Monday, April 7, 2014

US soldier and Afghan interpreter campaign for US visas

To see video:

http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-26858086

7 April 2014 Last updated at 12:28 BST

Former US Army intelligence officer Matt Zeller fought for years to get a visa for the interpreter who saved his life in Afghanistan.

Janis Shinwari arrived in the US in October 2013 with his wife and two children. He says he no longer has to fear the Taliban, but he worries about the interpreters still in the country who face death threats.

Now Zeller and Shinwari are working together again - on a campaign to help more Afghans who worked with US forces get visas.

The US State Department has said that it is processing visa requests more quickly now than in the past. In 2014, up to 3,000 visas will be issued to Afghans who worked with US armed forces.
But Zeller and Shinwari say that more still needs to be done.

Produced by Brajesh Upadhyay and Ashley Semler; filmed by John Landy; edited by Bill McKenna

First Person is a series of video features published every Monday on the BBC News website which tells the stories of unique individuals from all walks of life in their own words.