Get help · Chief of Mission withdrawals
Received a COM withdrawal or denial letter? Here is what to do.
Afghan allies already inside the United States, already approved for Chief of Mission status, are receiving State Department letters withdrawing or denying that approval. The letters are arriving in volume. They are serious, and they are not the end of your case.
Updated October 3, 2026
The practice we are seeing from attorneys is to file the COM appeal and an affirmative asylum application at the same time, rather than waiting for the appeal to be decided. The appeal keeps your SIV status active. Asylum, filed concurrently, protects you if the appeal fails. Talk to your attorney about both.
First 72 hours
Four things to do right now
Read the letter and mark the deadline. Most letters give 120 days to appeal. Write the date down. If it has already passed, do not give up; attorneys still advise filing.
Find a qualified immigration attorney or DOJ-accredited representative. Not a notario, not a consultant. Bring the letter, your original COM approval, and your HR and recommendation letters to the first meeting.
Do not travel outside the United States, and do not renew or travel on an Afghan passport. Keep your address current with USCIS.
Tell us about your case below. Include your attorney's contact information if you have one, so we can brief them, and so your case is counted in the record we share with the attorneys working on this at scale.
Be clear on the role
What AfghanEvac can and cannot do
We cannot
- Give you legal advice or represent you. We are not a law firm.
- Refer your individual case to a legal services provider.
- Pay for an attorney, or guarantee a free one.
- Stop the appeal clock. Only filing does that.
We can
- Brief your attorney on how these appeals are being handled and what has worked, drawn from attorneys, former U.S. government officials, and families in the process.
- Share our explainer and flowchart so you and your lawyer start from the same picture.
- Track these letters, de-identified, so the attorneys and litigators working on this at scale can see the full pattern.
- Connect a Battle Buddy to walk in with you if a hearing or check-in follows.
Tell us about your case
Submit your information
For Afghan allies inside the United States only. If you are outside the United States, please do not use this form; the situation for allies still in transit is different and needs different support.
You will need to upload a copy of your green card or other proof that you are in the United States. Without it, we cannot include your case. If you already have an attorney, add their name and contact information and we will reach out to them directly.
What we collect is used to brief your attorney and, de-identified, to document the scale of these withdrawals. We do not share your identity without your permission.
Understand the process
Where this goes, step by step
A COM withdrawal is the first step in a two-step process. The appeal is where you can keep your SIV and your green card. If the appeal is denied or never filed, the case moves to immigration court, where asylum becomes your main defense. Our explainer walks through every stage, the deadlines, and the two kinds of notices you may receive.
You are not alone in this
We are sorry you are receiving this letter.
We will do everything we can to make sure you and your lawyer do not face it alone. Act on the deadline, get counsel, and tell us so we can help.
This page is general information, not legal advice, and it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Submitting this form does not make AfghanEvac your representative. Consult a qualified immigration attorney or DOJ-accredited representative about your own case. Reviewed October 2026.