The Hill reported on July 13, 2012 that the United States processed 1 million Chinese visas in the first nine months of Fiscal Year 2012, representing a 43% increase from the same time in 2011 when 675,000 applications had been processed. In contrast, according to government calculations, the United States admitted only 618 Iraqi Special Immigrant Visa applicants in 2011, out of the 5,000 slots allotted for that fiscal year. Only 1,046 Iraqi Special Immigrant Visa applicants had been admitted through May of 2012, with 5,000 slots again allocated for the year.
The contrast between these numbers is astounding. The United States is clearly able to process not only large numbers of visa applications but it is also able to do so quickly. The shame is that the same cannot be said for the processing of applications from the US-affiliated Iraqis. Out of 25,000 Special Immigrant Visas authorized for Us-affiliated Iraqis, only 5,220 have made it through the application process and arrived in the United States – less than 20% of the total.
While families patiently wait for their visas, they live in constant fear or as strangers in neighboring countries working temporary jobs. As Antony Blinken, National Security Advisor for Vice-President Joe Biden has said, “We owe these people. We have a debt to these people. They put their lives on the line for the United States.” The Departments of State and Homeland Security should look to the handling of Chinese visa applications as an example. We can, and we must, do better.
-The List Project
Good article and has many threads.
I’m one of Iraqi SIV cases that started at mid 2009 and interviewed in April 2011, and till now nothing from SIV Baghdad to inform.
Waiting patiently and spending my daily risks in my hot zone territory in Iraq.
many emails sent to them but in vain.
my sponsor their in US waiting and tried to proceed the case but in vain.
I need a solution please
i am Iraqi interpreter , i was worked with US army , i was threaten from Iraqi police many times , i worked with them with faithful but the US government refused to give me visa to state because of fag report against me , actually this report against my husband , he is American citizenship , whom those wrote a report wanted to hurt him by hurt me , because they can’t wrote against him but they can wrote against me , i want someone read my message and contact me i will explain in details everything , thanks
Hi Suzana,
Please contact us at refugees@thelistproject.org and we will be happy to talk with you about your case.