Afghan Community

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The Afghan Support Program (ASP) at World Relief Baltimore Immigrant Services Office was created in 2022 in response to the recent influx of Afghan Immigrants arriving in the United States following the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan and the concurrent evacuation of Afghan allies known as "Operation Allies Welcome".

Through ASP, World Relief Baltimore’s legal practitioners offer free consultations to these Afghan newcomers and provides them with pro bono representation in any immigration application they are eligible to apply for.

World Relief continues to advocate for the Afghan Adjustment Act or similar legislation that would provide all Afghans resettled after the evacuation with a direct path to apply for permanent legal status. For now, however, World Relief Baltimore Immigrant Services Office is committed to helping Afghan arrivals understand all potential options available to them under existing law, and has funds to cover certain USCIS fees if a government fee waiver is unavailable.

So far, World Relief Baltimore has filed asylum applications for 15 Afghan clients and has represented several already in their Asylum interviews. World Relief Baltimore has assisted others with applying for Green Cards (including some applications based on having U.S. citizen relatives and others based on status as a former interpreter for the U.S. military).

Other potential options for recent Afghan arrivals include applying for Temporary Protected Status or renewal of parole. World Relief Baltimore remains committed to assisting Afghans to fully integrate into U.S. society in order to make a new home for themselves and their families.

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Frequently Asked Questions:

US Department of State

Please be aware of the following guidance from the Department of State

On March 15th, DHS Secretary Mayorkas announce d the designation of Afghanistan for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 18 months. Afghans who continuously resided in the U.S. since March 15, 2022 will be eligible for TPS, provided they meet the other requirements. Individuals who attempt to travel to the United States after March 15, 2022 will not be eligible for TPS. USCIS still has to publish the TPS notice in the Federal Register before eligible Afghans can begin to apply. We will notify practitioners once USCIS publishes the notice in the Federal Register.

U.S. Embassy in Afghanistan: Embassy Operations Suspended 8/31/2021

While the U.S. government has withdrawn its personnel from Kabul, the Department of State will continue to assist U.S. citizens and their families in Afghanistan from Doha, Qatar.

U.S. citizens who remain in Afghanistan should shelter in place.

Those who wish to depart should continue to monitor the security situation, and consider arranging their own travel only when it is safe to do so.

U.S. Department of State Afghan Inquiries - U.S. Department of State continues to closely monitor events and carefully assess conditions in Afghanistan. The safety and security of U.S. citizens overseas remain a top priority. Information within this site include: U.S. Citizens and Lawful Permanent Residents, Non-U.S. Citizens or Lawful Permanent Residents, Special Immigrant Visa Applicants, U.S. Refugee Admissions Program, UNHCR and Assistance. The Department of State will continue to provide information via

- the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) at http://step.state.gov/

- the Embassy web page at https://af.usembassy.gov/

- Travel.State.Gov

- and Facebook and Twitter feeds.

Consular services, including visa services, remain available outside Afghanistan. To locate the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate you can go to the official list of embassies from the U.S. Department of State (usembassy.gov)

U.S. citizens should send an email to AfghanistanACS@state.gov with questions or concerns.

Afghan Placement and Assistance Program (APA)

Know Your Rights for Afghans

Pathways for Refugee and SIV Resettlement

The U.S. Refugee Admissions Program currently offers 3 Priority levels through which Afghans and others in protracted situations can access the program:

P1 - An individual referral-based priority, with referrals primarily coming from the UNHCR.

P2 - A group access priority that has been expanded to include Afghans who have worked with the U.S. Government, or American media, or NGOs in Afghanistan. Applicants must be referred into the program by an eligible employer. Detailed requirements, including required documents, can be found here: SIV/Iraqi & Syrian P-2 — Refugee Processing Center (wrapsnet.org) World Relief is not an eligible employer for this group and is not able to make referrals.

It is important to note that:

Applicants cannot refer themselves or submit referral packages on behalf of the employer
Once referred, processing can take 12 to 14 months.

P3 - A family reunification priority through which refugee and asylees who have arrived in the U.S. can apply for qualifying family members to join them.

SIV - Afghans with a valid SI Visa from a U.S. Embassy may wait for travel to be booked on their behalf through the U.S. resettlement program, or travel independently to the U.S. and request resettlement benefits upon arrival.

For Family With US Visas or Pending US Visa Applications

Contact our Congresswoman's office:

If you live in the 5th Congressional District, use the following link to contact Cathy McMorris Rodgers office:

Contact Cathy | Cathy McMorris Rodgers (house.gov)

Fill out the Repatriation Form:

The US Embassy in Kabul has created a form to collect information on those with immigrant visas or pending immigrant visas. The purpose is to gather information of those who need visa appointments and those who may want to access repatriation flights. These is no guarantee of when or if charter flights will be available or when visa interviews and processing may take place. Filling the form only guarantees that you are identified as someone with a visa option who needs assistance.

You should fill out the Repatriation Assistance Request form (updated 8/22/2021) if:

You are a US Citizen or LPR
You have a pending LPR application with an approved petition and you have submitted all the required documents to the National Visa Center or you have been interviewed and the case is pending at the Embassy at Kabul.

Only immigrant visa holders or pending immigrant visa applicants that meet the specifications will be contacted. You may be contacted if a flight option is available. Travel costs will be incurred.

Eligibility Requirements:

If you have a valid immigrant visa you may be eligible for travel access assistance. If your family members do not have US Citizenship, LPR status or a valid visa or meet the pending application eligibility, they are not eligible to travel with you.
If you have submitted all your documents to the National Visa Center or you have been interviewed and your case is pending, you may be eligible. You must have an approved USCIS petition and should provide the NVC case number with the request and have a valid passport for travel.
You must have valid, unexpired travel documents for entry into the U.S.. In addition, you should have copies of all documents that are relevant for your immigrant visa case.

For Family Without US Visas

Please meet with a legal representative for the best options for your case. If our office cannot support your case, we will provide you with a list of other partner service providers.

The Department of State is considering options and arrangements for cases that have not yet been interviewed or had a visa granted.

Humanitarian Parole -

Humanitarian Parole is a temporary permission to enter the United States without a pre-approved visa, during a time of emergency. If humanitarian parole is granted it gives the parolee permission to remain for a certain period of time. At the end of the temporary permission, the parolee must changed to a permanent immigration status or leave the United States. Find out more information here and please check with a legal representative to determine if this is an option for you or your family member.

Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP)

Other Resources

Human Rights First has made public their Afghan Evacuation Data Collection Form. THIS DOES NOT GUARANTEE AN EVACUATION. This list will be delivered to US Government for cross referencing of need.

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For questions regarding Afghan refugees and those who are still in Afghanistan and in need of protection, the International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP) has updated resources which include information about access for Afghans to the U.S. refugee resettlement program. IRAP also just relaunched their refugee self-help website: iraplegalinfo.org available in English, Arabic, Farsi, Pashto, and Spanish.

In addition, IRAP offers chatbots which offer information through Facebook Messenger and Telegram. To talk to the chatbot, add @irapchatbot on Telegram or message them on Facebook. Then, type “hello” as your first message. The chatbot will respond to you and ask you a series of questions about your situation. If you are using Telegram, click the window button next to the text box to view which options are available to respond to a message. These options automatically appear on Facebook.

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Afghanistan Emergency Resource Information - Article 26 Backpack - The Universal Human Rights Tool for Academic Mobility - Available in Dari and English (from UC Davis)