Waivers of Inadmissibility(I-601/I-601A)

An applicant for permanent resident status who is inadmissible to the United States, generally due to a prior immigration violation, criminal violation or health-related ground of inadmissibility, may be eligible to apply for a waiver through their U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident spouse or parent. This is a complex process, requiring a showing of extreme hardship to the applicant’s U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident spouse or parent if they are unable to remain in the U.S. Beginning June 4, 2012, USCIS centralized the filing and adjudication of I-601 waivers in the U.S. Beginning March 4, 2013, USCIS implemented the I-601A provisional waiver program to allow certain spouses, parents and minor children of U.S. citizens to apply for a waiver prior to departing the U.S. for their immigrant visa appointment.