The Special Immigration Visa (SIV) program has been established by the United States for Afghan and Iraqi allies. The SIV program allows eligible Afghan citizens to immigrate to the United States for permanent and legal residency.
Over the years, thousands of Afghans, along with their families, have immigrated to the U.S. through the SIV program. However, thousands of Afghan allies and partners remain trapped in uncertainty while facing ongoing threats due to their cooperation with the United States.
The U.S. Department of State has continuously emphasized its commitment to Afghan applicants under the Special Immigration Visa process, accelerating it and now making the process easier. Following the closure of its embassy mission in Kabul, the U.S. government has deployed more staff at embassies and consulates in other countries to advance SIV applications.
Since the changes and improvements made in the SIV immigration process over the years, especially since July 20, 2022, the "Ask Us" team felt it necessary to present a special article on the SIV process to its audience and those eligible for the aforementioned program.
Overview of SIV Program
The United States had a presence in Afghanistan for over 20 years. This presence was accompanied by military and civilian activities that created job opportunities for thousands of Afghans. Many Afghans worked alongside American soldiers, diplomats, and contractors. These individuals provided essential language, cultural, geographical, and combat knowledge that created significant security risks for themselves and their families.
In 2006, the U.S. Congress established the Special Immigration Visa (SIV) program, allowing eligible applicants under serious threat to be resettled and kept safe in the United States.
What are the requirements for the SIV program?
Afghan citizens who meet the following criteria are eligible for the U.S. Special Immigration Visa:
- Individuals who worked as employees at the U.S. embassy in Afghanistan or other U.S. government-related entities; or
- Individuals who served as interpreters or guides for NATO international forces or U.S. military units; or
- Individuals hired for sensitive and trusted activities for NATO organizations; or
- Contractors for the U.S. government based in Afghanistan; or
- Individuals who worked for U.S. organizations; or
- Individuals who worked for national or international organizations on U.S. government-related projects;
- Their duties have created serious threats to them;
- The employment occurred between October 7, 2001, and December 31, 2022, within Afghanistan.
Which family members are eligible?
Spouses over the age of 18 and unmarried children under the age of 21 are eligible to accompany the principal applicant to the U.S. through the Special Immigration Visa program. The age of family members is determined at the time of submitting the DS-260 form or online visa application.
How to Apply?
Step 1: Document preparation and submission of application
Applicants must first gather the required documents. Completing the documents according to the standards and expectations of the National Visa Center (NVC) is considered the first and essential step of the SIV resettlement program. Required documents for the U.S. Special Immigration Visa program include an Employment Verification Letter, Recommendation Letter, Form DS-157, Passport and Tazkera, and Badge Number, with detailed descriptions provided below for each:
-
Employment Verification Letter: This letter is provided by the Human Resources department to the employee and is also referred to as HR Letter. Ensure that the Employment Verification Letter contains the following information:
- Full name of the applicant
- Date of birth of the applicant
- Position title of the applicant
- Place of employment of the applicant
- Start date of employment (year, month, day)
- End date of employment (year, month, day)
- Reason for termination
- Project name
- Contract number
- Duration of contract
- Name of contracting company
- U.S. government contracting party
- If possible, provide a copy of the contract or subcontract
- Name of the Human Resources official completing the letter
- Original signature of the Human Resources official
- Email address of the Human Resources official or department
- Phone number of the Human Resources official or department
- Date the letter is signed
If your office currently does not have a Human Resources department, the person preparing the letter should explain this in the letter provided to you.
If your company no longer exists or there are no records of you in that company, ask your direct supervisor or another senior employee to write a letter for you. This letter should be separate from the recommendation letter. It should explain that the company no longer exists or has not retained any records, state the start and end dates of your employment, and provide the reason for your termination. You should try to obtain as many letters and documents as possible from your direct supervisor or other senior employees in the office. Your supervisors should mention in their letter how long they worked with you. This will help you justify the absence of Human Resources documentation and better prove the relevant conditions of your employment.
