In order for a foreign national to be admitted to the United States, he or she must be admissible. A foreign national can be deemed inadmissible to the United States by USCIS, CBP and a Consulate. If the foreign national is deemed inadmissible due to the United States, he or she cannot enter without a waiver of inadmissibility or a determination that the inadmissibility charge was made in error.
INA 212(a)(6)(A)
Entry Without Inspection (EWI)
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212(a)(6)(A) Aliens Present without Admission or Parole (EWI)
What is a grounds of inadmissibility?
212(a)(6)(A) Inadmissibility due to Aliens Present without Admission or Parole (EWI)
Foreign nationals may be inadmissible if he or she is currently in the United States and entered without being inspected (no visa).
An alien present in the United States without being admitted or paroled, or who arrives in the United States at any time or place other than as designated by the Attorney General, is inadmissible.
This section shall not apply if the alien is a VAWA self-petitioner, the alien has been battered or subjected to extreme cruelty by a spouse or parent, or by a member of the spouse’s or parent’s family residing in the same household as the alien and the spouse or parent consented or acquiesced to such battery or cruelty, or the alien’s child has been battered or subjected to extreme cruelty by a spouse or parent of the alien (without the active participation of the alien in the battery or cruelty) or by a member of the spouse’s or parent’s family residing in the same household as the alien when the spouse or parent consented to or acquiesced in such battery or cruelty and the alien did not actively participate in such battery or cruelty, and there was a substantial connection between the battery or cruelty and the alien’s unlawful entry into the United States.
How to obtain a determination that the 212(a)(6)(A) ground of inadmissibility was incorrectly made.
No matter which US government agency made the inadmissibility determination, each provides a method to dispute the determination, though each has drastically different processing times. We have achieved successful outcomes by petitioning the US Department of State where the determination was made by the Consulate in as little as 2 weeks. CBP quotes turnaround times of as little as 30 days and USCIS will not offer a time frame. In our experience, the more difficult the situation, the longer it will take to get resolved.
How to obtain a 212(a)(6)(A) waiver
There are two types of waivers that apply to each grounds of inadmissibility: one for immigrants and one for nonimmigrants. Immigrants are foreign nationals who are trying to obtain an immigrant visa or green card. Nonimmigrants are foreign nationals who are trying to obtain or enter with a temporary visa such as a B2 tourist visa, F1 student visa or H1B work visa, among others. Some grounds of inadmissibility allows both immigrant and nonimmigrant waivers, some allow one and some offer no waiver at all.
Many people who are faced with a inadmissibility determination believe that they will never be able to obtain a waiver or enter the US again. This is simply not true. For almost all types of inadmissibility classes, a waiver is available and there is always an option to challenge the determination. We have successfully helped many clients who were determined to be inadmissible and we can assist you. We believe that with the right approach, there is always a hope to win your case.
Paths for a Waiver of Inadmissibility
News Related to INA § 212(a)(6)(A)
| Date | Title | Details | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 31, 2024 | Department of State's Foreign Affairs Manual (FAM) | Individuals who enter the U.S. without inspection (commonly referred to as "entry without inspection" or EWI) are deemed inadmissible under this section. |
