US resumes processing Afghan visas that will result in denials, says rights group

US resumes processing Afghan visas that will result in denials, says rights group Submitted by MEE staff on Wed, 04/08/2026 - 20:36 The Trump administration's ban on Afghans coming to the US remains in place An exterior view of the US Department of State headquarters in the Foggy Bottom neighbourhood of Washington, DC, on 15 April 2025 (Jim Watson/AFP) Off The Trump administration has resumed processing special immigrant visas (SIVs) for Afghans and their families who assisted the US government after pausing the effort last year, but the move is a ruse certain to result in blanket denials, the advocacy group #AfghanEvac said on Wednesday. "We are seeing Afghan applicants instructed to schedule visa interviews, travel across borders, and present themselves at US embassies, without being told that, under current policy, those applications are expected to be denied," Shawn VanDiver, president of #AfghanEvac, said in a statement on Wednesday. "This is not speculative.