An Open Letter to Congress

ATA has joined 13 of the world’s major translator and interpreter associations and advocacy organizations in calling for support of Afghan translators and interpreters. In an open letter to U.S. Congressional leaders, the coalition spoke specifically against the latest revisions in the Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) program. The changes to SIV, which are set to go into effect at the end of May, will narrow eligibility criteria and require additional documentation in the visa applications of Afghan interpreters, essentially barring many from ever obtaining a visa. The coalition also urged Congress to address the backlog of more than 10,000 applications, which the current allotment of 4,000 visas per year cannot accommodate.