# Afghan Allies Protection Act of 2023: What It Does

This bill makes it easier for Afghan nationals who worked with the U.S. military and government to come to the United States through special immigrant visas. These are people like interpreters, translators, and other employees who risked their safety by working alongside American forces in Afghanistan.

The bill increases the total number of available visas from 38,500 to 58,500 and extends the deadline for using these visas from 2024 to 2029. This gives more Afghan allies a chance to immigrate and gives the government more time to process applications. The bill also makes an important change for people who were injured or killed while working for the U.S. military—they no longer have to meet the usual requirement of working for a full year. If someone was wounded or seriously injured on the job, they can qualify even if their employment was cut short by that injury.

To speed up the process, the bill requires the State Department to create a detailed plan within six months for handling the backlog of pending applications and appeals. It also requires senior officials from the State Department, Defense Department, and Homeland Security to coordinate efforts and oversee the visa process. Additionally, the bill allows the government to reimburse applicants for medical exam costs if they face financial hardship, and it permits visa interviews to happen through video calls instead of requiring applicants to travel in person.

The bill also requires annual public reports showing how many applications are being processed, how many visas are being issued, and what's causing delays. This transparency helps ensure the government is actually moving these cases forward efficiently.

Afghan Allies Protection Act of 2023

Afghan Allies Protection Act of 2023 This bill makes an additional 20,000 special immigrant visas available to eligible citizens or nationals of Afghanistan who assisted U.S. efforts there and addresses related issues. (Generally, these visas are available to individuals who were employed in Afghanistan by the U.S. government or the International Security Assistance Force for at least one year.) Specifically, the bill expands the window of eligibility for meeting certain requirements for such visas. Currently, an applicant must complete the employment requirements by the end of 2024, and the bill extends this window to the end of 2029. Similarly, the bill extends the deadline to apply for a visa with the Chief of Mission from the end of 2024 to the end of 2029. The bill also makes these visas available to otherwise eligible individuals who could not complete the employment requirements due to an injury sustained during the employment. The bill also addresses the processing of these visas, including by (1) requiring each relevant federal agency to designate a senior official to oversee the integrity and efficiency of visa processing; (2) authorizing the use of virtual video meetings to sign applications and to give oaths; (3) requiring the Department of State to reimburse applicants for the cost of medical examinations required by immigration law, if the applicant petitions for such reimbursement; and (4) requiring the State Department to develop a strategy to address pending applications.