-
Letter of Recommendation: This letter should be provided to the employee by a direct supervisor or manager who is a U.S. citizen. Ensure that the recommendation letter includes the following information:
- Full name of the applicant
- Date of birth of the applicant
- Position title of the applicant
- Place of employment of the applicant
- Identification number of the applicant (if possible)
- Description of the applicant's duties
- General information about the direct supervisor
- Confirmation that the recommender was the applicant's direct supervisor
- Start date of the applicant's supervision by the direct supervisor (date, month, year)
- End date of supervision over the applicant by the direct supervisor (date, month, year)
- Justification for the applicant's recommendation for the Chief of Mission (COM), including an explanation that the applicant provided honorable and valuable service to the United States
- Explanation of the threats that the applicant has experienced due to their employment
- Indication of whether the applicant poses a threat to U.S. national security and safety
- Name, job title, official and personal email address
- Phone number of the direct supervisor
- Handwritten signature of the supervisor and the date of signing the letter
Your direct supervisor should be acquainted with you during the duration of employment stated in your employment verification. If you cannot reach your direct supervisor, another person in the office or another senior employee can write the recommendation letter for you.
If the supervisor is not a U.S. citizen, it is better if a U.S. citizen confirms the letter given to the employee or applicant. Keep in mind that the U.S. Department of State has confirmed that it is no longer mandatory for the recommendation letter to be written or signed by a U.S. citizen. If the National Visa Center requests you to provide a letter from your American supervisor, you can explain that this is no longer a requirement.
- Form DS-157: This form contains the applicant's personal and official information. Read the guidelines for completing Form DS-157 and then fill it out.
- Passport or Tazkera: The passport and Tazkera are attached to confirm the Afghan identity of the applicant. If the applicant does not have a passport, they may provide an electronic identification card or a translated paper Tazkera to establish their identity.
- Badge Number: This is the identification card that was given to the employee by the Human Resources department for identification purposes while on duty.
You must prepare the above documents according to the guidelines and requirements of the SIV program; otherwise, your documents will not be accepted by the NVC, and they will request corrections and resubmission of the relevant documents. It is recommended to follow the dedicated guidelines on the U.S. Department of State's website for completing the documents.
What to do after preparing the documents?
After gathering the necessary documents, go to your email page, open a new email, include your name, surname, and date of birth in the subject line, and state your intention to apply for the Special Immigration Visa (SIV) program in the body of the email. Attach or upload all five completed documents in PDF format, ensuring the total size does not exceed 5 megabytes (MB), and send the email to AfghanSIVApplication@state.gov, the address associated with the U.S. NVC.
Step 2 - Document Review and Decision by the Chief of Mission (COM)
Upon receiving an application, the NVC office provides the applicant with a case identification number (Case Number). If the requested documents are prepared in accordance with the SIV program guidelines, the same email that provides the case number will state that all required documents from the applicant have been received (most applicants refer to this stage as "Under Review"), and the request will be sent to the Chief of Mission (COM) for a decision.
If the documents have not been prepared or submitted in accordance with the SIV program guidelines and requirements, the applicant will be requested via email to correct the relevant documents. Most applicants refer to these errors as "Miss Document." Once the documents have been completed, the application will be sent to the Chief of Mission (COM) for a decision.
The period during which the request is with the COM is referred to as "Under Review." During this time, officials carefully examine the applicants' documents. It is likely that technology is used to verify the authenticity and detect forgery of documents at this stage. Subsequently, an email is sent to the Human Resources department of the relevant office, as well as the applicant's direct supervisor and the supervisor under whom the employee has served. The emails primarily ensure the validity of the human resources documentation and the recommendation letter, and if necessary, some questions may be asked for clarification.
