The Military Accessions Vital to National Interest (MAVNI) Program was designed and authorized by the DoD to provide legalized aliens recruitment to serve in the U.S Military for obtaining skills considered vital to the national interest.
Eligibility of granted enlistment would be those who held particular skills within the fields of:
- Nursing
- Physicians/ Doctors, and/or
- Language experts in cultured backgrounds.
The one year pilot program will allow up to 1000 people for recruitment, and will continue a period for one year. Even before recruits enter boot camp and begin the citizenship paperwork, each applicant goes through a very extensive background check.
To become eligible for the MAVNI program;
The applicant must be in one of the following categories at time of enlistment:
a. Asylee, refugee, Temporary Protected Status (TPS), or
b. Nonimmigrant categories E, F, H, I, J, K, L, M, O, P, Q, R, S, T, TC, TD, TN, U, or V and
c. Must maintain one of previous statuses for at least two years immediately prior to enlistment date.
Participants must not have been out of the United States for more than 90 days during the two year period prior to enlistment date.
Health Care Professionals
- Applicants must possess specialty medical skills where they are most scarce.
- Applicants must meet all qualification criteria required for their medical specialty, and the
criteria for foreign-trained DoD medical personnel recruited under other authorities. - Applicants must demonstrate proficiency in English
- Applicants must commit to at least 3 years of active duty, or six years in the Selected Reserve
Enlisted Individuals with Special Language and Culture Backgrounds
- Applicants must possess specific language and culture capabilities in a language critical to DoD
- Applicants must demonstrate a language proficiency
- Applicants must meet all existing enlistment eligibility criteria
- Applicants must enlist for at least 4 years of active duty
For more information on the MAVNI program and requirements, visit http://immigration.about.com/od/uscitizenship/f/MAVNI_Program.htm.