Legal Service
Providers
Find information and tools for legal service providers working with Afghan immigrants.
Access Resources for Legal Service Providers
Attorneys and their teams can use these tools and resources to enhance their immigration legal services for Afghans. For additional resources, see our Resource Library and resources for Afghan newcomers.
Other organizations dedicated to supporting Afghan newcomers also provide helpful resources, training, and tools for immigration LSPs, including:
Note: ILSAA's government funding is for a limited time, and we are no longer taking new clients or recruiting for our LSP provider network. However, we will continue to provide legal services for our existing clients and present useful resources and information, in English, Dari, and Pashto, for all Afghan immigrants.
Overview
ORR: Afghan Assistance Resources Learn about resources released by different federal agencies to support Afghans, including resettlement services, public benefits, healthcare, employment, family reunification, and immigration legal services. Additionally, discover opportunities for the public to support Afghan arrivals.
Congressional Research Service: Afghan Eligibility for Selected Benefits Based on Immigration Status: In Brief Gain a better understanding of eligibility for select public benefits based on a variety of immigration categories by reading this in-brief report.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS): Information for Afghan Nationals (دری) (پښتو) Read an overview of legal permanent solutions, gain information about employment authorization, learn about humanitarian parole, and more.
Filing
USCIS: Filing Guidance Discover filing locations, checklists, and other resources to help you understand USCIS forms and filing requirements.
Forms
USCIS Forms Search the most up to date USCIS forms to file immigration applications.
Federal Resources
USCIS: Afghan Operation Allies Welcome (OAW) Parolee Asylum-Related Frequently Asked Questions (دری) (پښتو) Learn about asylum, including how to apply, who can be included on a claim, interview tips and how to find out the status of a case on this FAQ page.
Training
VECINA: Asylum Interview Preparation for Afghan Parolees (online course) Both attorney and nonattorney volunteers can learn how to prepare Afghan asylum seekers for their interviews in this course.
VECINA: Introduction to Affirmative Asylum for Afghans (online course) Take this training if you are an attorney interested in handling an Afghan affirmative asylum case pro bono through the Welcome Legal Alliance.
VECINA: Representing Afghan Nationals in Affirmative Asylum Proceedings (online course) Receive training on affirmative asylum representation for Afghans after the U.S. withdrawal in August 2021 in this online course. Learn the legal basis for asylum, how to prepare a client for the asylum interview, and what to file in an affirmative application.
Other Resources
HIAS and American Bar Association (ABA): Asylum Toolkit (PDF) Discover information and tools pro bono attorneys can use to represent pro se Afghan asylum applicants.
Human Rights First: Asylum Law Dropbox Gain access to a legal expert database, asylum law information, and instructions on how to prepare the I-589 and supporting documentation.
Behaviors, Customary Beliefs, and Material Traits
Cultural Orientation Resource Exchange (CORE): Afghan Backgrounder (PDF) Read this publication for historical, political, and cultural information intended to cultivate a general understanding of Afghans who are arriving to the U.S.
History
Switchboard: Cultural & Practical Considerations for Working with Afghan Clients (webinar series) Enhance your understanding of Afghan culture while navigating different cultural topics. Learn key social and cultural aspects that distinguish this population from other U.S. refugee groups.
Federal Resources
U.S. Department of State: Family Reunification for Afghans Learn about different immigration options for family reunification.
Other Resources
Catholic Legal Immigration Network (CLINIC): Frequently Asked Questions: Family Reunification Options for Afghans (PDF) Read an overview of both the traditional immigration pathways, as well as the new avenues for refugee processing and family reunification available to Afghan evacuees.
CLINIC: Protections for Surviving Afghan Relatives Under the SIV Program Learn more about the process for continuing the Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) program for relatives following the death of the principal applicant.
Federal Resources
U.S. Department of State Bureau of Consular Affairs: Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs) for Afghans Review the latest important notices, including petition changes and program updates, from the Department of State. Access DS-157 instructions and FAQs on DS-260.
U.S. Department of State: Refugee Admissions Program Priority 2 (P-2) Designation for Afghan Nationals Read an overview of the Department of State’s Priority (P-2) designation granting U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) access for certain Afghan nationals and their eligible family members.
Training
VECINA: SIV for Afghans (online course) Enroll in this course to gain an overview of the SIV program, The Chief of Mission (COM) Process, and the I-360 process.
Other Resources
CLINIC: Age-Out Rules for Afghan SIV Derivative Children (PDF) Learn about the Child Status Protection Act (CSPA) and how it applies to Afghan SIV applicants under changes to the SIV petition process.
CLINIC: Protections for Surviving Afghan Relatives Under the SIV Program Discover the process for continuing the SIV program for relatives following the death of the principal applicant in this resource.
Refugee Processing Center (RPC): SIV Program for Afghan and Iraqi Nationals (PDF) (دری) (پښتو) Read an FAQ about resettlement benefits for Afghan recipients of SIVs.
Federal Resources
USCIS: Temporary Protected Status (TPS) Designated Country: Afghanistan Learn when to file for TPS, where to file, how to avoid scams, and other immigration options.
Training
VECINA: TPS (online course) Volunteer lawyers can gain an understanding of how to provide legal assistance to those requesting TPS, including an overview of TPS, bars to TPS, how to apply, and tips for filing by mail and online in this course.
Federal Resources
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Department of State (DOS) Announce Exemptions Allowing Eligible Afghans to Qualify for Protection and Immigration Benefits (press release) Read about DHS and DOS’s allowance of immigration benefits for vulnerable Afghans who have supported and worked with the United States in Afghanistan.
Training
Human Rights First’s Project: Afghan Legal Assistance (PALA): TRIG and Exemptions for Afghans (webinar) This webinar covers the DHS and DOS announcement around exemptions to the TRIG that can benefit vulnerable Afghans who have supported and worked with the United States in Afghanistan.