This Act establishes new processes for supporting Afghan allies outside the U.S., grants conditional permanent resident status to eligible Afghans already in the country, and streamlines refugee processing for at-risk allies.
Amy Klobuchar
Senator
MN
The Fulfilling Promises to Afghan Allies Act aims to streamline and enhance support for Afghan nationals who aided the U.S. mission. It establishes new processes for remote refugee processing, creates a pathway to conditional permanent resident status for eligible allies already in the U.S., and creates a new Special Immigrant Visa category for certain relatives of U.S. service members. The bill also mandates increased reporting and interagency coordination to improve efficiency and transparency in these resettlement efforts.
New Afghan Allies Act Speeds Up Visas, Waives Fees, and Creates Path to Green Card for Those Already Here
The “Fulfilling Promises to Afghan Allies Act” is the government’s attempt to cut through the red tape and backlog facing thousands of Afghans who worked with the U.S. mission and are now seeking safety. Think of it as a comprehensive policy overhaul designed to fast-track their immigration cases, addressing the moral obligation the U.S. has to its former partners.
This bill doesn’t just tweak the system; it creates several new, concrete pathways. For those Afghan allies already in the U.S. who were paroled or admitted between July 30, 2021, and the date the law is enacted, Section 4 offers a path to Conditional Permanent Resident Status (CPRS). This is huge: it means a temporary green card. After four years (or July 1, 2027, whichever is later), they can apply to have the “conditional” tag removed, making them full Lawful Permanent Residents. Critically, the bill treats CPRS holders like permanent residents for almost all purposes, including applying for benefits, though they can’t naturalize until the conditions are removed.
The Security Check and the Catch
Before anyone gets that CPRS, they must pass a security and background assessment that is "just as tough" as the one refugees face through the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP). This isn't a rubber stamp; it’s a rigorous check designed to weed out security threats (Sec. 4). However, there is a specific exclusion: if you entered the U.S. between ports of entry along the southwest land border, you are explicitly barred from this conditional status pathway. This means two allies with identical service records could have vastly different outcomes based solely on their entry point.
Remote Processing and Fee Waivers: Cutting the Line
For allies still overseas, the bill mandates serious changes to the processing pipeline. Since the U.S. embassy in Afghanistan is closed, the Secretary of State must set up a specific State Department office to handle applications from Afghan nationals still in the country, including conducting remote interviews and issuing visas (Sec. 3). Section 6 requires the State and Homeland Security Departments to use remote processing capabilities—think video calls and secure digital transfers—to speed up USRAP cases, even waiving in-person appearances or signatures if it reduces wait times.
To remove financial barriers, the bill authorizes the waiver of application and issuance fees for Afghan nationals applying for certain immigrant visas for the next ten years (Sec. 8). For an applicant already struggling to cover travel and living expenses, skipping hundreds or thousands of dollars in government fees is a massive relief.
A New Visa for Family Members
In a significant move, the bill creates a brand-new, limited special immigrant visa (SIV) category for Afghan citizens who are the parent, brother, or sister of a U.S. Armed Forces member or veteran (Sec. 7). This category is capped at 2,500 principal applicants annually, with a lifetime maximum of 10,000 visas. This is a direct acknowledgment that the families of those who served the U.S. military also face risk and deserve a clear path to safety. Once admitted, these individuals receive the same resettlement benefits as refugees.
The Fine Print: Who Pays the Cost?
While the bill is designed to accelerate processing for Afghan allies, Section 4 grants the Secretary of Homeland Security the authority to pause other immigration applications to focus resources on these adjustments. For people waiting in line for family-based green cards or other visa categories, this could mean even longer wait times as the government shifts personnel to clear the Afghan backlog. It’s a necessary triage, but it will impact other applicants.
To ensure accountability, the bill requires extensive reporting. The President must create an Interagency Task Force on the Afghan Ally Strategy (Sec. 6), and the Secretary of Homeland Security must send quarterly and annual reports to Congress detailing how many conditional permanent residents had their conditions removed, how many were found ineligible, and how many were placed into deportation proceedings (Sec. 9). This level of mandatory transparency is intended to keep the government’s feet to the fire regarding processing times and security outcomes.