Additionally, a list of Afghan citizens who have worked with U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) contractors is registered in Project Rabbit. Project Rabbit is a method through which the NVC automatically verifies individuals who have worked with DoD contractors, and there might not be a need to contact the Human Resources department and supervisors. One important note is that your Human Resources letter should mention Project Rabbit, or you should remind the NVC of this in your email correspondence.
After the Chief of Mission (COM) has a positive review, the applicant is issued a COM Approval. If there are any deficiencies in the documents or if the authenticity of the human resources documentation or recommendation letter is not confirmed by the Human Resources or supervisor, a denial letter (Denial Letter) will be sent to the applicant.
What to do if you receive a Denial Letter?
If you receive a Denial Letter, remain calm. Those who are truly eligible and have provided the necessary documents may still have a strong chance of changing the COM’s decision. Therefore, receiving a denial letter does not mean that the COM's approval is permanently denied, and there is still an opportunity to change the decision.
You will receive the COM's denial letter via email, which will explain the rationale behind the denial. You can submit a written appeal for the COM’s denial letter for any rejection or termination of approval. Your appeal must be submitted via email within 120 days of receiving the denial letter. The Secretary of State has the authority to accept written requests beyond this 120-day period. In your appeal, you must request that your denied case be reopened and provide additional information relevant to your application. The information in your original application should clarify the explanation given in the denial letter or address any undesirable information present in the denial letter. Specific information on appeals regarding the receipt of the Chief of Mission's (COM) Denial Letter can be found on the "Ask" website.
If everything progresses smoothly, you will receive the Chief of Mission's (COM Approval). You will receive a letter from the COM and a confirmation of your application or a welcome letter via email, which will include instructions on how to continue with your specific immigration processing. This letter indicates that the applicant will receive a Kabul Number (KBL Number) within 14 days.
Step 3 - Complete the Online Visa Application or Fill Out Form DS-260
After receiving your NVC welcome letter and your Kabul Number (KBL Number), you must complete and submit the online immigration visa application (Form DS-260) for yourself and each eligible family member immigrating to the United States with you.
Form DS-260 is an electronic visa application form. This form asks many personal questions, including questions about your previous addresses, work history, education, phone numbers, social media accounts, and family members to which you should respond carefully. This form must be completed and submitted in English online.
When you begin your DS-260 form, you will see a page containing instructions. This page will tell you that you need to have your passport and other relevant documents available while completing the form. You must electronically sign your application. You must acknowledge that the information provided is true and accurate based on your actual data.
The confirmation page will give you the option to print out your confirmation. You should print or save this confirmation if possible. You will need to bring it to your visa interview.
If you are traveling with your family, you must complete a separate DS-260 form for each family member. You can find answers to frequently asked questions regarding the DS-260 form on the State Department's website.
If necessary, you can view a sample DS-260 form and practice filling it out before applying online. You can review the guidelines for filling out and completing Form DS-260 at this link.
What to Do After Submitting Form DS-260?
After completing Form DS-260, you and each family member immigrating with you must submit the required civil documents to support your visa application to the National Visa Center (NVC). You must register all of your civil documents with the National Visa Center (NVC) via email. If you have submitted all the necessary documents, NVC should confirm that your application is complete. The NVC office will contact you when the relevant embassy is ready to schedule an interview.
These civil documents include:
- A passport for each family member immigrating to the U.S.;
- A marriage certificate if the principal applicant is married;
- A divorce decree if you have been separated from your spouse;
- Birth certificates or electronic registries or translated registries in English to prove your familial relationship with the principal applicant;
- Child custody documents to establish the familial relationship with the principal applicant;
- A badge number;
- A completed and signed Form DS-234;
- Police certificates for any family member above 16 years old who has lived outside Afghanistan for over 12 months. For more information on police certificates, please visit this official link. If you are residing in Afghanistan, a police certificate is not required.
Your civil documents must be issued by an official issuing authority in Afghanistan. To learn about civil document requirements for each country, visit the U.S. Document Finder website. All documents must be in English, and any documents in Dari or Pashto must be accompanied by certified translations. You should scan all of the above-mentioned documents in good quality, and each file should be in pdf or jpg format, with each file not exceeding 4 megabytes (MB) in size.
