USCIS offers many other online services and tools at uscis.gov to help you find the information you need. Processing Times for Family-Based Adjustment of Status Applications (I-485) increased from 7.9 months to 13.2 months %67 Processing Times for Naturalization Applications (N-400) increased from 7.9 months to almost a whole year, 11.6 months, almost %47 Why do cases take longer? ); Copies of supporting documentation of the correct information. 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. 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. 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. There are many forms of abuse and exploitation, including domestic violence, forced marriage and human trafficking. . The attestation should state that the information in the statement you provided is valid. Polygamous marriages are legal under Afghan law, but they are illegal in all states in the United States. For more information, please see Employee Rights and Resources on I-9 Central. Kim Staffieri begins her day by setting up a work station on her front porch in Fairport, N.Y., from where she volunteers to help Afghans . Some Afghan lawful permanent residents who adjusted status as Afghan special immigrants (SIV LPRs) under the OAW effort may seek follow-to-join immigration benefits for their spouses and children outside the United States. If you are an Afghan SIV LPR admitted to the United States with a conditional status (CQ1, CQ2 or CQ3), you must call the USCIS Contact Center to make an appointment at your local USCIS field office to submit your Form I-693, Report of Medical Examination and Vaccination Record, completed by a USCIS-designated civil surgeon. This article provides an overview of the SIV program . Refer to the conditions of your parole that were provided to you when you entered the United States. Your Form I-94, Arrival/Departure Record, will be stamped with the words Special Immigrant Status (SQ/SI) Parole, Were admitted into the United States as a conditional permanent resident with a CBP stamp admitting you as a CQ1, CQ2, or CQ3 class of admission (COA), Were paroled into the United States by CBP, Were paroled into the United States under Operation Allies Welcome (OAW), and as a condition of your parole, you completed medical requirements at a government-run facility after you arrived in the United States, Your medical screening was documented on Form I-693, Your medical screening was documented on Form SF-600, Were paroled into the United States under OAW, You didnotcomplete medical requirements either as a condition of your parole before arrival in the United States or at a government-run facility after arrival in the United States, Were paroled into the United States after USCIS adjudicated your parole request and you received a boarding foil for travel from a U.S. embassy or consulate, You didnotcomplete all the medical requirements through a panel physician before arrival in the United States, Were paroled into the United States under OAW, and you completed an immigration medical examination before you arrived in the United States, You filed your application for adjustment of status, and no evidence from your immigration medical examination or adjustment of status interview suggests you acquired a Class A medical condition after you entered the United States, You do not have to repeat the immigration medical examination or submit Form I-693 when you adjust your status. If we determine you are inadmissible based on health-related grounds, you may be eligible to obtain a waiver of inadmissibility by filing. For more information, see the One-Year Filing Deadline Lesson Plan (PDF, 545.34 KB). Find additional information about Form I-9 and your rights as an employee at theI-9 Central webpage. In Part 1, Reason for Applying, select 1.a., Initial permission to accept employment, In Part 2, list your country of birth as Afghanistan. (Questions 19.c.) 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. We will also continue our efforts to help Lawful Permanent Residents, as well as the many Afghans who have stood with us over the years, who are seeking to leave Afghanistan. If you were admitted to the United States as an Afghan SIV LPR more than 6 months ago, and you have not received a Green Card, please contact us using the. It is not possible to provide precise wait times as staffing and local conditions affect capacity and scheduling. We will mail your Green Cardto the address on record. You should not travel to Afghanistan to accompany your family members. 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 SIV program has faced massive backlog and processing can take months, if not years for some. Nov 1995 - Jun 201014 years 8 months. For more information about changing your address, see the How to Change Your Address webpage. Ste 400 Their future is . It is important to include with your address change request the receipt number for any pending cases with USCIS, so we can update the address associated with those cases. Suite 504 Use the Asylum Office Locator to find your asylum office. If you have questions or need to update your personal information with USCIS, visit the USCIS Contact Center to connect with a USCIS representative. [He/she] can also email NVCSIV@state.gov for questions about your SIV case. 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. July 18, 2022. You must obtain the required vaccinations and TB testing listed on your conditions of parole. "Processing timep and Afghan SIV applicants that consistently exceeded guideLinep, in applications stalled in various stages and of process," of OIG said. Review and submit you application to receive $0 fee. For more information, see ourGreen Card for a Refugee page. government reported a total average processing time for Afghan SIV applicants of 564 days. 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. U.S. Department of Homeland Security Through Sept. 30, 2023, there is no fee to file a petition on behalf of any Afghan national (beneficiary) with a visa immediately available. You filed the application within a reasonable period of time given those circumstances. For more information, see the DOSs, On or after July 20, 2022, you may seek special immigrant classification by filing Form DS-157, Petition for Special Immigrant Classification for Afghan SIV Applicants, when you apply for COM approval. 