Afghan SIV COM withdrawal guide by Ehsan Law, with immigration paperwork, a gold pen, and a U.S. flag.


By Asif Ehsan, Immigration Attorney,
Ehsan Law, PLLC
Information current as of October 9, 2026.

A Chief of Mission (COM) withdrawal does not, by itself, cancel your SIV green card or revoke U.S. citizenship.
However, it can put the underlying immigration case at risk. Current Department of State instructions allow one written appeal within 120 days of the notification email. Review the notice promptly and obtain advice before applying for citizenship or traveling internationally.
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If you received a letter titled “Chief of Mission Withdrawal of Support for Afghan Special Immigrant Visa,” you may be worried about your future and your family. The next step depends on why approval was withdrawn, how you obtained permanent residence, and whether another agency has taken action.

What Is a COM Withdrawal of Support?

Chief of Mission approval, commonly called COM approval, is an essential part of the Afghan Special Immigrant Visa process. A withdrawal means the Department of State has reconsidered an earlier approval and decided to take it back. This can happen after someone has received an SIV-based green card.
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Three related actions must be distinguished:

  • COM withdrawal: The Department of State withdraws the approval supporting the Afghan SIV case.
  • Immigrant petition revocation: The underlying SIV immigrant classification is challenged or revoked through the applicable process.
  • Rescission or removal proceedings: A separate process may affect permanent residence or the person’s ability to remain in the United States.

These actions are not interchangeable. A notice proposing action is also different from a final decision. Read the exact title and substance of every notice rather than assuming that a COM letter is itself a final order cancelling your green card.

A final COM withdrawal may lead to further action against the underlying SIV petition and possible removal proceedings.
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How Long Do You Have to Appeal a COM Withdrawal?

The Department of State currently allows one written appeal within 120 days of the email notifying you of the denial or withdrawal.
Save the original email and attachment. Do not calculate the deadline from the day you finally opened the message or first met with a lawyer.
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The appeal should request reopening, explain why the decision was incorrect, and provide relevant new evidence. DOS states that information and documents submitted after 120 days will not be considered.

Current DOS guidance also confirms that timely withdrawal appeals may be submitted after the deadline for new COM applications. The deadline for a new application and the deadline to appeal a withdrawal are different.
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Do not wait until the last few days.
Locating employment records, contacting supervisors, and addressing inconsistencies can take time. Bring the original notification email to your legal consultation so the deadline can be checked.

Why a New HR Letter May Not Be Enough

A strong COM appeal responds to the specific reason for withdrawal. Difficulty verifying employment requires a different response from an allegation that a document is fraudulent.

Depending on the issue, your attorney may evaluate:

  • Updated employment verification and recommendation letters.
  • The letter writer’s authority and access to employment records.
  • Reliable contact information for employers and supervisors.
  • Payroll, employment contracts, badges, and other supporting records.
  • Documents connecting the employment to qualifying service.
  • Earlier submissions and explanations for any inconsistencies.

If a previous document is questioned, replacing it does not necessarily resolve the concern about the original. The response may need to address its accuracy, source, and the author’s authority.

Tell your attorney about all potentially qualifying employment, including work for other contractors or subcontractors. Records from another employer may be relevant, but concerns about earlier evidence should not be ignored.

Does COM Withdrawal Automatically Cancel an SIV Green Card?

No. A COM withdrawal letter alone is not a final order terminating permanent residence.
Nevertheless, it can lead to proceedings affecting that residence.
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How you obtained your green card matters. Entering the United States with an immigrant visa and adjusting status inside the United States are different procedural histories.

USCIS describes rescission under INA section 246 as a process concerning certain people who adjusted status and were not eligible when adjustment was granted. Its guidance addresses a five-year period for initiating rescission.
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That period is not a universal five-year immunity rule.
Removal and naturalization issues require separate analysis. Do not assume that reaching your fifth green card anniversary eliminates a problem with the underlying immigration case.
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What About Your Spouse and Children?

If your spouse or children obtained immigration benefits through your SIV case, include their records in the legal review. Their circumstances may also be affected, but do not assume that every family member has the same status or procedural options.

Can You Apply for Citizenship After COM Withdrawal?

An unresolved COM withdrawal can create serious questions during naturalization. USCIS requires an applicant to establish that the original admission or adjustment to permanent residence complied with the law. Possessing a green card does not, by itself, settle that question.
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Before filing Form N-400, have an attorney review the withdrawal, appeal history, and original SIV record. Do not apply for citizenship merely to find out whether USCIS considers your permanent residence legally valid.

What If Your N-400 Is Already Pending?

Seek advice promptly and provide the COM letter to your attorney. Continuing the application or requesting withdrawal should be an informed decision. Withdrawing the N-400 does not necessarily resolve the underlying issue.

What If You Are Already a U.S. Citizen?

