The following is the list of the most frequently and repeatedly asked questions by Afghan SIV applicants during the month of July 2022.
- I submitted my SIV application around August 2021 or after August 2021. Why have I not received a NVC case number yet?
- When will I get the COM approval? How long does it take?
- My SIV application was denied. How can I appeal my case? When will I get my appeal approval decision?
- How can I transfer my SIV case to US Embassy Islamabad or another US Embassy?
- My SIV case has been transferred to US Embassy Islamabad. When will I get my visa interview appointment?
- I already gave my visa interview in the US Embassy Islamabad. When will I get my visa issued?
- I do not have a passport, my passport is expired or my new born child does not have a passport. What should I do?
- How can I add my spouse (husband or wife) and/or my child/children in my Afghan SIV case?
- Who are eligible for the CARE team relocation flights to Qatar?
- Why the CARE team has not contacted me yet?
- The CARE team has contacted me. I have already send my passport copy to the CARE team. When will I get my flight to Qatar?
- Why my friend, cousin, or my co-worker’s SIV case was processed faster than mine? We both had applied on the same date!
Question 1: I submitted my SIV application around August 2021 or after August 2021. Why have I not received a NVC case number yet?
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. It is taking a very long time to issue a NVC case number as each individual application is processed. Please continue to wait patiently for your application to be processed and issued a NVC case number.
Question 2: When will I get the COM approval? How long does it take?
Answer 2: The processing time for receiving COM approval varies and is different for each individual Afghan SIV applicant. The time to receive your COM approval is unknown and will be different for each applicant.
To improve your chances of getting COM approval as quickly as possible, please make sure your SIV application meets all the requirements and you have followed the guidance mentioned in this link: What can I do while waiting for Chief of Mission (COM) approval?
Question 3: My SIV application was denied. How can I appeal my case? When will I get my appeal approval decision?
Answer 3: In order to successfully appeal your denied SIV application, you must first properly and completely understand the reason(s) your application was denied as mentioned in your denial letter.
To get help with understanding your denial and preparing your appeal, read the IRAP organization’s appeal guide in following languages:
- English denial appeal guide: https://support.iraplegalinfo.org/hc/en-us/articles/360056580932-I-received-a-denial-letter-from-COM-How-do-I-appeal-this-decision-
- Farsi denial appeal guide: https://support.iraplegalinfo.org/hc/fa/articles/360056580932-من-یک-نامهٔ-رد-درخواست-از-COM-دریافت-کردم-چگونه-در-خصوص-این-تصمیم-فرجام-خواهی-کنم-
- Pashto denial appeal guide: https://support.iraplegalinfo.org/hc/ps/articles/360056580932–ما-د-سي-او-ايم-COM-لخوا-د-رد-لېک-ترلاسه-کړو-څنګه-زه-د-دې-پرېکړې-په-وړاندې-عريضه-وکړم-
Unfortunately, the processing time for denial appeals are unknown and is different for each applicant. Make sure you have prepared a proper appeal package and have included new documents to support your reasonings for why you qualify and are eligible for the SIV program. DO NOT resubmit old documents! You must provide fresh new documents to support your claim and eligibility for the SIV program.
Question 4: How can I transfer my SIV case to US Embassy Islamabad or another US Embassy?
Answer 4: Operations at U.S. Embassy Kabul have been suspended since August 31, 2021. U.S. Embassy Kabul is unable to provide visa services, including visa interviews, in Afghanistan at this time. Applicants with an approved I-360 petition (have conditional approval), who are ready to schedule their SIV interview at a U.S. embassy or consulate outside Afghanistan, should contact NVC by submitting NVC Inquiry Form to request their case to be transferred.
Link for the NVC Inquiry Form: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/visa-information-resources/ask-nvc.html
Please do not request that your case be transferred to a country you will not be able to travel to. Make sure you are able to obtain the country visa before requesting case transfer. For example, do not request your case to be transferred to Pakistan, India or Uzbekistan, Turkey, Russia, UAE, etc. if you can not get the visa or do not have the money to get the visas and can not travel there to attend your interview.
Please note that SIV interviews can only be transferred to U.S. embassies or consulates with immigrant visa processing capacity and that NVC cannot help you enter or obtain a visa for a third country.
The following countries can not process Afghan SIV or U.S. immigrant visa cases:
- Tajikistan
- Iran
- Syria
- Libya
- Yemen
- North Korea
- Bhutan
- Afghanistan
- Ukraine
Applicants still undergoing COM or I-360 processing do not need to transfer their case. If you do not have conditional approval, you do not need to transfer your case.
