The United States will ease immigration requirements for Afghans, a senior administration official said on Monday
WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 18th July, 2022) The United States will ease immigration requirements for Afghans, a senior administration official said on Monday.
"Starting July 20, all new Afghan SIV (Special Immigrant visa) applicants and the majority of applicants already in contact with us, will no longer be required to submit a separate form I-360 petition for special immigrant status to USCIS (US Citizenship and Immigration Services)," the official told reporters.
"The elimination of this 19-page form will greatly ease the administrative burden on applicants and reduce processing time," the official added.
The change, when introduced, is expected to save about a month of adjudication time, according to estimates made by those proposing the fast-track procedure.
The change also means that applicants will no longer have to deal with several government agencies.
"The State Department will process these applications from start to finish," the official explained, noting that since last spring, the US has been averaging some 2,000 cases a month.
