Important Notice: An Arabic translation of this webpage will be available here soon.
Section 1244 of the Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008, authorizes the issuance of up to 5,000 Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs) annually through fiscal year (FY) 2012 to Iraqi nationals who have worked for or on behalf of the U.S. Government in Iraq and who meet certain requirements. The Act opens the SIV process to Iraqi employees and contractors who have been employed by or on behalf of the U.S. Government in Iraq on or after March 20, 2003, for a period of one year or more, and who have experienced or are experiencing an ongoing serious threat as a consequence of that employment. For more information about the relevant U.S. law, see References - U.S. Laws, number 1.
In addition to the information on this website, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) provides information on Form I-360 petitions for this program.
This program is completely distinct from another program authorizing SIVs for certain Iraqi and Afghan translators/interpreters working for the U.S. Government, although some translators and interpreters may qualify under both programs. For information on that program, see our page on Special Immigrant Visas for Iraqi and Afghan Translators/Interpreters.
SIV stands for Special Immigrant Visa. While there are many categories of SIVs, this webpage discusses only SIVs for eligible Iraqi citizens who worked for or on behalf of the U.S. Government for one year or more after March 20, 2003, and who have experienced or are experiencing an ongoing serious threat due to that employment.
The fiscal year begins on October 1 and ends September 30.
The total number of principal applicants who can receive SIV status under this program may not exceed 5,000 per year for fiscal years 2008 through 2012.
SIVs issued to a principal applicant’s spouse and children do not count toward the 5,000 limit.
You may apply for this program if you meet all of the following requirements:
Specific requirements for each step of the process are detailed below.
Your spouse, as well as unmarried children younger than 21, may be granted SIVs, and may travel with you or may follow to join you after you have been admitted to the United States.
STEP 1 – Apply for Chief of Mission Approval
Click here to view Applicant Guidelines for Chief of Mission Approval in English (PDF)
Click here to view Applicant Guidelines for Chief of Mission Approval in Arabic (PDF)
Click here to view Applicant Guidelines for Chief of Mission Approval in English (PDF)
Click here to view Applicant Guidelines for Chief of Mission Approval in Arabic (PDF)
The recommending supervisor should normally be the U.S. citizen who directly supervises you, or supervises the company for which you are employed. You must be personally and favorably known to the recommending supervisor. The recommending supervisor must attest, in writing, that you are personally known to him or her, and, to the best of his or her knowledge, you present no threat to the national security or safety of the United States. The recommendation also must contain the supervisor’s current e-mail address, and previous work e-mail address if no longer with the organization for which you performed the qualifying work.
You can provide a letter of recommendation signed by your non-U.S. citizen supervisor and co-signed by the U.S. citizen who is responsible for the contract. By co-signing, the U.S. citizen supervisor indicates that, based on his or her relationship with your contract supervisor, he or she is confident that the information provided by the supervisor is correct, and also certifies that, to the best of his or her knowledge, you present no threat to the national security or safety of the United States. If your supervisor is not a U.S. citizen, the U.S. citizen co-signer’s current e-mail address, and previous e-mail address if no longer with the organization for which you performed the qualifying work, must also be included in the letter of recommendation.
There is no required format, but the letter should include a description of your “faithful service” to the U.S. Government, the length of your service (including the start/end dates of service), your duties, special clearances, any ongoing serious threat you have experienced as a consequence of your employment by or on behalf of the U.S. Government, and the certification that to the best of the writer’s knowledge, you present no threat to the national security or safety of the United States.
You must write, sign, and date a brief statement describing the threat you face as a result of your employment on behalf of the U.S. Government in Iraq. Although statements provided by other parties may be included, you must also provide your own statement. Please provide as many details as possible.
You may submit copies of any additional commendations and recommendations, but they do not take the place of the required documents.
The Chief of Mission, or his/her designee, will assess the gravity of the reasons for the disciplinary action and whether your record as a whole, notwithstanding the disciplinary actions, is one of faithful service. It will generally be more difficult for you to demonstrate faithful service if the record reflects that disciplinary action has been taken against you.
Send all required documents by e-mail to the National Visa Center (NVC) at: IraqSIVapplication@state.gov.
You will need an e-mail address to facilitate communication with NVC, both to submit documents and receive instructions.
NVC will collect and review your documents. Once NVC deems the application packet complete, it is forwarded to the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, where the Chief of Mission (COM) SIV approval designee and staff will review your case. If approved, a Chief of Mission Approval letter will be sent to you via e-mail with instructions on how to send your application and Form I-360 petition to the Nebraska Service Center. See Step 2 below.
