IMPORTANT SIV UPDATE:

The government has paused issuing visas to Afghan SIV applicants. 

The deadline to file an application for COM approval under the Afghan Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) program was December 31, 2025. 

If you have a pending COM application, the U.S. government has stated that the deadline to submit any outstanding documents for your pending COM application is June 5, 2026.

If you receive a COM denial letter and you are able to appeal it, you should still have 120 days from the date the decision letter was sent to you, even if that date is after June 5, 2026. The June 5, 2026 deadline is only to submit additional documents for a pending application.

You can learn more about what this means for SIV applicants here.

This article was last updated on December 16, 2025.  

Summary

This article explains recent changes to the issuance of Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs) to Afghans and provides links to information that might be useful to people who are planning to travel.

Afghan SIV Recipients May Still be Able to Travel

The pause on issuing new special immigrant visas should not affect valid SIVs issued before the pause. If you had an approved SIV before the pause and have a visa in your passport, you may still be able to enter the United States. It is possible you could face additional questioning or even detention at the airport in the US. For information about how to prepare for questions at the airport, see the resources about arriving in the U.S. linked below.

You may be able to request travel assistance from IOM (siv_ope@iom.int). However, you do not need to wait for IOM to arrange your travel to the United States. If you have been issued an SIV, you can purchase your own flights and arrange your own travel to the United States.

Once you arrive, you should be able to receive resettlement benefits for 90 days.

Additional information and resources

IRAP has made some resources that have more detail about what you can expect when you’re traveling to US airports, as well as information about your rights. These resources are printable and designed so that you can take them with you when you travel.

• General information 
  • What it is: This resource has suggestions for how to prepare for your trip and your arrival. 
  • Who it’s for: It’s designed for anyone who’s arriving at a US airport for the first time, including SIVs. Even if you’ve gone to the US before, we recommend reading this resource to make sure you understand what things are like at US airports right now.
• Know Your Rights for Travel
  • What it is: A guide that explains what SIVs should know before coming to the United States. It includes a letter from IRAP that you can use to explain to US customs officials that you are a Special Immigrant Visa holder.