Current Situation
Dec 16, 2025:
Afghanistan is designated as a country subject to full suspension under the Presidential Proclamation 10949. There are no exemptions for Afghan allies. Section 8 of this Presidential Proclamation details the enforcement, stating that no visa issued before Dec 16, 2025 shall be revoked. White House Guidance: "Restricting The Entry of Foreign Nationals To Protect The United States From Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats" 
Link: Restricting and Limiting the Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the Security of the United States – The White House

❗Important Distinction - The Presidential Proclamation includes an exemption for certain Special Immigrant Visas, but this exemption does not apply to Afghan SIVs. To clarify, the SIV exempted is the following:
”an immigrant who is an employee, or an honorably retired former employee, of the United States Government abroad, or of the American Institute in Taiwan, and who has performed faithful service for a total of fifteen years, or more, and his accompanying spouse and children: Provided, That the principal officer of a Foreign Service establishment (or, in the case of the American Institute in Taiwan, the Director thereof), in his discretion, shall have recommended the granting of special immigrant status to such alien in exceptional circumstances and the Secretary of State approves such recommendation and finds that it is in the national interest to grant such status; or is the surviving spouse or child of an employee of the United States Government abroad: Provided, That the employee performed faithful service for a total of not less than 15 years or was killed in the line of duty.” (Afghan SIVs are not exempt.)

➡️Principal Applicant Action - Those with a U.S. visa in hand and exempt within the June 4th Presidential Proclamation listed below can continue to relocate to America as noted in the Dec 16th Presidential Proclamation. The Dec 16th Presidential Proclamation authorizes this.

➡️Keep submitting - Because family petition visas are taking longer to process right now, it is still very important for relatives who are already in the United States to keep submitting their family visa petitions. Submitting your petition ensures that your case is in line for review, even if the wait time is longer than usual. Additionally, the Afghan SIV program sunsets on Dec 31, 2025. While there is a pause in Afghan SIV application processing, no new applications can be submitted after Dec 31, 2025.

➡️Afghan SIV program - This program sunsets on Dec 31, 2025. No new application can be submitted after this date. As of March 31, 2025, there are 127,531 applications pending, but only 10,012 remaining SIVs available to be issued. While the Afghan SIV program is paused, it took 796 days to process an application.

➡️Interviews - Beginning January 1, 2026, even if your case is approved and you are waiting for your visa to be issued, the embassy may deny your visa under a law called ‘212(f).’ This is different from the usual ‘221(g)’ delay. A denial under 212(f) is final, and you may have to apply again if the travel ban is lifted in the future. You may want to speak with an immigration attorney to carefully consider whether to attend your visa interview right now. We know this is difficult, especially for families who are selling belongings and preparing to move. Please take time to understand the risks before traveling.

➡️Why is this happening?
As stated in the Dec 16, 2025 Presidential Proclamation: “most of the countries identified in Proclamation 10949, as well as others, continue to exhibit woeful inadequacies in screening, vetting, and provision of information” and “this makes effective verification of basic biographical data such as birthdates, marriages, and parentage exceedingly difficult, if not impossible. Such countries warrant continued or new travel restrictions.” This data is found within the Department of Homeland Security Entry/Exit Overstay Report Fiscal Year 2024 Report to Congress.
Link to report: CBP Entry Exit Overstay Report FY 2024

November 29, 2025: At a U.S. port of entry, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) continues to process Afghan allies with SIVs. 
-Current guidance: June 4, 2025, Exemption for Afghan allies with the Presidential Proclamation "Restricting The Entry of Foreign Nationals To Protect The United States From Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats. 
Link:  Restricting The Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats – The White House


November 29, 2025: Other nations' immigration and customs clearance at departure airports remains available provided that the traveler presents: (1) a valid U.S. visa, (2) a valid Afghan passport, and (3) lawful immigration status in the country of departure. Travelers must comply with all host‑country exit requirements and U.S. entry conditions. 

November 28, 2025: The Secretary of State announced that the Afghan SIV program is paused, effectively freezing new visa issuance for Afghan nationals. SIV processing remains paused. No new SIVs will be issued at this time. 
Link:  Special Immigrant Visas for Afghans - Who Were Employed by/on Behalf of the U.S. Government


November 26, 2025: USCIS announced a halt all immigration case processing for Afghan nationals indefinitely. This suspension continues to apply worldwide to asylum, family reunification, parole reviews, adjustment of status, and immigration benefits. 
Link:  USCIS on X: "Effective immediately, processing of all immigration requests relating to Afghan nationals is stopped indefinitely pending further review of security and vetting protocols. The protection and safety of our homeland and of the American people remains our singular focus and" / X


November 26, 2025: A review of Afghans admitted under Operation Allies Welcome (OAW), a federal security reassessment, was launched after the shooting of two U.S. National Guard members near the White House. This includes tens of thousands of Afghan nationals who entered the U.S. between 2021 and 2023.


July 14, 2025: The Temporary Protected Status (TPS) has terminated. The Department of Homeland Security announced that Afghanistan no longer meets the statutory conditions for TPS designation. Afghans who had no other legal status became subject to removal, and employment authorization documents (EAD) tied to TPS are no longer valid.
Link: DHS Terminating Temporary Protected Status for Afghanistan | Homeland Security


June 4, 2025: June 4, 2025: Afghanistan is designated as a country subject to full suspension under the Presidential Proclamation 10949. However, the Proclamation provides a limited exemption for Afghan nationals holding SIVs issued in recognition of their service to the United States. White House Guidance: "Restricting The Entry of Foreign Nationals To Protect The United States From Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats" 
Link:  Restricting The Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats – The White House