The US Citizenship and Immigration Services started accepting applications for the brand new Form I-601A, which is the Application for Waiver on Grounds of Inadmissibility, two days ago on Monday 4 March 2013. The form intends to cut down on the length of time that families are forced to be separated from each other as they attempt to acquire lawful permanent residence.
People that have put in a green card application that are currently already living unlawfully in the United States are able to apply for the waiver, which would make certain that they do not end up being penalized for their presence in the country. Under existing laws, the I-601A has to be filed while the applicant for the green card is in his or her country of origin, but this new procedure means that applicants are now allowed to file before they leave the United States.
“This rule is not going to apply to everyone,” says Southern California immigration attorney Evelyne Hart. “It’s only going to affect some people, those who are married to a US citizen or have a parent who is a US citizen and have an approved I-130 or I-360 petition. It’s complicated paperwork, immigrants who are trying to apply for this hardship waiver are going to need help. They should consult with an immigration attorney who is familiar with this process.”
A green card applicant has to be aged over 17 and must be directly related to a US citizen to be eligible for the waiver.