The United States remains deeply committed to Afghanistan and will use its full diplomatic, economic, and assistance toolkit to support the peaceful, stable future the Afghan people want and deserve.
We also have a commitment to Afghans who have worked for the U.S. government at great personal risk to themselves and their families. This is reflected in U.S. legislation that authorizes Special Immigrant Visas for those Afghans who served with us. We and the U.S. Department of State take seriously our role in the SIV program, including that it processes visa applications as quickly as possible. To this end, the State Department recently approved a temporary increase in embassy staffing to complete personal interviews and related work that allowed us to address SIV applications delayed in 2020 due to COVID-19 related closures.
Ambassador Ross Wilson, U.S. Charge d’Affaires, commented on the program, “Afghans who work or have worked for the United States are not and will not be forgotten. For their unwavering service, we will remain dedicated to them, and the priority my colleagues and I attach to SIV applications reflects that. We are also working to further our security, political, and economic engagement here and support for Afghanistan that will write a new chapter in our relations. Through decades of close ties, the U.S.-Afghan partnership will endure.”
After our forces leave this country, the United States will maintain a robust embassy in Kabul. The U.S. mission, our Consular Section team, and our colleagues in Washington will continue to give the highest priority to the SIV program and to the debt America owes to those who serve with us.
