President Joe Biden announced this month that evacuation flights from Afghanistan would begin in late July. Afghans seek refuge in the United States through the Special Immigrant Visa program, which has enjoyed bipartisan support over the years.

A spokesperson for the National Security Council did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The special visa program has experienced significant delays in recent weeks, increasing the urgency of evacuating applicants and accommodating them in other countries or in the Americas pending approval of their documents by the Department of State.

Lawmakers who lobbied the Biden administration for a more concrete plan to evacuate Afghan allies applauded the decision.

“This is good news,” said Representative Michael Waltz (R-Fla.), A former Army Green Beret who worked with Afghan interpreters when he served in the country. “But we still need to see the details of how the Biden administration will bring SIV candidates and their families out of all of Afghanistan, now that we have no military bases or transportation.”

The House is expected to vote this week on legislation to allow applicants to be approved for special visas more quickly.

POLITICO reported last week that the Biden administration was in talks with the government of Uzbekistan to provide temporary accommodation for the applicants. The United States was also discussing the matter with the government of Tajikistan, but a congressional source knowledgeable about the matter said the country was a “no-go”.

The US withdrawal from Afghanistan is almost complete. The US Central Command said last week it had completed 95% of the withdrawal.

Over the weekend, representatives of the Afghan government and the Taliban met in Doha as fighting between Afghan troops and members of the Taliban escalated. State Department spokesman Ned Price said on Monday that the United States “welcomes” the talks, adding: “Only a negotiated settlement can bring a lasting end to more than 40 years of conflict in Afghanistan. “

President Joe Biden announced this month that evacuation flights from Afghanistan would begin in late July. Afghans seek refuge in the United States through the Special Immigrant Visa program, which has enjoyed bipartisan support over the years.

A spokesperson for the National Security Council did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The special visa program has experienced significant delays in recent weeks, making it urgent to evacuate applicants and accommodate them in other countries or in the Americas pending the approval of their documents by the Department of State.

Lawmakers who lobbied the Biden administration for a more concrete plan to evacuate Afghan allies applauded the decision.

“This is good news,” said Representative Michael Waltz (R-Fla.), A former Army Green Beret who worked with Afghan interpreters when he served in the country. “But we still need to see the details of how the Biden administration will get SIV candidates and their families out of all of Afghanistan now that we have no military bases or transport.”

The House is expected to vote this week on legislation to allow applicants to be approved for special visas more quickly.

POLITICO reported last week that the Biden administration was in talks with the government of Uzbekistan to provide temporary accommodation for the applicants. The United States was also discussing the matter with the government of Tajikistan, but a congressional source knowledgeable about the matter said the country was a “no-go”.

The US withdrawal from Afghanistan is almost complete. The US Central Command said last week it had completed 95% of the withdrawal.

Over the weekend, representatives of the Afghan government and the Taliban met in Doha as fighting between Afghan troops and members of the Taliban escalated. State Department spokesman Ned Price said on Monday that the United States “welcomes” the talks, adding: “Only a negotiated settlement can bring a lasting end to more than 40 years of conflict in Afghanistan. “