Hamas says leadership survived Israeli attack in Doha, confirms six deaths    Saudi Crown Prince and Jordanian King back Qatar fully to preserve its sovereignty in phone call    Tunisian president meets Saudi foreign minister in Tunis Prince Faisal co-chairs Saudi-Tunisian Political Consultation Committee meeting    Saudi Arabia slams Israel's use of blockade and starvation as tactics to impose forceful displacement    PIF chief says Saudi transformation could outpace China's, outlines 'filtration' investment process The Fund to unveil its next five-year strategy soon    Arcapita acquires C&K Paving, expanding its global business services portfolio    Crown Prince to outline domestic and foreign policy priorities during Shoura Council address Wednesday    Hajj Ministry launches catering challenge to foster innovation in services to pilgrims    Israel carries out attack against Hamas leadership in Qatar    French PM François Bayrou loses crucial confidence vote in parliament    Anastacia: Arnold Schwarzenegger made me sing Whatta Man 12 times    Saudi Real GDP records growth of 3.9% in Q2 2025    PIF signs MoU with Macquarie Asset Management to boost investments in infrastructure and energy transition    Thousands pay their last respects to Giorgio Armani, private funeral on Monday    French doctor goes on trial for poisoning 30 patients, 12 fatally    The key to happiness    Gamers frustrated as Hollow Knight: Silksong crashes stores on launch    Mike Tyson and Floyd Mayweather Jr. set to meet in exhibition boxing match in 2026    Al Hilal sign Turkish defender Yusuf Akcicek on €22m deal until 2029    Al Qadsiah sign German midfielder Julian Weigl to strengthen defensive midfield    Al Ahli secure Flamengo starlet Matheus Gonçalves in long-term deal through 2027    Sholay: Bollywood epic roars back to big screen after 50 years with new ending    Ministry launches online booking for slaughterhouses on eve of Eid Al-Adha    Shah Rukh Khan makes Met Gala debut in Sabyasachi    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



US expands eligibility for Afghan refugee resettlement
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 03 - 08 - 2021

The United States announced on Monday that it will expand access to the US refugee program for certain Afghans amid fears of reprisal by the Taliban as the US military withdrawal nears completion.
The new designation creates a pathway to the US for Afghans who do not qualify for the Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) program, which Congress created to allow Afghans and Iraqis targeted because of their work for the United States to relocate to safety in the US.
However, the thousands of Afghans now eligible for the refugee program will be responsible for getting themselves out of Afghanistan, a senior State Department official told reporters Monday, and the processing can take more than a year.
The US State Department said that Afghans who did not meet the minimum "time in service" eligibility requirement for the SIV program but "work or worked as employees of contractors, locally-employed staff, interpreters/translators" for the US government, US or NATO forces, those "who work or worked for a US government-funded program or project in Afghanistan supported through a US government grant or cooperative agreement," and those "who are or were employed in Afghanistan by a US-based media organization or non-governmental organization" as well as their eligible family members will be given Priority 2 designation, making them eligible for the refugee program.
According to the department, Priority 2 designation applies to "groups of special concern designated by the Department of State as having access to the program by virtue of their circumstances and apparent need for resettlement."
"The US objective remains a peaceful, secure Afghanistan," a fact sheet from the agency said. "However, in light of increased levels of Taliban violence, the U.S. government is working to provide certain Afghans, including those who worked with the United States, the opportunity for refugee resettlement to the United States."
"This designation expands the opportunity to permanently resettle in the United States to many thousands of Afghans and their immediate family members who may be at risk due to their U.S. affiliation but who are not eligible for a Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) because they did not have qualifying employment, or because they have not met the time-in-service requirement to become eligible," the State Department said.
These Afghans have to be referred by their employers, the senior State Department official said, and their processing will not begin until they are out of Afghanistan. That processing can take 12 to 14 months.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken will address the matter Monday afternoon at the State Department.
On Friday, the first flight of SIV applicants — about 200 people, including those who worked with the US and their families — landed in the US, part of a priority group of 700 Afghan SIV applicants who have completed most of the background process required to get a visa. Along with their families, they number about 2,500. However, the process of applying for the Special Immigrant Visa program to come to the United States can take years, and of the 20,000 people in the SIV pipeline, about 10,000 have only just begun the process, the State Department said in recent weeks.
The US government will not be offering similar flights for the refugee applicants at this point, the official said.
"This program is meant to expand the aperture of people who have an opportunity to be resettled in the United States beyond the SIVs," the official said. "So it is our attempt to try and offer an option for people."
"At this point in time, unfortunately, we do not anticipate relocating them, but we will continue to examine all the options to protect those who have served with us — for us, and we will review the situation on the ground and our planning will continue to evolve," they said.
Violence in Afghanistan has escalated, leading lawmakers, advocates, and non-profit groups to raise concerns that the Biden administration is not doing enough to assist Afghans who helped American troops and diplomats. — CNN


Clic here to read the story from its source.