The Chief of Mission (COM) is the principal officer in charge of a diplomatic mission appointed by the President of the United States.
You determine which route you choose to pursue. Both processes take several months to complete. Registration and application for either program is not a guarantee of eventual admission to the United States. You may pursue both applications simultaneously. The refugee and SIV programs differ in process and eligibility. Please consult U.S. Embassy Baghdad’s Office of Refugee and IDP Affairs website for more information about accessing the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program.
You may apply for both the refugee and SIV programs at the same time. At the time of your interview with a U.S. government official for either refugee or SIV status, you should ask that your case in the other status be closed. You may be asked to submit a written request to close your other case.
STEP 2 – File a Petition with USCIS
You must submit the following package of documents directly to the USCIS Nebraska Service Center:
More information is available on the USCIS website under Green Card for an Iraqi Who Assisted the U.S. Government.
Form I-360, Petition for Amerasian, Widow(er), or Special Immigrant is available on the USCIS Forms webpage.
There are no filing or biometric fees associated with this petition, you may scan and email your petition with the required documents (preferably in pdf format) to the following email address:
Please note if you submit your I-360 by email, that you must bring the same original, signed Form I-360 that was submitted to NSC with you to the consular interview.
Or you may send the original I-360 and required documents by either regular mail or overnight delivery, to the appropriate address below.
Regular Mail:
USCIS/ Nebraska Service Center (NSC)
P.O. Box 87485
Lincoln, NE 68501-7485
Overnight Deliveries:
USCIS/ Nebraska Service Center (NSC)
850 “S” Street
Lincoln, NE 68508
If you scan and email your Form I-360 petition, include the email address you want USCIS to use to send your electronic receipt (Form I-797). If no email address is submitted with the form, the receipt notice will be sent electronically to the email address from which the petition was submitted.
USCIS cannot send mail outside the United States except to an APO address. If you have access to an APO address, USCIS will use this address. If you do not have access to an APO address, but you have family, friends, or an attorney with an address in the United States, you may list their address (with their permission). In Part 1, line 3, the family member’s, friend’s, or attorney’s name must be listed in the C/O (in care of) section; otherwise the post office will not deliver the mail. You should also list your email address as this is the best way for USCIS to reach you.
If you don’t have an APO address or an address in the United States, you should list your email address.
All petitions for this program are adjudicated at USCIS Nebraska Service Center. If approved, USCIS will forward your petition to the NVC, which will then contact you by e-mail to begin collecting the necessary documentation to support your visa application. NVC will also schedule your visa interview at a U.S. embassy or consulate overseas.
The total number of principal applicants who can receive SIV status under this program may not exceed 5,000 per year for fiscal years 2008 through 2012. Family members do not count against this annual limit.
USCIS will continue to process each petition, even after the annual limit of 5,000 visas has been reached. If 5,000 visas are not used during a given fiscal year, the annual limit for the following fiscal year shall be increased by the amount that was unused. If the annual limit for Fiscal Year 2012 is not reached, any unused amount from that year may be used in Fiscal Year 2013. Numbers will not carry forward into Fiscal Year 2014.
When your petition has been approved, it will be sent to NVC, which will hold it until the visas are available for the next year. NVC will contact you at that time to schedule the visa interview.
Part 1 and Part 3 contain similar information, but Part 3 includes additional required information. Both parts should be completed.
You should check box “l,” Special Immigrant Iraq National who was employed by or on behalf of the United States Government, in Part 2 of the Form I-360. If an earlier form is used, you should check box ”k” – “Other, explain”, and write “Iraqi Worker” in the space provided.
Under this particular program, there are no filing or biometric fees associated with filing the petition.
No. A refugee in the United States is not eligible to adjust from refugee to SIV status. Under U.S. law, an employment-based immigrant must be in valid nonimmigrant status in order to apply for adjustment. Instead, a refugee may adjust to lawful permanent resident (LPR) status after acquiring one year of physical presence in the United States following his or her refugee admission. (Note: there is no fee for applicants who are filing Form I-485 to adjust to LPR status based on having been admitted to the United States as a refugee.)
See the USCIS website for further information.
If you need further information about the petition filing process, you may email the USCIS Nebraska Service Center at SIVTranslator.NSC@dhs.gov.
