August 13, 2014

Contact: Brendan Thomas
Phone: (202) 225-5037
E-mail: brendan.thomas@mail.house.gov

Rep. Rokita Welcomes Afghan Hero to U.S. After Long Visa Fight

Indianapolis, IN - Today, Congressman Todd Rokita welcomed to the United States Hayat Nooristani, the Afghan translator who repeatedly put his life in danger to protect American troops.  Congressman Rokita's aide, Anthony Will, worked tirelessly to help Mr. Nooristani secure a visa and escape numerous threats to his life in Afghanistan by reaching out to the National Visa Center (NVC), the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, and the State Department. 

Fox 59’s Ray Cortopassi interviews Hayat Nooristani, Dennis Norris, and Rep. Rokita

"I am pleased my staff and I were able to help cut through the red tape of the State Department and get Hayat out of harm’s way,” said Rokita. “We are extremely grateful for the assistance he provided our men and women in combat and believe his assistance should be rewarded. Time and again, he put himself in danger to protect our troops. I know we all expect him to make us proud, as he becomes a Hoosier and an American."​

Mr. Nooristani comes to the United States through the issuance of a Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) for Afghans.  On August 8, 2014, after pressure from Congress, President Obama signed into law an extension of this program, which increased the number of available visas by 1,000.  There are still thousands of SIV applicants navigating their way through the bureaucratic nightmare. 

For more information on the SIV for Afghans program, please click here. To view Mr. Nooristani’s case featured on Fox 59 this morning, click here.

Timeline of Team Rokita’s Actions to Bring Mr. Nooristani to the U.S.

12/2/11: Office sends e-mail to National Visa Center (NVC) inquiring about Mr. Nooristani’s application to the U.S. Embassy in Kabul for a Special Immigrant Visa (SIV).

12/8/11: NVC responds to say that the case is under review and that the Embassy’s Chief of Mission designee is unable to provide an estimate of how long the review will take.

12/9/11: Office responds to say that we intend to send a letter to the Embassy in support of Mr. Nooristani.

12/13/11: Office sends support letter to Embassy and requests update on Mr. Nooristani’s case.

12/15/11: NVC responds to 12/9/11 communication to say that Office should send all correspondence to them, and not to the Embassy (will not expedite review process).

12/16/11: Office e-mails Embassy referencing the fact that Mr. Nooristani’s visa was approved at the Embassy level, and awaits processing by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

1/11/12: Office sends letter in support of Mr. Nooristani’s application to NVC and requests an update on his case.

1/17/12: NVC responds that the case is still under review at the Embassy in Kabul.

2/22/12: Office sends letter to NVC inquiring about Mr. Nooristani’s visa.

2/27/12: NVC responds that the case is still under review at the Embassy in Kabul.

3/5/12: Office sends letter to NVC inquiring about Mr. Nooristani’s visa.

3/12/12: NVC responds that the case is still under review at the Embassy in Kabul.

3/20/12: Office sends letter to NVC and Embassy inquiring about Mr. Nooristani’s visa.

3/21/12: Embassy responds that Mr. Nooristani’s visa is still under review at NVC.

3/23/12: NVC responds that they have completed review of case, and case is now under review at Embassy. NVC informs Office that Embassy is requesting additional information verifying Mr. Nooristani’s employment.

3/26/12: Office forwards employment verification letter to NVC.

3/28/12: NVC acknowledges receipt.

4/16/12: Office sends letter to Embassy to check whether they received all necessary documentation.

4/26/12: NVC acknowledges receipt of necessary documentation.

5/16/12: Office sends letter to NVC to inquire about status of case.

5/18/12: NVC sends response saying that the case is under review at the Embassy.

6/4/12: Office sends letter to NVC inquiring about Mr. Nooristani’s visa.

6/5/12: Office sends letter to Embassy inquiring about Mr. Nooristani’s visa.

6/6/12: NVC sends response saying that the case is under review at the Embassy.

6/8/12: Embassy responds to Office letter by saying the case is still under review, and that these matters take time.

6/27/12: Office sends letter to Embassy and NVC to notify them that the Taliban have publicly threatened Mr. Nooristani’s life and murdered one of his cousins; letter urged timely processing of Mr. Nooristani’s visa application.

6/28/12: NVC acknowledges receipt.

7/10/12: Office informed that Mr. Nooristani’s grandmother was murdered by the Taliban, and that the Taliban continues searching for Mr. Nooristani.

7/10/12: Office contacts NVC and Embassy to inquire about visa status, and urges them to act quickly in light of the threats to Mr. Nooristani’s life.

7/11/12: NVC sends response indicating case is still under review.

7/16/12: Embassy responds saying they are “sorry to hear about the trouble he has had.” They cannot offer Mr. Nooristani asylum, but direct him to apply for asylum with the UN.

7/16/12: Embassy sends formal letter to Office in response to 7/10/12 inquiry.  Letter indicates that the case was referred to the Embassy’s Chief of Mission Committee in April for review, that there is “quite a backlog” of cases, and it will likely take “weeks or months for this stage to reach completion.”

7/17/12: NVC responds to 7/13/12 inquiry from Office underscoring that the SIV process has “multiple layers of review.”

8/20/12: Office sends letter to Embassy urging action on case, and underscoring that Mr. Nooristani’s “time is running out.”

8/22/12: Embassy responds that they are “working to process…as expeditiously as possible,” but they do not know when review process will be finished.

9/12/12: Office sends letter to NVC inquiring about next steps should the Embassy approve Mr. Nooristani’s visa.

9/14/12: NVC responds outlining next steps if Embassy approves visa.

12/12/12: Visa is approved. Informed that the I-360 application needs to be completed; work with Mr. Nooristani to completed.

1/10/13: Work with Mr. Nooristani and his sponsor to get a Chief of Mission (COM) letter approved at the Embassy.  Contact all Military Essential Personnel (MEP) generals and get letters compiled for Embassy review.

2/10/13: Submit letters from MEP to COM in Kabul.

2/14/13: COM letter is complete.

3/1/13: Filed COM letter with the I-360 Form, the DS-260 Form, the DS-157 Form and the DS-234 Form.

4/2/13: Request a visa interview after finger prints are complete.

5/1/13 - 7/3/13: Kabul, the Office, and State Department go back and forth on a nearly daily basis in requesting a visa interview.  Evidence is submitted that Mr. Nooristani is in danger.

7/17/13: Mr. Nooristani is given an interview but not issued a visa, despite having all documentation and medical checks completed.  State Department notifies the Office that the case is in administrative processing.

8/6/13: Mr. Nooristani takes a new job with MEP.

9/21/13: Inquiry is made with State Department on status of case; informed to check back in 60 days.

11/21/13: Sent official letter inquiring on status. 

12/11/13: Another official letter sent.  State Department responds that administrative processing cannot be completed yet.

2/2/14 - 3/10/14: State Department and Office exchange communications over the fact that applicants who have filed after Mr. Nooristani are receiving visas. State Department says that all applications are unique.  When asked whether this case is a priority, Office never received response from State Department.

5/1/14: Change.org petition is started.

5/10/14: Office has face-to-face meeting with State Department to discuss Mr. Nooristani’s case. Office is assured that the application will be completed before the fiscal year 2014 visa’s run out.

7/6/14: Office pushes for Mr. Nooristani to have interview at the Kabul Embassy.

7/17/14: Administrative Processing is complete; interview can be scheduled.

7/23/14: Office urged Embassy not to require another medical appointment (which was conducted in 2013); Embassy agreed

8/5/14: Mr. Nooristani’s visa approved.

8/12/14: Mr. Nooristani arrives in the U.S.

-30-