A Special Immigrant Visa, or SIV, is a U.S. immigrant visa that grants lawful permanent residency to certain foreign nationals who worked for or on behalf of the U.S. government in conflict zones, primarily Afghanistan and Iraq. The SIV visa’s meaning is rooted in protection: the program exists because translators, interpreters, and other local staff often face life-threatening retaliation for their service to American missions. An approved SIV holder enters the United States as a green card holder from day one, with the same resettlement benefits as a refugee and a standard five-year path to citizenship.
The term itself is broader in statute than in everyday use. Section 101(a)(27) of the Immigration and Nationality Act defines several “special immigrant” categories, including religious workers, special immigrant juveniles, and certain international organization employees.1U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Employment-Based Immigration: Fourth Preference EB-4 In practice, when people say “SIV,” they almost always mean the programs for Afghan and Iraqi nationals who supported U.S. operations.
The Three Main SIV Programs
Three distinct programs sit under the SIV label, each created by a different statute and covering a different population.
The Afghan SIV Program
The largest program was created by Section 602(b) of the Afghan Allies Protection Act of 2009. It covers Afghan nationals who were employed by or on behalf of the U.S. government, the International Security Assistance Force, or a successor mission in Afghanistan between October 7, 2001, and December 31, 2023, for at least one year. Applicants must have provided faithful and valuable service and must have experienced or currently face an ongoing serious threat because of that employment.2U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Green Card for an Afghan Who Was Employed by or on Behalf of the U.S. Government
Congress authorized up to 50,500 visas for principal applicants under this program after December 19, 2014. As of June 30, 2024, roughly 34,771 had been issued, leaving about 15,729 remaining.3Congressional Research Service. Iraqi and Afghan Special Immigrant Visa Programs
The Translator and Interpreter Program
Section 1059 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2006 established a separate, permanent program for Iraqi and Afghan nationals who worked directly with the U.S. Armed Forces as translators or interpreters for at least 12 months. Applicants can also qualify if they worked under Chief of Mission authority for the same duration. The program is much smaller, capped at 50 principal applicants per year.4U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS Policy Manual – Certain Iraqi and Afghan Translators and Interpreters
The Iraqi SIV Program
A parallel Iraqi program under Section 1244 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 expired for principal applicants at the end of fiscal year 2013, with a limited extension allowing some cases through September 2014. Only a handful of legacy cases remain in the pipeline.3Congressional Research Service. Iraqi and Afghan Special Immigrant Visa Programs
Who Qualifies
The Afghan SIV program under the Afghan Allies Protection Act has the broadest applicant pool and the most detailed criteria. To qualify, an applicant must meet all four:
- Be a citizen or national of Afghanistan.
- Have at least one year of qualifying employment by or on behalf of the U.S. government, ISAF, or a successor mission during the eligible period.
- Show faithful and valuable service, documented through a positive letter of recommendation from a supervisor or someone higher in the chain of command.
- Demonstrate an ongoing serious threat as a direct consequence of that employment.
The ongoing serious threat requirement is where many applications stall. An applicant who cannot demonstrate a credible, specific threat connected to qualifying employment faces denial even after meeting every other criterion.2U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Green Card for an Afghan Who Was Employed by or on Behalf of the U.S. Government
For the translator and interpreter program under Section 1059, the criteria are narrower: direct work with U.S. Armed Forces or under Chief of Mission authority as a translator or interpreter for at least 12 months.4U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS Policy Manual – Certain Iraqi and Afghan Translators and Interpreters
Every applicant must also clear the standard inadmissibility grounds that apply to all immigrant visas, including health, criminal, security, and fraud-related bars. SIV applicants face particularly rigorous security screening given the nature of their service in conflict zones, and that vetting is one of the main reasons processing times stretch well beyond statutory goals.
What an SIV Includes
An SIV is not a temporary or work-limited status. Approval means the applicant is admitted to the United States as a lawful permanent resident, with a green card and the right to live and work anywhere in the country indefinitely.
