Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that increases the visa cap for Afghan combatants that aided the United States during the Afghanistan war.

Highlights:

• Increases the number of special immigrant visas available to qualified Afghan nationals who worked for the US government or the North Atlantic Trade Organization (NATO) missions in Afghanistan by an additional 8,000 visas and relaxes certain qualifications (Sec. 2).

• Specifies that the aforementioned additional visa limit only applies to the Afghan nationals who apply for the visa and not any accompanying spouse or child (Sec. 3).

• Specifies that an Afghan national will qualify for a special immigrant visa on the basis or concern of the possibility of an ongoing serious threat and repeals the requirement that each special visa applicant submits a credible sworn statement attesting to having experienced such a threat (Sec. 2).

• Repeals the requirement that a visa applicant must have performed duties that qualify as sensitive and trusted duties when performing duties for US military personnel stationed with a NATO mission (Sec. 2).

• Specifies that if an Afghan national submits a visa application and includes an accompanying spouse or child and the applicant dies before the visa is granted the surviving spouse or child will remain eligible to receive the visa (Sec. 2).

Full Bill Text

Full Bill Text