As an Afghan outside of the U.S. seeking immigration options, there are various resources available to explore. If you had a Special Immigrant Visa or other case at the U.S. Embassy Kabul and are now outside of Afghanistan but not in the United States, there is a guide available to transfer your SIV application. Additionally, there are guides for applying to the Special Immigrant Visa program, the new Afghan P-2 refugee program, reuniting with family members in the U.S., and more. If you are in the U.S. and need legal help, there are free immigration legal service providers and private immigration attorneys available. However, if you are in Afghanistan and seeking to apply to a U.S. immigration option, there is no visa processing available at this time.
The content of this guide is written by the International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP) and is also available on IRAP's legal information website here. This website provides general information about legal processes available to some refugees. It is not meant as legal advice for individual applications. This information was revised in August 2023. Requirements may change. Always check for current requirements from the government or agency deciding your request.
"Beporsed" is privileged to publish this information with the explicit permission of IRAP, ensuring that Afghans seeking accurate and reliable guidance can access it conveniently.
If you fled Afghanistan and want to move to the United States:
If you had a Special Immigrant Visa or other case at the U.S. Embassy Kabul and are now outside of Afghanistan but not in the United States, read IRAP’s guide “Can I transfer my SIV application?” here.
Even if you do not have a pending case, you may be eligible to apply for an immigration pathway to the United States. This website has many resources about U.S. immigration pathways:
- Guides for people who are applying to the Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) program.
- A guide about the new Afghan P-2 refugee program.
- A guide for US-based media organizations and NGOs that employed Afghans.
- A guide for reuniting with family members in the U.S.
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Guides for family members in the U.S. to reunite with relatives abroad
- A guide for refugees and asylees in the U.S. to reunite with their relatives
- A guide for U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents (green card holders) to reunite with their relatives; and
- A guide for SIV applicants to obtain SIVs for their spouse and children.
- The Department of State also has a website for Afghan Family Reunification. The website has a form for Afghans who were evacuated to the United States and who were granted parole and remain in their period of parole or were granted temporary protected status to request family reunification. The form is called the DS-4317 and is available here.
- A guide explaining the basics of humanitarian parole for people who are not eligible for SIVs or any other kind of visa.
IRAP’s guide on what to expect at a U.S. airport upon arrival is here.
If you are in the U.S. and need legal help:
You may be eligible to apply for asylum, Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) status, or another status. You should consult an immigration lawyer.
- A list of free immigration legal service providers in the United States is available here.
- A list of private immigration attorneys in the United States is available here.
If you are in Afghanistan and seeking to apply to a U.S. immigration option:
There is no U.S. visa processing available for people who are in Afghanistan at this time.
As of January 2023, the U.S. government provides departure assistance to certain visa applicants, refugee applicants, and family members of previously evacuated Afghans in limited circumstances. IRAP is unable to provide any assistance with evacuation or departure assistance. For legal information, see IRAP’s guide on requesting evacuation from Afghanistan.
Be careful about sharing information about you and your family’s information if someone you do not know asks about your applications.
If you are looking for options about immigration to EU countries
Another resource with information about immigration options for France, India, Ireland, Italy, the United Kingdom, and the United States are the Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network (APRRN)’s Legal Information Sheets for Afghans, available here in English and Dari.
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.