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. For questions related to pending refugee cases, please emailrefugeeaffairsinquiries@uscis.dhs.gov. After the 90-day period, parolees must present an unexpired Form I-765, Employment Authorization Document (EAD), or unrestricted Social Security card and acceptable List B identity document from the Form I-9 Lists of Acceptable Documents (such as a state-issued drivers license or identification card). Home. . If we determine you are not inadmissible based on health-related grounds, we will remove the conditions on your permanent residence. Operation Allies Welcome Expeditious Processing for Asylum Applications. 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. few days a go I asked IRC to support me in order to find out the status of my case but they replied like this: Dear Shafi . If you have an asylum application pending with USCIS, you can check yourCase Status Online. For more information on obtaining a Form I-94, see the CBP. The following resources are kept up-to-date with key policy and legal developments. The elimination of this 19-page form will greatly ease the administrative burden on applicants and reduce processing time. Keep the copy of the original Form I-693 given to you at the government-run facility for future use. Box 648003 Need to update your initial EAD validity date to align with your updated Form I-94 parole period. 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. If IOM is unable to resolve your inquiry, and you still are not able to obtain your EAD, determine whether you need to update your mailing address or report your card as not received (see options below). and 18.b. This section has a link to Form DS-4317, Family Reunification Assistance for Afghan Parolees' Immediate Family Members Outside the United States, which you may use to apply for your eligible family members. 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. USCIS may require you to appear for an interview or provide biometrics (fingerprints, photograph, and/or signature) at any time to verify your identity, obtain additional information, and conduct additional background and security checks, including a check of criminal history records maintained by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), before making a decision on your Form I-765 application. If the error you report is that the photograph on your card is incorrect, we may send you a notice for an appointment to have a new photograph taken at a USCIS application support center. 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. Afghan Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) applicants crowd into an internet cafe to apply for the SIV program in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Aug. 8. New Afghan SIV applicants will no longer need to file an I-360 petition. 313th MI BN, 82nd Airborne Division (1998-2004 . September 22, 2022. . If you need a break, you can ask for one. 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. 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). August 9, 2022, 3:42 PM. and Foreign Service Personnel in how to best advocate for Special Immigrant Visas for their Iraqi and Afghan Interpreters. If you have a family member who is eligible to file, See below for information on Special Immigrant Status, Family-Based Immigration Petitions (Form I-130 or. Review our. 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. 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. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS Please submit any urgent interview scheduling requests in writing to the asylum office with jurisdiction over your case. For questions related to pending humanitarian parole requests, please email HumanitarianParole@uscis.dhs.gov. If you have questions regarding any pending application, please see the Contact Uswebpage for more information. Media & News | Reports | Contact | FAQ. (Your parole will not be valid if you violate its terms.) 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. 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. For inquiries regarding a pending Chief of Mission application or immigrant visa, please visit theDepartment of States Special Immigrant Visas for Afghans Who Were Employed by/on Behalf of the U.S. Governmentwebpage for contact information. Postal Service, FedEx, UPS, and DHL deliveries. If your application is approved, USCIS will mail your green card to you shortly after your adjustment of status interview. To find information about an asylum office, visit theUSCIS Service and Office Locator. 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. Alert: If you are filing Form I-130 on behalf of your Afghan national relative whose country of birth in Part 4, Item 7, is not Afghanistan, please write OAW at the top of your Form I-130 to be considered for a fee exemption that is effective through Sept. 30, 2023. 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. If you are upset or uncomfortable, ask for a short break to calm down and recollect your thoughts. . Life Under the Taliban Life in a Remote Valley in Kunar Province. Suite 100 If the U.S. government helps your family members depart Afghanistan, they will only be able to enter the United States if U.S. immigration officials approve their entry. 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. If you were told you must get additional treatment, follow up with your health department. 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. Additionally, you must clear a background check and appropriate screening, as determined by the secretary of homeland security, and must be determined eligible to receive an immigrant visa and otherwise admissible to the United States for permanent residence. 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. Please include your relatives country of birth on Part 4, Item 7., of the Form I-130. See USCIS, Were admitted into the United States as a conditional permanent resident with a CBP stamp admitting you as a CQ1, CQ2, or CQ3 Class of Admission (COA), You believe you have already completed the immigration medical examination, either outside the United States with a panel physician (as documented on the appropriate DS forms) or at a government-run facility in the United States (as documented on Form I-693). Afghan Parolees Employment Authorized Incident to Parole. Note that a Social Security card that contains no employment restrictions is not available to parolees and individuals who are not admitted to the United States on a permanent basis. This policy update applies to Afghan parolees whose unexpired Form I-94, Arrival/Departure Record, contains a class of admission of OAR, if their parole has not been terminated. 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