You may apply for this program if you meet all of the following requirements:
- You must be a national of Iraq or Afghanistan; and
- You must have worked directly with the U.S. Armed Forces or under COM authority as a translator or interpreter for a period of at least 12 months; and
- You must have obtained a favorable written recommendation from a General or Flag Officer in the chain of command of the U.S. ...
Full Answer
How do I apply for a Special Immigrant Visa (SIV)?
You must complete a separate form for each family member and return it to the National Visa Center (NVC) at [email protected] or the RPC at [email protected]. NVC will provide you with the Special Immigrant Visa Biodata Form (DS-0234) (PDF - 312 KB) ;as part of the visa application packet.
How to file Form I-360 for Siv application?
If you already started the started the SIV application process and received COM approval on or before July 20, 2022, you must file Form I-360, Petition for Amerasian, Widow (er) or Special Immigrant, with USCIS. You may scan and email your petition with the required documents (preferably in .pdf format) to [email protected].
What is the SIV application process?
What is the SIV application process? The application process involves a lot of documentation and can be broken down into three segments: (1) gathering initial petition documents, (2) collecting additional family records, and (3) scheduling a visa interview.
Who is eligible for an SIV?
To be eligible for an SIV one must be a national of Afghanistan who has either: 1 worked directly with the U.S. Armed Forces or under Chief of Mission (COM) authority as a translator or interpreter for... 2 has been an employee of the U.S. government or International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) for at least two years... More ...
Who is eligible for SIV visa?
SIVs are available to individuals who have worked as translators, interpreters, or other professionals employed by or on behalf of the United States government in Afghanistan or Iraq. Those who are eligible for these visas and their dependents can apply through one of two SIV programs.
How do I join SIV in Afghanistan?
To apply for Chief of Mission (COM) approval for the Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) program, you must have access to email; have the ability to scan and save all of the required documents from the list as PDF files; and be able to submit these documents via email.
How do I apply for SIV approval?
The Afghan Special Immigration Visa (SIV) program consists of five following steps:Step 1 – Applying for COM Approval.Step 2 – Filling I-360 Petition with USCIS.Step 3 – Submitting DS-260 Application.Step 4 – The Visa Interview.Step 5 – Arriving in the United States.
What is SIV visa type?
The Special Immigrant Visa is an immigration program that grants permanent residence to people who aided the U.S. government abroad. In the wake of the United States' departure from Afghanistan, thousands of refugees have been attempting to obtain Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs).
What documents need for SIV?
Verification of 12 Months Employment With or on Behalf of the U.S. Government in Afghanistan. ... Form DS-157, Supplemental Nonimmigrant Visa Application. ... Letter of Recommendation from Your Direct, U.S. Citizen Supervisor. ... Evidence of Afghan Nationality. ... Biographic Data.More items...
What are the benefits of SIV?
You may be eligible for cash assistance, medical assistance, employment preparation, job placement, English language training, and other services offered through the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR).
How do I get a SIV visa for USA?
Special Immigrant Visa Application ProcessOverview.Step 1 - Collect Chief of Mission Documents.Step 2 - Scan Collected Documents.Step 3 - Submit Documents.Step 4 - Receive Decision.Step 5 - Submit Petition.Step 6 - NVC Processing.Step 7 - Complete Online Visa Application (DS-260)More items...
Is SIV a green card?
Religious workers are eligible for an SIV green card or lawful permanent residency in the United States. They apply for a special immigrant religious worker visa.
What is the process of SIV?
SIV applications move through 14 steps, in the following four stages: the Chief of Mission (COM) application process; Form I-360 petition adjudication by the Department of Homeland Security; visa interview and security screening; and final visa adjudication (issuance or denial).
Can I transfer my SIV case to another country?
The SIV interview and cases can only be transferred to a U.S. embassy that processes Immigrant Visa (IV).
Can I apply for SIV without recommendation letter?
According to the Director of the State Department's Afghan Special Immigrant Visa Unit, “[a]s of December 21, 2021, the Department ceased requiring that the letter of recommendation in support of the COM application be submitted by a U.S. citizen supervisor or co-signed by a U.S. citizen.” This means that SIV ...
How many SIV are in Afghanistan?
An estimated 54,000 Afghans likely meet these qualifications, according to researchers at the Association of Wartime Allies and American University. Since the program's inception in 2007, approximately 75,700 Afghans – 21,500 principal applicants and their 54,200 family members – have been granted SIVs as of June 2021.
What is the process of SIV?
SIV applications move through 14 steps, in the following four stages: the Chief of Mission (COM) application process; Form I-360 petition adjudication by the Department of Homeland Security; visa interview and security screening; and final visa adjudication (issuance or denial).
Can I apply for SIV without recommendation letter?
According to the Director of the State Department's Afghan Special Immigrant Visa Unit, “[a]s of December 21, 2021, the Department ceased requiring that the letter of recommendation in support of the COM application be submitted by a U.S. citizen supervisor or co-signed by a U.S. citizen.” This means that SIV ...
How long does it take for SIV com approval?
SIV applications usually move through a lengthy 14-step application process, which requires specific criteria to be met. The process, including decision-making and approval, takes an average of three years. The applicant must receive the visa before entering the United States.
How do I apply for the SIV p2 program?
Call the Department of State SIV Hotline: 1-888-407-4747 or 202-501-4444. The first prompt is for U.S. Citizens. Wait until it finishes the recording, then the second prompt will start.