Once you have scanned all the required documents in good quality, attach them to a new email and send it to NVCSIV@state.gov.
After submitting Form DS-260 online, you must print the confirmation page and take it to your interview. Whenever you want, after completing the DS-260 application, you can also retrieve and print it again from the CEAC portal. A visa application is not formally issued until the applicant or applicants have been interviewed by a U.S. consular officer.
It is important to note that a letter confirming the civil documents will be communicated to the applicant via email. This letter may take between 90-120 days to be sent to the applicant.
You can request the National Visa Center to transfer your case to any country where the U.S. embassy is present by sending a letter to NVCSIV@state.gov.
Step 4 - Interview for Visa Issuance
You will have an interview at the U.S. embassy in the country where you currently reside. During the interview, a consular officer will ask you questions to decide whether you can receive an SIV after completing security and medical checks. Interviews typically last between 10 and 60 minutes.
Before going to the interview, read the Embassy of the United States interview preparation instructions or consular interview guidelines. This guide will inform you about what to expect during the interview. In addition to this guide, each embassy has a website that specifies the requirements for scheduling an interview and submitting an application.
What Documents Should You Bring to the Interview?
The National Visa Center (NVC) should have sent you a letter detailing what you need to bring with you. Make sure to read this letter carefully to understand any specific instructions. Typically, you should bring the following documents to your interview:
- A copy of the NVC invitation letter;
- Your original passport and those of your family members, which must be valid for at least six months, along with a copy of the page containing your name and photo;
- Two color photos for each applicant, including family members included in your case; please review the guidelines and requirements for the photos on the Department of State’s website;
- Your birth certificate or original identification document (Tazkira) that verifies your identity. You must also bring a certified English translation and copies of both the Dari and English versions; all translated documents must be certified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan; you should also bring the original documents, certified translations, and copies of documents for each family member;
- The confirmation page of the DS-260 form that you submitted online. If your case includes a family member, their DS-260 confirmation page as well;
- For married applicants, the original marriage certificate, a certified English translation, and a copy of it;
- If possible, a copy of employment verification documents, such as an office ID card or employment contract;
- A copy of the Chief of Mission's (COM) approval letter;
- The signed version of Form DS-157;
- Copies of recommendation letters, employment verification letters, and other documents you registered during the COM application process.
Who Should Accompany You to the Interview?
For interviews held at the U.S. embassy, the embassy typically requires all family members to attend the visa interview. If you have an attorney, your attorney can accompany you in the waiting room and during the interview. The attorney must submit the relevant forms to the embassy prior to the interview and obtain confirmation from the embassy.
Applicants who are disabled, elderly, or minors may bring one person for assistance. If you need someone to help you, inform the embassy as soon as possible. Provide the name and identification details of the person to avoid any issues regarding their entry into the embassy. Be sure to mention your interview date and time in your request.
Anyone who plans to enter the embassy should contact the embassy in advance to inform the consular section of this. They should state their full name, date of birth, and their relationship to the applicant in a letter. They should also include the date and time of the interview in their email. Anyone entering the embassy must carry photo identification documents, such as an original ID card (Tazkira) or passport.
In Which Language Will the Interview Be Conducted?
Visa interviews are conducted in English. The embassy usually has a simultaneous interpreter for those who do not speak English. You must inform the embassy where your interview will take place if you need a simultaneous interpreter before your interview. This is important if the language needed is uncommon in the country where the embassy is located. If you require a simultaneous interpreter during your interview, respond to questions in short sentences. This will help the interpreter provide your story fully. Allow the interpreter time to relay all details to the responsible officer.
What Happens During the Interview?
The interviewing officer may ask you questions about any questions or documents that are part of the SIV request. Some common topics include:
- Your Family: The interviewer will ask whether you have a spouse or children. If you do, the interviewer will inquire about your marriage and when your children were born. They may also ask about your siblings or parents.
