Persons who have accumulated more than 180 days of UP after April 1, 1997, and have then left the country, cannot return to the US for 3 years. Persons who have accrued one year or more of UP after April 1, 1997, and have then left the country, cannot return to the US for 10 years. Persons who illegally return to the US without seeking a waiver must wait outside the US for a period of 10 years before they can apply for a waiver.
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A person can accumulate UP by (1) entering the US without inspection; (2) by overstaying the expiration date on his I-94; or (3) by violating his immigration status.
A waiver may be applied for by submitting Form I-601 to the USCIS and demonstrating that the person’s US citizen or permanent resident spouse or parent(s) would suffer “extreme hardship” unless the person is granted a waiver.
Since 2013, it has been possible to obtain an I-601A provisional waiver within the US. A 2016 rule expanded the qualifying relatives needed in order to apply for a provisional waiver.
On August 9, 2018, the USCIS tightened the criteria for determining what constitutes unlawful presence for F, J and M student status violators. On February 6, 2020, a Federal Judge struck down this rule holding that it did not comply with US immigration laws. The Government is expected to appeal this decision.
We hope that the materials linked to below help you to better understand who is subject to the UP bars and whether a waiver is possible.
Unlawful Presence Bars is divided into the following subsections:
Related pages:
SUCCESS STORIES
- Saving Our Client from the 10 Year Bar
- Demonstrating Extreme Hardship
- Green Card Through Hardship
- Reuniting a Family through an I-212 Waiver
- Obtaining a Non-Immigrant Visa Waiver
- Extreme Hardship Waiver Brings Dog Trainer Home to His Pack
- Obtaining a Waiver for the Permanent Bar
- Immigration Judge Grants I-601 Fraud Waiver
- Reversing An Erroneous USCIS Decision
- Circumventing the Three-Year Bar
- Fraud Waiver and Managing Editor
VIDEOS – UNLAWFUL PRESENCE
- Unlawful Presence Bars and Waivers – Unlawful presence can complicate your return to the US, and applies to persons who: (1) entered the US without inspection; (2) overstayed their visa; or (3) violated their temporary visa status.
- I-601A Provisional Unlawful Presence Waivers – The Provisional Unlawful Presence Waiver (I-601A) allows certain persons to apply for waivers of unlawful presence in the US before going to their home countries for their green card interviews.
GENERAL INFORMATION – UNLAWFUL PRESENCE BARS
- Federal Court Enjoins Enforcement Of Unlawful Presence Memo For Students & Exchange Visitors (5-03-19)
- Accrual of Unlawful Presence and F, J, and M Nonimmigrants – NAFSA (10-24-18)
- New USCIS Unlawful Presence Regulation Challenged in Federal Court (10-23-18)
- USCIS Tightens Unlawful Presence Rules For Persons in F, J and M Status (8-09-18)
- Policy Memo: Filing Exceptions for Form I-601 and Any Associated Form I-212 (6-13-12)
- Immigrant Waivers: Procedures for Adjudication of Form I-601 For Overseas Adjudication Officers (USCIS)
- Consolidation of Guidance Concerning Unlawful Presence (5-6-09) – Supersedes Previous Memos
- USCIS Chief Counsel: 3 and 10 Year Bar Requirements May be Fulfilled in the U.S. (1-26-09)
- AAO: I-601 Waiver Victory – 10-year Bar (1-09-08)
- AAO: I-601 Waiver Victory – 10-year Bar (10-31-07)
- USCIS on Effect of Presence in the U.S. for Persons Paroled in Despite Being Subject to 212(a)(9)(B) Bar of Inadmissibility (7-14-06)
- INS Issues Foreign Travel Advisory For Aliens With Pending Immigration Applications (11-22-00)
- INS General Counsel’s List of Resolved Issues (12-10-99)
- UP Hypothetical Questions and Answers
- DOS Cable Re: UP and Canadians
- INS Advises on Asylee Exception to UP (6-8-99)
- State Department Memo on Bars of Inadmissibility (4-4-98)
- State Department’s Cable on UP (12-17-97)
- INS Memo on Adjustment of Status and Entitlement Bars (6-17-97)
Court Opinions and Decisions
- Guilford College v. Nielsen – DHS Rule re: Unlawful Presence for Persons in F/J Status Violates Immigration Law
- Matter of’ F- V-C-, ID# 11163 74 (AAO April 19, 2018) – Non-precedent decision holding that the 10-year unlawful presence bar is not eliminated by 10 years presence in the U.S. absent a 212(d)(3) waiver.
- In Re Honorio TORRES-GARCIA, BIA (1-26-06) An alien who reenters the U.S. without admission after having previously been removed is inadmissible under the permanent bar.
- Duran-Gonzalez v. Homeland Security, U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit (11-30-07) Adjustment of status under section 245(i) is not available to an alien who is inadmissible under the permanent bar.
- In re Miguel LEMUS-Losa, BIA (11-29-07) An alien who is unlawfully present in the U.S. for a period of 1 year, departs and then seeks admission within 10 years is inadmissible.
- In re Alonzo BRIONES, BIA (11-29-07) Adjustment of status under section 245(i) is not available to a person who is inadmissible under the permanent bar.
Unlawful Presence Bars – Additional Resources
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Carl Shusterman
Immigration Attorney Carl Shusterman has 40+ years of experience. He served as an attorney for the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) from 1976 until 1982, when he entered private practice. He has testified as an expert witness before the US Senate Immigration Subcommittee. Carl was featured in SuperLawyers Magazine. Today, he serves as Of Counsel to JR Immigration Law Firm.