US launched flight relocation program for SIV applicants

At President Joe Biden’s direction, the United States is launching Operation Allies Refuge to support relocation flights for Afghan nationals and their families eligible for U.S. Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs), the US embassy said in a statement.

Flights for those already in the SIV application process will begin in the last week of July.

U.S. Chargé d’Affaires Ambassador Ross Wilson stated, “the U.S. Embassy will coordinate with the State Department to support Operation Allies Refuge. These relocation operations will allow the United States to fulfill its commitment to those who have served our country here at great personal risk. They build on the successful acceleration of SIV processing since visa interviews resumed after the COVID suspension ended in 2021.”

The United States will continue to support the people of Afghanistan and its institutions through security assistance to the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces, development and humanitarian aid, and diplomacy on behalf of peace and stability here and in the region, the embassy stated.

“As President Biden made clear, we remain confident that Afghanistan’s armed forces have the capability to defend the country,” the embassy stated.

Its future will ultimately have to be resolved at the negotiating table, the US said.

Our engagement also aims to prevent Afghanistan from being used as a safe haven for terrorist attacks on the United States and its allies; promote economic growth and self-reliance; preserve gains in education, health, and the rule of law; empower and protect the rights of women, girls, and minorities; bolster Afghan civil society; and respond to humanitarian needs, the statement said.