STEP 3 – Prepare for Your Visa Application
Once NVC receives your approved petition from USCIS, NVC will contact you by e-mail to advise you to begin collecting the appropriate documents to move ahead with your visa application. NVC will schedule your immigrant visa interview for you and your family at a U.S. embassy or consulate overseas. NVC will forward your SIV case to that embassy or consulate for your visa interview. NVC will work with you to schedule your appointment at the embassy or consulate in the country in which you reside or to which you can easily travel.
You must provide an e-mail address to facilitate communication with NVC. You may contact NVC by e-mail at NVCSIV@state.gov.
You must submit the following forms and documents for yourself and all family members also applying for visas. If you have previously submitted any of these documents to NVC, you do not need to submit them to NVC again.
All documents must be accompanied by an English translation. The translation must include a statement signed by the translator that the translation is accurate, and the translator is competent to translate.
Please scan and send all documentation to NVC via e-mail at NVCSIV@state.gov. Do not mail any original documents or photos to NVC. You should hand-carry your original documents and photos with you to your visa interview.
Yes. Iraqi special immigrants are eligible for the same resettlement assistance, entitlement programs, and other benefits as refugees admitted under the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program, for up to eight (8) months after being admitted to the United States. For more information about the relevant U.S. law, see References - U.S. Laws, number 2.
If you wish to participate in the U.S. Department of State’s Reception and Placement (R&P) Program, which covers only your first 30-90 days in the United States, you must apply for it before you arrive in the United States.
To apply, you must return scanned, signed copies of the Refugee Benefits Election Form (signature required) and the Special Immigrant Visa Biodata Form (DS-234), included in the visa instruction packet, to NVC as soon as possible but no later than 10 calendar days after the date your visa is issued. In addition, you must submit to NVC a scanned copy of your visa as soon as possible but no later than 30 calendar days prior to the visa’s expiration. You should not wait to submit the Refugee Benefits Election Form and the Special Immigrant Visa Biodata Form until visa issuance. All three items must be received by NVC prior to the deadlines indicated above. Failure to do so will result in the denial of any future request for Department of State-funded resettlement benefits. Click here for additional information about Department of State-funded benefits.
If you decline to receive Department of State-funded resettlement benefits, you may still be eligible to receive benefits funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Refugee Resettlement (HHS/ORR). Unlike Department of State-funded benefits, HHS/ORR-funded benefits can be claimed upon arrival to the U.S. Click here for additional information about HHS/ORR-funded benefits.
When your approved petition reaches NVC, you will be advised by e-mail and provided with instructions. If you believe that you have an approved petition, but you have not been contacted by NVC, or you have questions about your pending SIV case after the petition has been approved, please email NVC at NVCSIV@state.gov or call 1-603-334-0828 and provide your USCIS receipt number, full name, and date of birth. Customer Service Representatives at NVC are available from 7:30 a.m. to midnight (EST). The hours for congressional inquiries are from 7:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. (EST).
You may email NVC at NVCSIV@state.gov.
Yes. After USCIS has approved your petition, an interview is required to determine if you are eligible for a visa. You must appear in person at a U.S. embassy or consulate where a consular officer will interview you. U.S. law also requires you to submit fingerprints, which will be taken at the interview. The consular officer will also require evidence that you plan to resign from your position in order to immigrate to the United States.
Each family member who is applying for a visa with you must also appear at the embassy or consulate for an interview.
Yes. The U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, Iraq conducts interviews for and issues immigrant visas. If you are in another country, the interview will be conducted at the closest U.S. embassy or consulate that processes immigrant visa applications. You can find a list of our embassies and consulates at http://www.usembassy.gov.
In order to apply for a U.S. visa and travel to the United States, you must have an A or G series passport. You should make all possible efforts to obtain an Iraqi A or G series passport. Failure to do so will complicate your ability to travel and will delay your application. If your immigrant visa appointment has been scheduled, please contact the embassy or consulate where the interview is scheduled for information about what documents may be required for travel to that country. You should be aware that Iraqi S, M and N series passports are not valid for travel to the United States, though in some limited circumstances a waiver may be available. Again, this will delay your travel significantly. Click here for more information about Iraqi passports.
Yes, your spouse, as well as your unmarried children under age 21, may accompany you to the United States or follow to join you in the United States. These family members must also attend the visa interview. You must provide proof of the marriage relationship to your spouse and the relationship to your children. Your family members may not precede you in entering the United States.
NOTE: We strongly advise you to bring your spouse and minor dependent children with you to your visa interview. This will facilitate having all eligible family members travel to the United States together. If it is not possible for your family members to travel to the interview with you, they will be required to schedule interviews for a later date and may follow-to-join you in the United States at a later time.
