The US State Department announced Monday that they have launched an Afghan family reunification landing page, which contains information on how Afghans in the United States can seek to reunify with their family members, on their website.
US citizens with family in Afghanistan and other Afghan nationals located in the United States can inspect the new webpage for relevant information on how to help their family join them in America, such as eligibility and required documents.
While the United States has been able to successfully reunify some families, many remain separated and live under the threat of retaliation from the Taliban for helping their direct enemy.
Biden Administration officials said there are 74,274 applicants in the SIV pipeline, excluding spouses and children, as of October 2022.
Information on the landing page is available for US citizens, permanent residents, those who entered the US via the Afghan Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) program, refugees and parolees. For instance, the webpage instructs citizens to fill out several forms, which are hyperlinked on the website, that pertain to the status of US citizens.
Refugees or asylum-seekers would have different government departments to reach out to, so the webpage makes sure to relay the information clearly.
The US withdrawal from Afghanistan
Since the US withdrew from Afghanistan after a 20-year-long war in August 2021, the United States has supported the reunification and resettlement of Afghan families that collaborated with the United States government, such as translators and local Afghan forces.
The US withdrawal was seen as a complete disaster, as thousands scrambled to escape the incoming Taliban as they rapidly seized the country.