To direct the Secretary of State to further surge capacity to better support special immigrant visa applicants who are nationals of Afghanistan, and for other purposes.
This bill directs the Secretary of State to expand capacity and resources to speed up the processing of special immigrant visas and refugee applications for Afghan nationals who helped the United States during its two decades of military involvement in Afghanistan. The legislation specifically focuses on assisting those Afghans now facing threats from the Taliban, whether they remain in Afghanistan or have fled to other countries. The bill requires the State Department to work with the Department of Homeland Security and other agencies to reduce application processing times while maintaining rigorous security screening, and encourages the government to allow refugee applications to begin while applicants are still in Afghanistan if practicable. The expansion of capacity would include hiring additional consular staff at U.S. embassies and consulates in the region. The bill does not specify funding amounts or implementation timelines but expresses Congressional intent that the United States should prioritize supporting these Afghan partners who face danger due to their previous assistance to American military and diplomatic missions.
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