.S. government will contact the beneficiary with further instructions and is working to assist individuals residing in Afghanistan to depart the country if USCIS has conditionally approved their application for humanitarian parole. Circumstances on the ground are changing rapidly. Parole beneficiaries may experience delays in processing their cases and may need to arrange travel to a U.S. embassy outside of Afghanistan to continue processing their parole request.

The beneficiary must complete a Form DS-160, Application for a Nonimmigrant Visa, and include their best local contact information as soon as they are notified of their conditional approval. Instructions for completing the DS-160 are included in the conditional approval letter. If the beneficiary is outside of Afghanistan, they may also be asked to report to a U.S. embassy to verify their identity and provide biometrics for additional security screening. If no derogatory information is identified, a travel document will be issued so the beneficiary can travel to the United States.

After Arrival in the United States:

Conditional approval of parole and the issuance of a travel document does not guarantee parole. A Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer will inspect the parole beneficiary’s travel documents upon arrival in the United States and issue an electronic Form I-94, Arrival/Departure Record, if parole is authorized. The Form I-94 provides proof of the beneficiary’s entry as a parolee and the date by which the beneficiary must depart the United States. Parole ends on the date the parole period expires, when the beneficiary departs the United States, or when the beneficiary acquires an immigration status, whichever occurs first.  

Parole is not a legal immigration status and does not provide a path to legal immigration status. The beneficiary must take additional steps to ensure they remain legally present in the United States after their authorized period of parole has ended. Failure to maintain lawful presence throughout the parolee’s entire stay in the U.S. can have serious immigration consequences.

  • Re-parole. The beneficiary may request re-parole (an additional parole period) by filing a new Form I-131, with requisite fees (or fee waiver request using Form I-912, Request for Fee Waiver), a new Form I-134, and updated supporting evidence to demonstrate the need for re-parole at least 90 days before the parole expiration date.
  • Work Authorization. The parolee may request employment authorization under category (c)(11) after being paroled into the United States by filing Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization.
  • Green Card. If the parolee is the beneficiary of an approved Form I-130, the parolee may file Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status, to apply to adjust their status and obtain a Green Card once their immigrant visa becomes available.
  • Asylum. If the parolee believes they have suffered persecution or fears that they will suffer persecution due to their race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion, they may file Form I-589, Application for Asylum and Withholding of Removal. Visit uscis.gov/asylum for more information.