A COM withdrawal does not itself undo naturalization. Denaturalization requires a separate legal process and applicable legal grounds. A naturalized citizen who receives a withdrawal letter should still have it reviewed.
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Can You Travel Outside the United States?

Do not assume that an unexpired green card answers every travel question after a COM withdrawal.

Before departure, ask counsel to review the withdrawal letter, any later petition or status notices, your appeal history, and your immigration record. The assessment should address your circumstances and the potential consequences of departure and return.

Is Asylum an Option After COM Withdrawal?

Asylum may be an option for some people, but COM withdrawal does not automatically establish asylum eligibility.
The assessment should address the feared persecution, its connection to a protected ground, and any applicable bars.

Prior Residence in Another Country

Prior residence or protection in another country may raise a firm-resettlement issue. Tell your attorney about every third-country immigration status and any offers of residence or protection.
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Previous Travel to Afghanistan

Disclose all previous trips to Afghanistan, including the reasons, duration, frequency, and security circumstances. These facts require individual evaluation rather than a blanket assumption about eligibility.

The Asylum Filing Deadline

Asylum generally has a one-year filing deadline, subject to exceptions. The regulation recognizes maintaining lawful immigrant status as a potential extraordinary circumstance, but the applicant must satisfy the applicable requirements, including reasonable timing.
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Do not assume that waiting indefinitely for a COM appeal decision preserves an asylum option. Filing for asylum also does not reinstate COM approval or automatically cure a defect in the SIV case.

Your family should be screened for other available immigration options as part of the same review.

What Documents Should You Gather Now?

  • The COM withdrawal letter and original notification email.
  • Your original COM approval and SIV application records.
  • Employment verification letters, recommendations, and related evidence.
  • All appeal submissions, acknowledgments, and decisions.
  • Your green card, passport, entry records, and later government notices.
  • Documents relating to any pending citizenship application.
  • Information about international travel and residence in other countries.
  • Records for family members whose immigration benefits depend on your case.

Choose counsel familiar with Afghan SIV requirements and the possible consequences for permanent residence. Ask for a review of both the appeal and any independent immigration options.

Frequently Asked Questions About Afghan SIV COM Withdrawal

Should I Ignore the Letter Because I Already Have a Green Card?

No. Although the letter alone does not terminate permanent residence, it can lead to further immigration action. Preserve the notification email and arrange a prompt legal review.

Does Filing an Appeal Guarantee That My Green Card Is Safe?

No guarantee should be made. An appeal challenges the COM decision. Counsel should separately review any other notices or proceedings and their response deadlines.

Can a New Employment Letter Guarantee a Successful Appeal?

No. The evidence must address the stated grounds for withdrawal. A new letter may help, but it may not resolve concerns about other records or eligibility.

Does Having a Green Card for Five Years Resolve the Problem?

Not automatically. The five-year rescission framework is not a universal protection against immigration consequences, and naturalization has a separate lawful-admission requirement.

Should Everyone With a COM Withdrawal Apply for Asylum?

No. Asylum requires an individual assessment of the claim, filing deadline, prior immigration history, and possible bars. It is not an automatic solution to COM withdrawal.

Get Help Reviewing Your COM Withdrawal

Ehsan Law, PLLC helps Afghan individuals and families evaluate COM appeals, SIV records, green card concerns, and other immigration options. Dari/Farsi consultations are available.

Tell our intake team what notice you received and when it was emailed. Free intake is not legal advice. If attorney review is appropriate, we will explain the process and fee before paid services begin.

Request a Case Review
Call (206) 234-6883

Related Immigration Services

Sources and Legal References

  1. Department of State: Steps of the Afghan SIV Process
    — appeal of a COM denial or withdrawal.
  2. IRAP: COM Revocations for Lawful Permanent Residents
    — practical guidance on withdrawal and subsequent notices.
  3. Department of State: Afghan SIV Frequently Asked Questions
    — appeal eligibility after the application deadline.
  4. USCIS Policy Manual, Volume 7, Part Q, Chapter 2
    — rescission eligibility.
  5. USCIS Policy Manual, Volume 7, Part Q, Chapter 1
    — rescission background and removal proceedings.
  6. USCIS Policy Manual, Volume 12, Part D, Chapter 2
    — lawful permanent resident admission for naturalization.
  7. 8 U.S.C. Section 1451
    — revocation of naturalization.
  8. 8 C.F.R. Section 208.4
    — asylum filing deadline and exceptions.
  9. USCIS: Firm Resettlement Training Materials
    — background on the firm-resettlement bar; application requires review of current governing law.

This article provides general information, not legal advice for an individual case. Immigration rules and procedures can change. Your options depend on the actual notices, deadlines, and immigration history. Contacting the firm does not create an attorney-client relationship; representation requires a written agreement.