If you marry after your petition is approved but before you travel to the United States, your new spouse may be added to the original petition. You should immediately contact the U.S. embassy or consulate where your interview took place, to notify consular officials that your new spouse should be added to the petition and an interview scheduled. If you marry a foreign national after you have already traveled to the United States, you will need to file a new petition for your spouse.
Your spouse or children may, in some circumstances, still be eligible for a visa if a petition had been approved by USCIS, but the petition was revoked or terminated after its approval due to the death of the principal applicant.
Please bring your passport, your Iraqi national identity card (bataqa shaksiya), any military photo identification, civilian identification badges, and originals of any civil documents, such as marriage certificates, birth certificates, or death certificates, including all documents that were submitted by e-mail to NVC. At the visa interview, you will also be expected to provide written evidence of your intent to immigrate promptly to the United States.
In addition, you should bring two recent photographs of each applicant, which meet the photo requirements.
No. When budgeting your time and your funds, please plan for the possibility that you may need to stay for more than one day in the country where your interview takes place. You will not be able to complete your medical examination and interview on the same day. Some medical exams require tests with delayed results.
No. While embassies and consulates work closely with their host-country counterparts to ensure coordination on important programs, such as this SIV program, the final decision about whom to admit into a country rests with the government of that country. If you have difficulty entering another country for your visa interview, you should remain in close contact with the U.S. embassy or consulate to which your case has been assigned.
No. Under this particular program, there is no immigrant visa application fee. You are required to pay all costs associated with the medical examination.
At the conclusion of your interview, the consular officer will let you know if there are any problems with your case that might prevent issuance of a visa, or if there is any missing documentation that you need to provide. However, even if your visa interview is successful, you might not receive your visa on the same day. Many immigrant visa cases require additional administrative processing after the interview.
You should directly contact the U.S. embassy or consulate to which your case has been assigned:
If your case has been assigned to: |
You may contact the Embassy at: |
U.S. Embassy Baghdad |
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U.S. Embassy Amman |
Otherwise, go to http://www.usembassy.gov to locate contact information for the U.S. embassy or consulate that is handling your case.
STEP 5 – Arrival in the United States
Yes. Iraqi SIV recipients are eligible for the same resettlement assistance, entitlement programs, and other benefits as refugees admitted under the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP), for up to eight (8) months after being admitted to the United States. For more information about the relevant U.S. law, see References - U.S. Laws, number 2.
If you wish to participate in the U.S. Department of State’s Reception and Placement (R&P) Program, which covers only your first 30-90 days in the United States, you must apply for it before you travel to the United States.
To apply, you must return scanned, signed copies of the Refugee Benefits Election Form (signature required) and the Special Immigrant Visa Biodata Form (DS-234), included in the visa instruction packet, to NVC as soon as possible but no later than 10 calendar days after your visa is issued. In addition, you must submit to NVC a scanned copy of your visa as soon as possible but no later than 30 calendar days prior to the visa’s expiration. You should not wait to submit the Refugee Benefits Election Form and the Special Immigrant Visa Biodata Form until visa issuance. All three items must be received by NVC prior to the deadlines indicated above. Failure to do so will result in the denial of any future request for Department of State-funded resettlement benefits. Additional information about Department of State-funded benefits can be found here.
If you decline to receive Department of State-funded resettlement benefits, you may still be eligible to receive benefits funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Refugee Resettlement (HHS/ORR). Unlike Department of State-funded benefits, HHS/ORR-funded benefits can be claimed upon arrival to the United States. Additional information about HHS/ORR-funded benefits can be found here.
You must complete a separate form for each family member and return it to NVC at NVCSIV@state.gov. NVC will provide you with the Special Immigrant Visa Biodata Form (DS-234) as part of the visa application packet. This form can also be found on the Refugee Processing Center’s (RPC) website.
You may designate a resettlement preference if you have family or friends living in the United States. You may include this information on the Special Immigrant Visa Biodata Form (DS-234) under Section D, entitled “U.S. Ties”. If you have a resettlement preference, you should provide the full name, address, telephone number, and email address of the individual(s) you desire to be resettled near, including the nature of your relationship to this individual(s) (i.e. mother, daughter, brother, etc.). If more than one individual is provided and all of them live in different locations, you should indicate your order of preference. Please note that the individual(s) you provide must currently reside in the United States, and must be willing to discuss your case with a resettlement agency.
