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)(9)(C)
Unlawful Presence After Prior Immigration Violation
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212(a)(9)(C) Unlawful Presence after Prior Immigration Violation
What is a grounds of inadmissibility?
212(a)(9)(C) Inadmissibility due to Unlawful Presence after Prior Immigration Violation
Any foreign national who was unlawfully present in the US for more than one year or who have been ordered removed and who enters or attempts to reenter without being admitted, is inadmissible for ten years.
Any alien who has been unlawfully present in the United States for an aggregate period of more than 1 year, or has been ordered removed and who enters or attempts to reenter the United States without being admitted is inadmissible.
This section shall not apply to an alien seeking admission more than 10 years after the date of the alien’s last departure from the United States if, prior to the alien’s reembarkation at a place outside the United States or attempt to be readmitted from a foreign contiguous territory, the Secretary of Homeland Security has consented to the alien’s reapplying for admission.
How to obtain a determination that the 212(a)(9)(C) 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)(9)(C) 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 § INA 212(a)(9)(C)
| Date | Title | Details | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 24, 2025 | USCIS Policy Manual | U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) updated its Policy Manual to provide detailed guidance on the inadmissibility of individuals who have previously been unlawfully present in the United States for more than one year or who have been ordered removed and subsequently reentered or attempted to reenter the U.S. without being admitted. | ||
| September 19, 2024 | Department of State's Foreign Affairs Manual (FAM) | The Department of State's FAM offers guidance to consular officers on the inadmissibility of individuals who have previously been unlawfully present in the United States for more than one year or who have been ordered removed and subsequently reentered or attempted to reenter the U.S. without being admitted. |
