Immigration International

USA Visa For Afghans

USA Visa  for Afghans  Family Reunification:

USA Visa: Family Reunification for Afghans

The U.S. Government is committed to helping U.S. citizens and Afghans in the United States reunite with their family members who remain in Afghanistan. This page describes your different immigration options for reuniting with your family. Your options are based on your citizenship, your immigration status, and how you entered the United States.

Your first step is the immigration process. In addition, some family members may be eligible for assistance from the U.S. Government to depart Afghanistan. If the U.S. Government helps your family members depart Afghanistan, they will only be able to enter the United States if approved by U.S. immigration officials.

 

If You Are a U.S. Citizen:

If you are a U.S. citizen, your spouse, your children, and your parents may be eligible to immigrate to the United States immediately.  U.S. citizens may also petition for their siblings and unmarried adult children, who may immigrate once a visa is available.

The immigration process for your family members:

You begin the immigrant visa application process for your family members by filing a petition, the Form I-130 Petition for Alien Relative, with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). USCIS will review petitions as quickly as possible. If USCIS approves the petition, the National Visa Center (NVC) will contact your family members to apply for their immigrant visas. How fast they can be interviewed will depend on their visa category.

The NVC may ask you to complete additional steps. For example, you may need to file Form I-864 Affidavit of Support to demonstrate your financial means to sponsor your family.

For more information on the immigrant visa program, see the USCIS’ Petition for Alien Relative and Department of State’s Family Immigration websites.

 

If You Are a Lawful Permanent Resident:

USA Visa:

If you are a lawful permanent resident, your spouse and your unmarried children under the age of 21, and unmarried adult sons and daughters may be eligible to immigrate to the United States.

The immigration process for your family members:

NOTE: If you became a lawful permanent resident through the Afghan Special Immigrant Visa program, your family members may have additional immigration options. See the next section, “If you are a lawful permanent resident through the Afghan SIV program.”

You begin the immigrant visa application process for your family members by filing a petition, the Form I-130 Petition for Alien Relative, with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). USCIS will review petitions as quickly as possible. If USCIS approves the petition, the National Visa Center (NVC) will contact your family members to apply for their immigrant visas. How fast they can be interviewed will depend on their visa category.

The NVC may ask you to complete additional steps. For example, you may need to file Form I-864 Affidavit of Support to demonstrate your financial means to sponsor your family.

For more information on the immigrant visa program, see the USCIS’ Petition for Alien Relative and Department of State’s Family Immigration websites.

Departure assistance for your family members:

The U.S. Government may be able to offer departure assistance for your spouse and your unmarried children under the age of 21. The Department of State will contact your family members with departure options after the NVC has notified your family members that their immigrant visa applications are ready for an interview. If the U.S. Government can help your family members depart Afghanistan, they will travel to a country where they can complete the immigrant visa process. Your family members will require a valid passport. U.S. government assistance to depart Afghanistan is not a guarantee of visa issuance.  Additionally, the decision to issue or refuse a visa must be made by a consular officer during the visa interview.

You should NOT travel to Afghanistan to accompany your family members. You are not required to be in Afghanistan for the U.S. Government to help your family members depart Afghanistan. The U.S. Government will not help your family members depart more quickly if you are in Afghanistan.

Complete Form I-130

If You Obtained Lawful Permanent Residency through the Afghan SIV Program:

If you are a lawful permanent resident through the Afghan Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) program, your spouse and unmarried children under the age of 21 may be eligible to immigrate to the United States through the Afghan SIV program.

The immigration process for your family members:

NOTE: Your family members are also eligible for an immigrant visa using Form I-130 Petition for Alien Relative. See the section “If you are a lawful permanent resident,” above.

If you included your spouse or unmarried children under the age of 21 on your original SIV application for Chief of Mission approval, your family members may be processed as SIV “follow-to-join” family members.  If the case is at the National Visa Center (NVC), please contact the NVC and request a case transfer to the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate your family members can reach. If the case has already been transferred to a U.S. Embassy or Consulate other than Kabul, please visit usembassy.gov and contact that U.S. Embassy or Consulate. For more information, see the Department of State website.

If you entered the United States as an SIV holder, and if you married or had a child before you entered the United States, please contact the NVC to notify them that you are a permanent resident so that your spouse or child can apply for an immigrant visa.

If did not enter the United States as an SIV holder but later adjusted to Special Immigrant status, and if you married or had a child before you adjusted to Special Immigrant status, your spouse or child may be added to your SIV case and processed as SIV “follow-to-join” family members. You will file the Form I-824 Application for Action on an Approved Application or Petition with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).  If USCIS approves the petition, the NVC will contact you and your family members to begin the SIV application process.

If you married or your child was born after you became a lawful permanent resident in the United States, your family members are not eligible for the SIV “follow-to-join” process. Instead, see the section “If you are a lawful permanent resident,” above.

USA Visa

Departure assistance for your family members:

The U.S. Government may be able to offer departure assistance for your spouse and your unmarried children under the age of 21. The Department of State will contact your family members with departure options after the NVC has notified your family members that their SIV applications are ready for an interview. If the U.S. Government can help your family members depart Afghanistan, they will travel to a country where they can complete the SIV process. Your family members will require a valid passport. U.S. government assistance to depart Afghanistan is not a guarantee of visa issuance.  Additionally, the decision to issue or refuse a visa must be made by a consular officer during the visa interview

USA Visa:

If You Are a Refugee or Asylee:

If you hold refugee status or asylee status, your spouse and your unmarried children under the age of 21 may be eligible to immigrate to the United States.

The immigration process for your family members:

You begin the immigration application process for your family members by filing a “follow-to-join” petition, the Form I-730 Refugee/Asylee Relative Petition, with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). USCIS will review petitions as quickly as possible.  If you were admitted to the United States as a refugee more than two years ago or were granted asylum more than two years ago, you will need to request a waiver of the two-year filing deadline in Part 3 of Form I-730 and explain why you could not file before the two years.

If USCIS approves the petition, the Department of State or USCIS will contact your family members to continue their application for their “follow-to-join” refugee or asylee status.

USA Visa:

Departure assistance for your family members:

The U.S. Government may be able to offer departure assistance for your spouse and your unmarried children under the age of 21. The Department of State will contact your family members with departure options after your I-730 has been approved and your family members are ready for an interview. If the U.S. Government can help your family members depart Afghanistan, they will travel to a country where they can complete the “follow-to-join” process. Your family members will require a valid passport.  If the U.S. Government has helped/helps your family members depart Afghanistan, they will only be able to enter the United States after approval by U.S. immigration officials.

If You Are a Parolee:

If you were paroled into the United States and currently remain a parolee or were paroled into the United States and subsequently granted Temporary Protected Status (TPS), your spouse and your unmarried children under the age of 21 may be eligible for admission to the United States as refugees.

The immigration process for your family members:

You begin the application process for your family members by filing Form DS-4317 Family Reunification Assistance for Afghan Parolees who are in the United States with the Department of State. This form will be published at a later date.  You will need to enter information from your Employment Authorization Document (EAD) and provide documentation demonstrating your relationship with your family members, such as birth certificates or marriage certificates.

USA Visa:

Departure assistance for your family members:

The U.S. Government may be able to offer departure assistance for your spouse and your unmarried children under the age of 21.  The Department of State will contact you with departure options for your family members after your DS-4317 has been received. If the U.S. Government can help your family members depart Afghanistan, they will travel to a country where they can complete the refugee process. Your family members will require a valid passport.  If the U.S. Government helps your family members depart Afghanistan, they will only be able to enter the United States after approval by U.S. immigration officials.

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