Changes to resettlement preferences may delay your travel to the United States, and requests for changes received within 30 days of your visa expiration date will not be accommodated. Unless you are joining close family members, it may not be possible to honor your resettlement location preference. If you do not have any family or friends in the United States, your final destination will be determined by the resettlement agency. Decisions are based on your needs/background and local capacity.
Once your visa has been issued, if you have elected to receive travel and resettlement assistance from the Department of State by submitting scanned, signed copies of the Refugee Benefits Election Form and the Special Immigrant Visa Biodata Form (DS-234) to NVC no later than 10 calendar days after the visa issuance date, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) will prepare your travel loan and arrange your travel to the United States. This interest-free travel loan is a benefit provided through the U.S. Department of State’s Reception and Placement (R&P) Program, for which you must apply while you are still overseas. Additional information about Department of State-funded benefits can be found here.
No. If you have elected to receive travel and resettlement assistance from the Department of State by following the steps described above, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) will prepare your travel loan and arrange travel to the United States once your visa has been issued. You should not make your own arrangements for travel or book your own flight. Participation in the Department of State’s resettlement program requires that your travel must be arranged by IOM.
You should NOT make any travel arrangements, sell property, or give up employment until the U.S. embassy or consulate has issued your visa. Once your visa has been issued, if you have elected to receive travel and resettlement assistance from the Department of State, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) will prepare your travel loan and arrange travel to the United States. All applicants who elect to participate in the R&P Program must arrange their travel through IOM. For additional information, you may contact NVC at NVCSIV@state.gov.
If you choose to receive Department of State-funded Reception and Placement (R&P) services by filling out and returning scanned copies of the Refugee Benefits Election Form and the Special Immigrant Visa Biodata Form (DS-234) to NVC within 10 days of visa issuance, your case will be assigned to a resettlement agency before you depart for the United States. Prior to departure, the entity responsible for processing your case for R&P benefits - either an Overseas Processing Entity (OPE) or the Refugee Processing Center (RPC) - will provide you with an Assurance Form indicating your final destination in the United States and the affiliate office that will provide services upon your arrival.
The Department of State funds ten (10) Resettlement Agencies that participate in the Reception and Placement (R&P) Program under a cooperative agreement. These agencies have over 370 affiliated Reception and Placement offices across the United States. The resettlement agency is responsible for providing initial reception and placement services and assisting refugees and SIV beneficiaries to achieve economic self-sufficiency as quickly as possible. All refugees and SIV recipients who elected to participate in the program are provided with sponsorship and resettlement services appropriate to their personal circumstances by one of these organizations.
These organizations provide airport reception; basic needs support including housing, furnishings, food, and necessary clothing; community, health, and employment orientation; school registration for children; and referrals to public benefit programs and other community services for which refugees and SIV recipients may be eligible. The program would not succeed without volunteers in communities across the United States to assist with these activities. The following organizations provide initial resettlement services to refugees and SIV recipients. You may learn more about them from information provided in their websites.
U.S. Refugee Resettlement Agencies |
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Church World Service (CWS) |
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Episcopal Migration Ministries (EMM) |
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Ethiopian Community Development Council (ECDC) |
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Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS) |
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Kurdish Human Rights Watch, Inc. |
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International Rescue Committee (IRC) |
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Lutheran Immigration & Refugee Service (LIRS) |
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U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI) |
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U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) |
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World Relief (WR) |
If you meet the eligibility criteria of the SIV program, you may apply for an SIV even if you are already registered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and/or have an application pending with the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP).
As an SIV recipient, you will have Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR) status upon admission into the United States. Once you are admitted to the United States you will be mailed your Permanent Resident Card (also known as Green Card). You are normally eligible to apply for U.S. citizenship after residing for five (5) years in the United States. For more information, see naturalization information on the USCIS website.
If you: |
please contact: |
at: |
have questions on how to receive Chief of Mission (COM) approval, |
National Visa Center (NVC) |
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have questions regarding filing requirements and instructions for an SIV Form I-360 petition, |
USCIS Nebraska Service Center |
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have an approved Form I-360 petition and have questions regarding your case status, |
National Visa Center (NVC) |
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have questions about your immigrant visa interview, |
the U.S. embassy or consulate where the interview will be scheduled |
You can find a list of our U.S. embassies and consulates at: http://www.usembassy.state.gov |
would like information about SIV resettlement benefits and post-arrival services, |
the Refugee Processing Center |
The chart below contains the U.S. laws relevant to Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs) for eligible Iraqi employees or contractors who have worked for or on behalf of the U.S. Government in Iraq. You can find more detailed information about each of these laws by going to the National Archives Office of the Federal Register website.