Honoring Our Promises through Expedition for Afghan SIVs Act of 2021

Honoring Our Promises through Expedition for Afghan SIVs Act of 2021 or the HOPE for Afghan SIVs Act of 2021

This bill authorizes the Department of State and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to postpone the medical exam requirement for qualifying citizens or nationals of Afghanistan seeking entry into the United States as special immigrants.

Specifically, this bill applies to an existing program that provides special immigrant status to an individual (or the spouse or child of such an individual) who (1) faithfully performed sensitive and trusted duties for the U.S. government or the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan on or after October 7, 2001, and (2) has experienced or is experiencing an ongoing serious threat due to the performance of those duties.

Under this bill, the State Department and DHS may jointly issue a blanket waiver of any requirement for such individuals to undergo a medical exam before admission into the United States. DHS shall ensure, to the greatest extent practicable, that individuals admitted under such a waiver undergo medical exams no later than 30 days after admission into the United States.

Such an individual shall be admitted as a conditional permanent resident. DHS shall remove the conditions once the individual receives and passes a medical examination.

Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov