July 20, 2012

As announced at the inception of the program, the Iraqi Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) program is scheduled to end on September 30, 2013. The Department of State has been working with its interagency partners and interested members of Congress to extend our authority beyond September 30 to allow for the issuance of SIVs after that date. However, under current legislation, our authority to issue SIVs to eligible individuals who have been employed by or on behalf of the U.S. government in Iraq ends on September 30, 2013.

We recognize that many who have been employed or worked on behalf of the U.S. government in Iraq, and their families, face real threats as a result of their U.S. government affiliation. We take these threats, and the concerns of those who work with us, very seriously and we are committed to providing them with the benefits for which they are legally eligible.