For example, if you entered the United States with an OAR status, you would write OAR (Parole) in the Status field; and. The U.S. government does not require you to be in Afghanistan to help your family members depart and will not help your family members depart more quickly if you are there. For more information on locating a Form I-94, see the Customs and Border Protection (CBP). . Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP). 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 . The SIV program has faced massive backlog and processing can take months, if not years for some. 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. Mark Attn: OAW anywhere on the front of the envelope; On page 1 of Form I-589, Part A.I., Item 19.c., write your current status followed by (Parole) in the Status field. 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. Mail your paper Form I-765 to the address provided on our USCIS Lockbox Filing Locations Chart for Certain Family-Based Formspage for the filing address based on where you live. The Form I-485 processing time ends when you receive your permanent residence. It is important for you to feel comfortable telling your whole story. Box 648003 The U.S. government is racing to speed up the evacuation and immigration of Afghan translators and others who provided assistance during the 20-year war in Afghanistan. Since 2015, Khan has worked on a project for the U.S. Department of Defense that helped prevent Afghan security officials from turning over U.S.-donated military equipment to enemy hands. Include the following information in your explanation: You should also attest to the validity of your statement that you are unable to provide primary or secondary documentation. Who May Apply for an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) as an Afghan Parolee. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. Complete a separate Form I-485 for each family member applying to adjust status. Worked closely with Latin-American and Afghan immigrant communities. Applying for any other immigration benefit or protection for which you may be eligible. 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. Your previously filed Form DS-157 will be deemed a PETITION FOR SPECIAL IMMIGRANT CLASSIFICATION FOR AFGHAN SIV APPLICANTS. Please Note: Federal law requires every employer who recruits, refers for a fee, or hires an individual for employment in the United States to complete Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification. For more information, see the Form I-730 webpage. There are many forms of abuse and exploitation, including domestic violence, forced marriage and human trafficking. More asylum-related information for Afghan parolees is available at Afghan Operation Allies Welcome (OAW) Parolee Asylum-Related Frequently Asked Questions. Use the Asylum Office Locator to find your asylum office. For more information, see the Polygamous Marriages section. If you request an SSN in Part 2 (Items 13.a.-17.b.) However, we may deny your application for TPS on the same grounds we deny your other application. A State Department spokesperson said in mid-July that 20,000 applicants are in various stages of. [He/she] can also email NVCSIV@state.gov for questions about your SIV case. 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. 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 For a small number of extremely vulnerable individuals, this could include referral to the U.S. Include your most recent date of entry in the Date field on page 1 of Form I-589, Part A.I., Question 19c. And thanks so much for joining us for this background briefing on updates to the Afghan Special Immigrant Visa process. U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents may petition for certain relatives to immigrate to the United States. Note: Some Afghan parolees under Operation Allies Welcome (OAW) received parole for less than 2 years. 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. At the time, there were about 8,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan. 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. 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. 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. Under the Extending Government Funding and Delivering Emergency Assistance Act (PDF), we are prioritizing asylum applications filed by certain Afghan citizens and nationals, or those with no nationality who last habitually resided in Afghanistan, as defined in Section 2502(a) of the Act (see section Operation Allies Welcome Expeditious Processing for Asylum Applications below for further information). Refer to the conditions of your parole that were provided to you when you entered the United States. 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. 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. Looking for U.S. government information and services? You must notify USCIS within 10 days of any change in your address to ensure timely and accurate delivery of your EAD. 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. Hi Sir, I have USRAP Afghan P-2 Referral from International Rescue Committee (IRC). I worked with Senator McCain on this for years and have continued those efforts in his stead. (Notify USCIS of an address change by filing Form AR-11, Aliens Change of Address Card, online using the Change of Address webpage.). UNHCR's website provides information . Marriage certificate for your lawful spouse*; Birth certificate for each child under the age of 21; USCIS does not routinely send emails to inform you that you have been approved for a diversity visa, immigrant visa, nonimmigrant visa, or any other type of immigration benefit, except in certain situations. 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. However, in some cases, USCIS may grant a waiver of the 2-year filing deadline for humanitarian reasons. If you are filingForm I-589, Application for Asylum and for Withholding of Removal, and you fall into category 1 or 2 below, you should follow the instructions below to ensure expeditious processing of your Form I-589 under Section 2502(c) of the Extending Government Funding and Delivering Emergency Assistance Act (PDF): When you complete your Form I-589, please complete the following additional steps: If you properly complete your Form I-589 and we determine that you meet the eligibility criteria for Category 1 or 2 above, we will submit your Form I-589 for expeditious processing under Section 2502(c) of theExtending Government Funding and Delivering Emergency Assistance Act (PDF). Since July 2021, USCIS has received over 46,000 applications from Afghans hoping to come to the U.S. through the parole process. UNHCR will identify individuals for resettlement referral based on an assessment of their vulnerability at the time of registration. 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. If you completed Form I-765 at a U.S. government reception center or safe haven, you might have the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Washington, D.C. as your address of record. Data on SIV processing times was divided into two distinct phases: Chief of Mission (COM) applications and Post-COM processing. 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 page provides information for Afghan nationals. You may be eligible for the extraordinary circumstances exception to the 1-year filing deadline if you file for asylum while your parole is still valid. Asylum office directors may consider, on a case-by-case basis, an urgent request for an asylum interview, including when you have an immediate family member in danger of harm in the country of claimed persecution. 