U.S. Halts Visa Processing for Afghans, Including SIV Applicants

The State Department has ordered consular officers at U.S. diplomatic posts to immediately stop processing immigrant and nonimmigrant visa applications for Afghan nationals, including Special Immigrant Visas, according to a cable sent on Nov. 28 and 29 and reported by Reuters on Nov. 30. The directive instructs posts to refuse visas to Afghan passport holders, cancel outstanding authorizations that have not yet been printed, and in some cases destroy printed visas.

Officials cited security and identity verification concerns in the move, which comes days after a Nov. 26 and 27 shooting in Washington in which a person with links to a former CIA backed Afghan unit allegedly shot two National Guard members, one fatally. Secretary of State Marco Rubio posted on X that visa issuance for "ALL individuals" traveling on Afghan passports was paused. The White House did not immediately respond to Reuters inquiries.

The pause effectively suspends long running programs designed to resettle Afghans who served alongside U.S. forces and other vulnerable people who rely on U.S. admission for protection and stability. The Special Immigrant Visa program was created to provide a legal pathway for interpreters, security guards and other allies whose service put them at heightened risk. Advocacy groups and resettlement agencies say the abrupt halt could strand applicants who have already endured peril, displacement and complex vetting processes.

Beyond immigration policy, the suspension raises immediate public health and community concerns. Many Afghans who have been approved for U.S. resettlement or were in the final stages of the process have urgent medical needs including chronic disease management and mental health care connected to trauma and displacement. Delays to travel and resettlement interrupt continuity of care, defer critical screenings and vaccines that are typically coordinated with arrival, and exacerbate stress among families already navigating insecurity.

Local health clinics, refugee service organizations and municipal governments prepare for new arrivals by arranging language services, mental health counseling and primary care. An abrupt pause shifts burdens back onto overstretched humanitarian networks in host countries and risks creating a backlog that will complicate clinical triage and community planning once processing resumes. Public health officials caution that interruptions to coordinated screening programs can lead to gaps in treatment and delayed identification of communicable diseases among displaced populations.

The directive also has broader implications for U.S. foreign policy and trust among partners. Resettlement programs are a tangible part of commitments made to Afghan personnel who supported U.S. missions. Stopping processing in reaction to a domestic security incident may undermine the credibility of those commitments and could discourage future cooperation from local partners in conflict zones who weigh personal risk against expectations of support.

Legal and policy questions are likely to arise as advocacy groups press for clarity on the pause, its duration and criteria for resumption. For now, the order leaves thousands in limbo and places renewed strain on community health systems and advocacy networks that have worked for years to evacuate, screen and resettle vulnerable Afghans.