Family Members
An approved SIV holder can bring their spouse and unmarried children under 21. These derivative beneficiaries receive the same special immigrant classification as the principal applicant and must independently clear all security and admissibility requirements.5U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS Policy Manual – Certain Afghan Nationals A child who turns 21 or marries before obtaining the visa loses derivative eligibility unless protected under the Child Status Protection Act.6U.S. Department of State Foreign Affairs Manual. 9 FAM 502.1 – IV Classifications Overview Each family member receives their own immigrant visa and green card on arrival.
Resettlement Benefits
SIV holders receive the same federal resettlement benefits as refugees, administered by the Office of Refugee Resettlement. For individuals with an ORR eligibility date on or after May 5, 2025, Refugee Cash Assistance covers basic needs like food, shelter, and transportation for the first four months after arrival. Those who do not qualify for Medicaid can receive Refugee Medical Assistance for the same four-month period. Employment services through the Refugee Support Services program run for up to five years, and Reception and Placement services are available through local resettlement agencies.7Administration for Children and Families. Benefits for Afghan and Iraqi Special Immigrant Visa Holders or SQ/SI Parolees SIV holders may also qualify for mainstream federal benefits such as SSI, TANF, Medicaid, and SNAP.
Path to Citizenship
Because SIV holders enter as lawful permanent residents, the path to citizenship follows the standard naturalization rules. After five years as a green card holder, an SIV recipient can file Form N-400. The applicant must show continuous residence for those five years, physical presence for at least 30 months of that period, good moral character, basic English, and passage of the civics test.8U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I Am a Lawful Permanent Resident of 5 Years The five-year clock runs from the date of admission as a lawful permanent resident, and N-400 can be filed up to 90 days before that mark.
How the Application Moves
An SIV case moves through three sequential stages. Chief of Mission review comes first: the State Department examines whether the applicant meets the threshold requirements for qualifying employment, faithful service, and ongoing threat. Second is the immigrant petition. For Afghan applicants who began the process on or after July 20, 2022, the Form DS-157 filed at the COM stage doubles as the petition, replacing the earlier requirement to file a separate Form I-360 with USCIS.9U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I-360, Petition for Amerasian, Widow(er), or Special Immigrant Third is consular processing at the National Visa Center, which involves Form DS-260, civil documents, a medical exam by a panel physician, and an interview with a consular officer.10Consular Electronic Application Center. Consular Electronic Application Center
Applicants already inside the United States on another status can adjust status with Form I-485 instead of consular processing, provided a visa is immediately available in their category.11U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status
Congress set a statutory goal of nine months for processing complete applications, but the program has never consistently met it. A State Department Inspector General report found the I-360 petition phase alone averaged 4.1 months and the visa application phase averaged 13.6 months, excluding the COM phase, which the IG could not reliably measure. Total times have commonly stretched to several years.
Afghan SIV Issuance Is Currently Suspended
Anyone researching the SIV program in 2026 needs to know that the Department of State fully suspended visa issuance to Afghan nationals effective January 1, 2026, under Presidential Proclamation 10998, “Restricting and Limiting the Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the Security of the United States.” The suspension covers all visa categories for Afghan nationals, including Afghan Special Immigrant Visas.12U.S. Department of State. Special Immigrant Visas for Afghans – Who Were Employed by/on Behalf of the U.S. Government
Two related deadlines matter. The deadline to apply for COM approval was December 31, 2025. The deadline to submit supporting documentation for a COM approval application, including any additional materials requested by the Department, is June 5, 2026. The State Department has said these deadlines do not apply to visa processing steps that come after receiving COM approval, so applicants who already cleared the COM stage may still have certain steps available.12U.S. Department of State. Special Immigrant Visas for Afghans – Who Were Employed by/on Behalf of the U.S. Government
The practical effect: no new Afghan SIV visas are being issued as of this writing. The suspension’s duration depends on executive action and could change, and the State Department publishes quarterly updates on the Afghan SIV program that applicants with pending cases should watch.