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. After you meet these requirements, you must enter your attestation at theAfghan Parolee Vaccination Statuswebpage. There is no cost to create an account, which offers a variety of features, including the ability to communicate with USCIS about your application through a secure inbox. August 9, 2022, 3:42 PM. To obtain a Permanent Resident Card (Green Card) as an Afghan who was employed by or on behalf of the U.S. government, whether you live inside or outside the United States, you must first seek special immigrant classification by filing either Form I-360, Petition for Amerasian, Widow(er), or Special immigrant, with USCIS or Form DS-157, Petition for Special Immigrant Classification for Afghan SIV Applicants, with the U.S. Department of State (DOS). 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. 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. a one-time payment of $2,275 for each Afghan an agency serves, of . If you continue a polygamous marriage you were in before you came to the United States or begin a new polygamous marriage in the United States, we may deny your immigration application or petition. Individuals employed as civil servants in Afghanistan at any time from September 27, 1996 to December 22, 2001 or after August 15, 2021. . It is not rude or impolite to ask for a short break during the interview. Average processing time for cases that remain pending cannot be calculated until they are completed. On August 30, 2021, the final U.S. military flight left Kabul airport, completing a chaotic evacuation process from Afghanistan. If you have questions or need to update your personal information with USCIS, visit the USCIS Contact Center to connect with a USCIS representative. July 18, 2022. 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. Green Card Delays for Afghan Special Immigrants. Answer 1: Due to a very large number of Afghan SIV applications submitted during and after August 2021, the NVC has been struggling to review and process all the SIV applications submitted. If we approve your Form I-765, we will mail your EAD to you at your address on record. Find additional information about Form I-9 and your rights as an employee at theI-9 Central webpage. It is important to attend this appointment so we can collect your biometrics and avoid additional delays issuing your Green Card. In the COM phase, individuals submit an application for . Visit the Department of States Afghanistan Family Reunification webpage and navigate to the If You Are a Parolee section for more detailed information. For information on locating legal services, please visit theFind Legal Serviceswebpage. In the meantime, we have identified specific individuals affected by the missing visa packets, and we are mailing Green Cards to the addresses we have on file for them. We've made important strides to . Operation Allies Welcome Expeditious Processing for Asylum Applications. 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. CBP has corrected their parole period to a full 2 years. Review our. If you have any issues or questions about an address change request, emailnbcafghancoa@uscis.dhs.gov. At your appointment to submit the documentation of your medical examination, we will review and assess whether you are inadmissible based on health-related grounds. You must sign your attestation, but it does not need to be notarized. Filing location: You must file your application only at the USCIS Phoenix lockbox address listed below. ); Copies of supporting documentation of the correct information. (Your parole will not be valid if you violate its terms.) 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. Managed . Form I-693 retains its evidentiary value for 2 years after the date the civil surgeon signed Form I-693. If you are an Afghan parolee in the United States, beware of individuals asking for personal information. 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. U.S. Department of Homeland Security . The secretary of homeland security may designate a foreign country for TPS when conditions in the country temporarily prevent its nationals from returning safely or, in certain circumstances, when the country is unable to adequately handle the return of its nationals. To find information about an asylum office, visit theUSCIS Service and Office Locator. You may be eligible to receive a Green Card under Section 13 of the Immigration & Nationality Act if: For more information on Section 13 and special filing instructions for Afghan nationals who were admitted in diplomatic status, see theSection 13webpage. 1820 E. Skyharbor Circle S IOM is taking steps to deliver both EADs and Social Security cards. . We are expediting pending affirmative asylum applications filed by certain Afghan applicants. If we determine you are inadmissible based on health-related grounds, you may be eligible to obtain a waiver of inadmissibility by filing. If you are an Afghan national relocated to the United States, the table below explains your specific medical requirements. We recently learned that USCIS never received paper visa packets for some Afghan nationals admitted into the United States as lawful permanent residents (LPRs) based on a Special Immigrant Visa (SIV). For more information, see the USCIS Policy Manual and the Department of State's Special Immigrant Visas for Afghans webpage. It is taking a very long time to issue a NVC case number as each individual application is processed. 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. 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 . If you are an Operation Allies Welcome (OAW) asylum applicant, your asylum interview might take place at a USCIS field office. 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. We may also grant TPS to eligible individuals without nationality who last resided in the designated country. For individuals in the United States with COM requests pending on July 20, 2022, please reference the chart below. "Processing timep and Afghan SIV applicants that consistently exceeded guideLinep, in applications stalled in various stages and of process," of OIG said. 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. Introduction. 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). For more information, see theGreen Card Eligibility Categories webpage. Submit proof of your immigration medical examination. This FAQ provides an overview of both the traditional immigration pathways as well as the new avenues for refugee processing and family reunification available to Afghan evacuees. U.S. Embassy Islamabad is processing immigrant visas across all categories. Under Section 2502(c) of the Act, we will conduct the initial interview for an asylum application within 45 days of filing and, if there are no exceptional circumstances, we will complete the final adjudication within 150 days of filing. Read the Payments by Phone or Email section on our. 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. We do this by providing resources to SIV Ambassadors living in SIV communities throughout the United States. Home. If such individuals apply for a Special Immigrant Visa outside of the United States or apply to adjust status in the DS-157 We send receipt notices to the address listed on the application or petition. Keep the copy of the original Form I-693 given to you at the government-run facility for future use. Specialized in Afghan Special Immigrant Visa (SIV), humanitarian parole (I-131/I-134), asylum and resettlement cases. For more information on asylum, see the Obtaining Asylum in the United States webpage. Priority-2 Groups of special humanitarian concern: On Aug. 2, 2021, the Department of State announced a new Priority 2 (P-2) Designation for certain Afghan nationals and eligible family members. If you entered the United States as a refugee, you cannot adjust status as an Afghan who was employed by or on behalf of the U.S. government. Immigration Medical Examination requirements for Afghan nationals. 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