- Your Work History: The interviewer will ask about your work for the United States that qualified you to apply for SIV. They will ask when and where you worked or are currently working. They may inquire about your American supervisors. If applicable, they may ask why you left your job.
- Your Background in Afghanistan: The interviewer may ask where you lived and worked during Taliban rule in Afghanistan. They may inquire about your education and work history.
- The interviewer may ask for information related to all places you have traveled or lived. They may ask for phone numbers, email addresses, and social media accounts. They may also inquire about your siblings, children, and parents and request information about them.
- Previous Marriages and Divorces: If you or your spouse were previously married to another person, provide documents related to the divorce or death of the previous spouse to confirm that your current marriage is legally valid.
- Previous Visa Applications: If you have previously applied for any U.S. visa, be prepared to discuss those.
What Happens After the Interview?
The consular officer will ask you to write a letter stating your intention to:
- Move to the United States;
- Resign from your current job; and
- Permanently leave your current employment.
Final Step - Entering the United States
Applicants typically obtain a special immigration visa after the interview at the U.S. embassy, which means they have met all entry requirements to the United States. Applicants can immigrate to the U.S. by booking a flight ticket or reserving a ticket.
Individuals who have received a U.S. visa can collaborate with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to obtain flight tickets, assistance in the resettlement process, and necessary travel guidance to the U.S. The application process for this organization requires applicants to first fill out and sign the following two forms:
- Complete and sign Form DS-234 for each family member;
- Complete and sign the Refugee Benefits form for one case or one family;
- Copies of the passports and visas of all family members.
Send the above documents to the email address siv_ope@iom.int, which is associated with IOM. Remember that you will not receive an automatic reply after sending the email. Typically, this organization processes applicants' requests within about a month and facilitates the travel of all family members.
It is very important to be patient and allow IOM to review your case for reserving flight tickets. The IOM office is aware of your visa expiration date and will monitor it. Priority will be given to those with shorter visa expiration dates.
Upon your arrival in the U.S., necessary arrangements for your resettlement will be managed by the U.S. government. You can be assured that you and your family will be comprehensively attended to by an agency responsible for facilitating your relocation and resettlement. Additionally, you will receive sufficient information and necessary guidance regarding your resettlement details both before and after your arrival in the U.S.
Important Notes
- The U.S. Special Immigration Visa (SIV) case requires a lot of patience and perseverance from applicants, so it is essential to maintain your calm and composure.
- Arrive at the interview location at least 30 minutes before your scheduled time.
- You cannot bring large bags, mobile phones, or weapons into the embassy.
- You must have all necessary documents for the visa interview with you at the time of your appointment.
- There is a high likelihood that you may have to wait several hours in the embassy before your interview begins. You might want to bring a bottle of water and something to drink or eat.
- If you cannot remember certain details, explain as much as you know. Then explain why you cannot recall the others. It is better to say that you do not remember or do not know, and explain why it is not coming to mind now. Always be honest and tell the truth about anything you are asked.
- You and your family members traveling with you must complete necessary medical examinations at a clinic approved by the U.S. embassy before receiving the SIV. Do not schedule a medical appointment until the embassy has requested it from you. When it is necessary for you to undergo medical examinations, you will receive an email informing you of when and where to have your medical examinations done.
- Be polite and friendly with your Case Worker and ask them for help in resolving issues and finding employment.
Ask for help from "Beporsed"
For those Afghans seeking specific information, "Beporsed" is here to help. You can reach our information center through WhatsApp (+93729807235), Facebook Messenger, or our website's Messenger to ask our online information desk officer for assistance.
For more information
For more information on immigration, resettlement, education and scholarship programs, and other opportunities available to Afghans worldwide, as well as details on the humanitarian services provided by international organizations in Afghanistan and procedures for obtaining civil documents from governmental institutions, please visit Beporsed's website and social media pages.