Washington, Aug 2: United States is widening eligibility for priority refugee admission for thousands more Afghans who worked with US forces but are not eligible for the Special Immigrant Visas (SIV), the US State Department said on Monday. “Today, the Department of State is announcing a Priority 2 (P-2) designation granting U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) access for certain Afghan nationals and their eligible family members,” the statement said. This designation allows the resettlement “many thousands of Afghans and their immediate family members”, according to the state department. This program is designed for Afghans who worked with US and NATO institutions not as interpreters and aides, as is provided for in SIV, the statement explained. Last week, the first group of nearly 250 Afghans who worked for the US military and diplomatic missions in Afghanistan arrived in the US. Thousands of Afghans are trying to flee their country following the nearly full US troops withdrawal and the offensive of the Taliban movement (outlawed in Russia) to recapture the country. Earlier in July, US President Joe Biden announced the relocation flights from Afghanistan for interpreters and other allies will begin this month.