Your interview will be scheduled after you submit all required documents, making your case documentarily complete, and the receiving U.S. Embassy has notified NVC they have interview capacity. NVC will send you an email notification when your interview is scheduled. SIV interviews are being prioritized by U.S. Embassies worldwide. However, interview wait times may vary post to post even for SIVs due to COVID-19 and other capacity limitations. Please continue to have patience with the case to be transferred, interview appointment scheduled, and processed for visa.
Question 5: My SIV case has been transferred to US Embassy Islamabad. When will I get my visa interview appointment?
Answer 5: You will get visa interview appointment once you have submitted all the required documents, your case is documentarily complete, and the U.S. Embassy Islamabad has notified the NVC they have interview capacity available. Once interview appointment slot becomes available for your case, the NVC will send you an email notification to inform you of your interview appointment date.
The exact time for receiving appointment schedule at U.S. Embassy Islamabad is unknown and is different for each applicant.
Question 6: I already gave my visa interview in the US Embassy Islamabad. When will I get my visa issued?
Answer 6: You will get your visa issued once your “Administrative Processing” (Security Background Check) have completed successfully without any security problems preventing your entry into the United States. The Administrative Processing times for each case is different and depends on many factors such as travel history, criminal history, associations and connections with foreign governments, organizations, agencies, suspicious activities, etc. These are just some examples and not a complete list.
It is recommended to regularly open and check your DS-260 application to make sure it shows “Complete” status for everyone in your case. If not showing “complete”, then resubmit it after checking for mistakes, missing information and expired passport dates.
Please continue to have patience and wait for your administrative processing to finish.
Question 7: I do not have a passport, my passport is expired or my new born child does not have a passport. What should I do?
Answer 7: If you do not have a passport or your passport is expired, then please either apply for a new passport or get the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) extension sticker.
If your new born child does not have a passport, then please apply for a new passport for the child.
If you wish to participate in the CARE team’s relocation flight to Qatar, then you and your family members must have valid passports that are not expired. Afghan passports with extension stickers are accepted.
Question 8: How can I add my spouse (husband or wife) and/or my child/children in my Afghan SIV case?
Answer 8: If you wish to add your husband, wife or child in your SIV case, then please submit following items to NVC using the Public Inquiry Form.
Attach the new family member’s documents in the form:
- Afghan passport copy.
- Afghan Electronic Tazkera — If you have the paper tazkera, then English translation is also required.
- Nikha Khat with English translation (Marriage certificate if adding husband or wife to your case).
Please clearly and completely explain your request to add new family member in the public inquiry form.
Question 9: Who are eligible for the CARE team relocation flights to Qatar?
Answer 9: As of July 2022, the following categories are eligible for the relocation flights to Qatar:
- U.S. citizens and their immediate family members such as spouse, children under 21 years old and parents.
- LPR (Green Card Holders) and their spouse and children under 21 years old. Green Card holder parents are not eligible.
- Afghan SIV cases that are in the “Interview Ready Stage”. This means you have already submitted DS-260 application and your case is ready to be interviewed. If you had already given interview at U.S. Embassy Kabul, then you are also eligible.
For more information and to get the latest updates, visit: https://afghanevac.org/flight-manifest-eligibility/
Question 10: Why the CARE team has not contacted me yet?
Answer 10: Please continue to wait patiently for the CARE team to contact you as they identify eligible SIV cases. Due to a very large number of SIV cases, this might take some time.
Please make sure you and your family members have valid passports that are not expired. You will not be able to travel to Qatar if you do not have passport or if your passport is expired.
Do not wait for the CARE team to contact you to get your passport. Apply for passport or get extension sticker as soon as possible.
Question 11: The CARE team has contacted me. I have already send my passport copy to the CARE team. When will I get my flight to Qatar?
Answer 11: Once the CARE team has contacted you and you have submitted your passport, you will be processed to be scheduled for relocation flight to Qatar as the capacity and resources allow. Please continue to wait patiently for your turn to arrive. It might take several weeks to several months of waiting.
The processing time for your relocation flight to Qatar is unknown.
Question 12: Why my friend, cousin, or my co-worker’s SIV case was processed faster than mine? We both had applied together on the same date.
Answer 12: Please kindly avoid comparing your own SIV case processing times with other SIV cases. Each SIV application is processed individually and will have different processing times, including for those that have applied together on the same dates.
Please continue to have patience and wait patiently for your own SIV case to be processed. To increase and improve your chances of your SIV case getting processed as quickly as possible, always make sure your SIV application documents are all complete and meets all the requirements.
Make sure you have followed all the requirements and instructions as listed on the official Afghan SIV webpage:
You may also review the IRAP organization’s website for guidance and information at: https://support.iraplegalinfo.org/hc/en-us/sections/360008472712-U-S-Special-Immigrant-Visas-SIVs-