How long does it take to get a SIV visa?
A 2013 amendment to the Afghan Allies Protection Act requires that the State Department’s review of an SIV application be completed within nine months, from submission to final notice of approval. But reports on how long the SIV process actually takes have varied. Some indicate it takes an average of 658 days, while others state that it can take as long as 996 days to process an SIV application. But the reported waits are only the time it takes the U.S. federal government to process an application it has received. If one accounts for the time an individual needs to put the application together – including collecting the necessary documents, filling out the application, and scheduling a visa interview – some SIV recipients have waited even longer, as much as three-and-a-half years in some instances.
How to interview for SIV?
Interviews are conducted in English, and applicants and their accompanying family members are fingerprinted. The applicant needs to bring along all the family members included in the application to the interview , along with the originals of family records submitted to NVC, as well as recent photographs for identification purposes. SIV candidates also need to provide written descriptions of their qualifying positions for the U.S. government. If still employed in a qualifying position at the time of the interview, the applicant should be prepared to give a written statement of his or her intent to resign and emigrate upon visa approval.
What are the two SIV programs in Afghanistan?
What are the two Afghanistan SIV programs? There are two SIV programs available to those in Afghanistan. The first, the SI visa class category, is meant specifically for translators or interpreters who have worked with U.S. military forces. The second, the SQ visa class category, is available to any other Afghan national who was employed by ...
What is the second visa in Afghanistan?
The second, the SQ visa class category , is available to any other Afghan national who was employed by or on behalf of the United States government in the region. Both of these SIV programs were created by Congress and are managed by the U.S. State Department. The number of SIVs available to people in Afghanistan are set by congressional statute.
How many SQ visas will be issued in 2021?
The Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2021 increased the number of SQ visas by 4,000 bringing these available SIV visas to a total of 26,500. Currently there are three different pieces of legislation, that have been introduced, to increase that total by an additional 4,000, 8,000, and 20,000 SIV visas.
What is needed for SIV?
This packet would include: Form I-360; a copy of the applicant’s passport; proof of his or her work as a translator or employee; proof of screening and a background check by U.S. Armed Forces or the COM; and – most importantly – a letter of recommendation giving approval from the COM or his or her designee at the embassy, or a General or Flag officer in the chain of command of the Armed Forces unit aided by the applicant. This recommendation can often be the most difficult part of the application to procure, especially if the eligible SIV candidate is filing his or her application years after having worked with a U.S. affiliated entity or military unit.
How many segments are there in the visa application process?
The application process involves a lot of documentation and can be broken down into three segments: (1) gathering initial petition documents, (2) collecting additional family records, and (3) scheduling a visa interview.
What form do I file if I am not on a visa?
If we approve your Form I-360 but you did not enter the United States on this special immigrant visa, you must file Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status, to obtain a Green Card through adjustment of status.
When is the I-360 filing date?
Submitted Form I-360 petitions that are pending or were issued a notice of approval [that is, whose Form I-360 Filing Date is earlier than May 21, 2020]; or
How to get a green card for an Afghan?
government, whether you live inside or outside the United States, you must first file Form I-360, Petition for Amerasian, Widow (er), or Special Immigrant . For more information, see our Form I-360 page.
Do I need to complete an I-485 for each family member?
Complete a separate Form I-485 for each family member applying to adjust status.
Can you adjust to lawful permanent resident status if you are inadmissible?
If you are inadmissible to the United States, you cannot adjust to lawful permanent resident status. You can find the grounds of inadmissibility listed in INA 212 (a).
Who can file for special immigrant visa?
Employees of certain qualifying international organizations who were eligible to enjoy the privileges, exemptions and immunities under the International Organizations Immunities Act may file for special immigrant visas along with their family members. Certain employees of NATO and the family members may also file.
How to apply for a juvenile visa?
The applicant for the special immigrant juvenile visa must show that they are present in the United States, unmarried and less than 21 years old. Also, he or she must provide an order where a juvenile court declared the applicant a dependent. The juvenile court must also find that reunification with one or both of the juvenile’s parents is not viable due to abuse, neglect, or abandonment. In the court’s order the court must have determined it would not be in the juvenile’s best interest to return to his or her’s country of citizenship or residence.
Why do military members need immigrant visas?
Why would Armed Forces members need immigrant visas? In a special provision designed to help people who fought in the Iraqi war, the US created this special immigrant classification. It delivers lawful permanent residency status to soldiers who fought for the United States in certain conditions.
What is VAWA in immigration?
Created by the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), The federal government designed this provision to help abused immigrant spouses. An abused spouse came to the United States to marry a US citizen who abused them. While designed to help spouses, the US extended it to provide immigration benefits to parents as well.
What are the two types of special immigrants?
Only two types of special immigrants are included in the immediately available category, Amerasians and the widow or widower of a US citizen. If you know that you are eligible for Different Types Of Us Visa and need help filing for it, please contact us.
How many years of service do you need to join the armed forces?
The member of the Armed Forces must have joined outside the United States under an agreement effective after October 1, 1991. In addition, they must have had 12 years service. The Armed Forces member’s service must have been honorable. Lastly, the executive department under which you served must recommend you for this benefit.
Can religious workers get a green card?
Religious workers are eligible for an SIV green card or lawful permanent residency in the United States. They apply for a special immigrant religious worker visa. Due to the popularity of this visa with qualifying United States religious organizations, we have a whole article devoted to this type of special immigrant green card. You can read our article on green cards for religious workers.
