Afghan citizens seeking U.S. visas in 2026 face an extraordinary set of circumstances: the U.S. Embassy in Kabul closed in August 2021, Afghanistan is subject to the travel ban and the immigrant visa suspension, and tens of thousands of Afghans who were evacuated to the United States under Operation Allies Welcome remain in various stages of immigration limbo. This guide covers all current visa options for Afghan nationals both inside and outside the United States.
Current Status: US Embassy and Consular Services
The U.S. Embassy in Kabul suspended operations on August 31, 2021, when U.S. forces completed their withdrawal from Afghanistan. As of 2026, there are no U.S. consular services operating inside Afghanistan. Afghan nationals must travel to a U.S. consulate in a third country to apply for any visa. Common third-country options include Pakistan (Islamabad), UAE (Dubai), Qatar (Doha), and Turkey (Ankara), though availability varies and some posts have limited Afghan visa capacity.
Travel Ban and Visa Suspension
Afghanistan is included in the Trump administration’s travel restrictions and in the January 2026 executive order suspending immigrant visa processing for 75 countries. This means:
- B-1/B-2 tourist and business visas are effectively suspended for most Afghan applicants
- Immigrant visas (green cards through family or employment) cannot be issued through consular processing under the January 2026 suspension
- Adjustment of status inside the U.S. is not blocked by the immigrant visa suspension — Afghans already in the U.S. may pursue green cards through I-485 without consular processing
Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) for Afghan Allies
The Afghan Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) program was created for Afghans who worked for or on behalf of the U.S. government or NATO forces and their qualifying family members. Key 2026 status:
- The SIV program remains authorized under the Afghan Allies Protection Act but processing has been extremely slow
- Applicants must have worked for the U.S. government or NATO for at least one year and have experienced or be at risk of experiencing serious harm as a result
- The Chief of Mission (COM) approval step — the first major hurdle — is processed by the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, which is closed; applicants now submit to a special processing unit
- As of 2026, there is a significant backlog of SIV applications; the State Department has been under congressional pressure to accelerate processing
- SIV holders and their derivatives enter as lawful permanent residents
Operation Allies Welcome: Afghans Evacuated in 2021
Approximately 76,000 Afghans were evacuated to the United States in August 2021 under Operation Allies Welcome and granted humanitarian parole — typically for two years. Many of these parolees now face the following immigration situation in 2026:
- Expired parole: Many two-year parole grants expired in 2023. Those who did not file for an immigration benefit (asylum, SIV, or adjustment of status) before expiration may have accrued unlawful presence.
- Asylum: Parolees who applied for asylum within one year of their parole grant have a pending case that protects them from removal while the case proceeds.
- Afghan Adjustment Act: Legislation has been proposed multiple times to allow Operation Allies Welcome parolees to adjust directly to lawful permanent residence, similar to the Cuban Adjustment Act. As of May 2026, no Afghan Adjustment Act has been enacted.
- Re-parole: USCIS has been approving re-parole requests for some evacuees on a case-by-case basis.
Asylum for Afghan Nationals
Asylum remains a primary and viable pathway for Afghan nationals in the United States. U.S. immigration courts have consistently recognized conditions in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan as grounds for asylum, particularly for:
- Women and girls (persecution based on gender under Taliban rule)
- Former Afghan government employees, military, and security forces
- Journalists, civil society workers, and human rights defenders
- Members of religious minorities
- LGBTQ+ individuals
- Ethnic minorities (Hazara, Tajik, etc.) facing targeted persecution
Afghan nationals must file Form I-589 (Application for Asylum) within one year of entering the United States. Those with expired parole who did not file within the one-year window should consult an immigration attorney immediately — there are limited exceptions to the one-year filing deadline.
Student and Work Visas for Afghans
Afghan nationals outside the United States who wish to obtain an F-1 student visa or H-1B work visa face the same third-country consular processing requirement as described above. F-1 student visas are technically available but subject to extensive administrative processing. Afghan students should apply through a consulate in a country where they have legal presence (Pakistan, UAE, Qatar, Turkey).
Related: Asylum in the US: Complete Guide | Temporary Protected Status (TPS) Guide | Parole in Place Guide
