This guide gives information for Afghan SIV applicants who have applied for Chief of Mission (COM) approval and are still waiting for a decision. If you are in this situation, you can take these steps:
1. Confirm that the documents you submitted to COM meet all requirements. If they do not, submit new or revised documents to COM.
The SIV program requirements have changed over time. The current SIV requirements are listed on this website.
- Applicants must prove at least one year of eligible work.
- SIV applications should meet all of the requirements in the current guidelines. If it does not, COM may deny your application.
- Submit new or revised documents to AfghanSIVApplication@state.gov.
2. Confirm that your supervisor and employer contact information is still correct. If it is not correct, email COM to provide their new contact information.
Two key parts of the COM application are the letter of recommendation (LOR) from a supervisor and the employment verification (EV) letter from your company. COM always contacts supervisors and employers using the information in their letters. If COM cannot contact them, COM may deny your application.
- Contact supervisors and employers regularly until you receive COM approval. If their contact information changes, ask them for a new letter with their current contact information. For example, if your supervisor leaves his job, or a company changes names, ask for a new letter with current information.
- If you do not have contact information for your supervisor or employer, IRAP’s guide on contacting supervisors and employers is here.
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Ask for an updated letter:
- Ask your supervisor for an updated LOR with a current email address (work and personal), a phone number, and any other updates.
- The new LOR should be dated and signed with a pen.
- Make sure the LOR meets current guidelines.
- Submit new or revised documents to AfghanSIVApplication@state.gov.
3. Update LORs and EV if your work dates are incorrect or if your work ends.
Sometimes, SIV applicants receive LORs or EV while they are still working for a company. Then they might leave the job before they have COM approval. Other times, letters have incorrect work dates. In these cases, it may be helpful to have former supervisors and companies update or correct their letters.
- Each LOR and EV should include the exact start and end dates of supervision. For example, it should say “January 1, 2015” instead of just “January 2015.”
- Each EV should say why you no longer work for the company.
- Submit new or revised documents to AfghanSIVApplication@state.gov.
4. Check for common issues.
Below is a list of common SIV problems. This list is not complete. Always check the U.S. government COM guidelines. If there are any issues with the LOR or EV, ask for an updated letter that meets the guidelines. Then submit the updated letters to COM.
- In the LOR, your supervisor must state whether the applicant poses a threat to the national security or safety of the United States, to the best of their knowledge.
- Your EV should list the U.S. government contract numbers for the work you completed. If you worked for a subcontractor, make sure your EV includes both the subcontract number and the U.S. government prime contract number.
- If an employer can provide copies of cover pages for all relevant subcontracts or contracts, submit those documents to COM. COM must be able to confirm the existence of contracts for your required period of work.
- All LORs and EV should be dated and signed with a pen, not an electronic signature.
- Submit new or revised documents to AfghanSIVApplication@state.gov.
5. Check your application status regularly.
Afghan SIV applicants waiting for a COM decision can email AfghanSIVApplication@state.gov to check their case status. Include your name, date of birth, and SIV case number in the subject line of the email and in the body of the email.
As of November 2022, the government is representing that it is responding to emails sent to AfghanSIVApplication@state.gov within two weeks.
Asking for help
You or your relative may want to ask an immigration attorney for help with this process. Here are a few resources:
- Information about asking for help from IRAP is here.
- If you are in Jordan, you can ask for IRAP Jordan’s help using this form. If the form is closed, you can check back at a later date.
- 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.
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.