News & Resources
IRAP shares its updated Practice Guide on Special Immigrant Visas for Afghans and Iraqis, revised in May 2026 to address new updates, including the Trump Administration’s expansion of the travel ban to Afghan SIV applicants, the issuance of 212(f) refusals to Afghan SIV applicants, and USCIS holds on immigration benefits applications filed by individuals from countries subject to the travel ban.
Importantly, the guide includes a section for legal practitioners on responding to an upcoming June 5, 2026 deadline to submit documents related to a pending Chief of Mission application. The deadline to file new COM applications was December 31, 2025, but DOS will accept additional documents for pending applications through June 5, 2026. Applicants denied COM approval also have a right to file an appeal of their denial within 120 days of receiving a denial.
IRAP has also updated our Afghan SIV Online Training Course, co-created with VECINA, and legal practitioners representing Afghan SIV applicants can reach IRAP with technical assistance questions using IRAP’s Ask-an-Expert portal. For impacted communities, we recommend sharing IRAP’s legal information website that contains guides on Afghan SIV processing in English, Dari and Pashto as well as ways for COM applicants to request assistance from IRAP with COM appeals or other legal needs.
You can view IRAP’s SIV Practice Guide here or below (last updated May 2026).
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This resource is intended for a legal practitioner and legal advocacy audience; it is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. This resource was last updated in May 2026 and does not reflect any legal changes since publication. Please see IRAP’s Legal Practitioner Resources page for newer resources and additional information for legal practitioners.
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