The Biden administration broadens efforts to evacuate at-risk Afghan citizens from that country as Taliban violence grows and U.S. troops withdraw.
The first flight of Afghan contractors landed Friday in Virginia as the administration scrambles to relocate interpreters and contractors to safety.
A senior administration official, who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity in keeping with government protocols, acknowledged that the requirement will be difficult for many to meet. The visa process starts only when the applicants’ employers refer them to the program; then the applicants must go to a third country. Approval can take a year to 14 months, the official said.
In a separate statement, the State Department outlined the program for the visas, known as Priority 2 within the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program.
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