|
Eligibility for Visas:
What Foreign Citizens Should Know
All
the information you need if you're a foreign citizen who wants a visa.
The following sections
of the law are taken from the immigration and Nationality Act, 8 U.S.C.
1001, et. seq., as amended by Public Law 101-549 of November 29, 1990.
Section 221 (g) of the
Immigration and Nationality Act reads as follows: No visa or other
documentation shall be issued to an alien if (1) it appears to the
consular officer, from statements in the application, or in the papers
submitted therewith, that such alien is ineligible to receive a visa
or such other documentation under section 212, or any other provision
o f the law, (2) the application fails to comply with the provisions
of this Act, or the regulations issued thereunder, or (3) the consular
officer knows or has reason to believe that such alien is ineligible
to receive a visa or such other documentation under section 212, or
any other provision of law: Provided, That a visa or other
documentation may be issued to an alien who is within the purview of
section 212 (a)(4), if such alien is otherwise entitled to receive a
visa or other documentation under 212, or any other provision of law:
Provided, That a visa or other documentation upon receipt of notice by
the consular officer from the Attorney General of the giving of a bond
or undertaking providing indemnity as in the case of aliens admitted
under section 213: Provided further, That a visa may be issued to an
alien defined in section 101(a)(15)(B) or (F), if such alien is other
wise entitled to receive a visa, upon receipt of a notice by the
consular officer from the Attorney General of giving of a bond with
sufficient surety in such sum and containing such conditions as the
consular officer shall prescribe, to insure that at the expiration of
the time for which such alien has been admitted by the Attorney
General, as provided in section 214(a), or upon failure to maintain
the status under which he was admitted, or to maintain any status
subsequently acquired under section 248 of the Act, such alien will
depart from the United States.
Section 212 (a) of the
Immigration and Nationality Act reads as follows:Classes of Excludable
Aliens - Except as otherwise provided in this Act, the following
describes classes of excludable aliens who are ineligible to receive
visas and who shall be exclude from admission into the United states.
(1) HEALTH - RELATED
GROUNDS.--
(A) IN GENERAL. -- Any
Alien--
(i) who is determined
(in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Health
and Human Services) to have a communicable disease of public health
significance,
(ii) who is determined
(in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Health
and Human Services in consultation with to Attorney General)--
(I) to have a physical
or mental disorder and behavior associated with the disorder that may
pose, or has posed, a threat to the property, safety, or welfare of
the alien or others, or
(II) to have a physical
or mental disorder and a history of behavior associated with the
disorder which behavior has posed a threat to the property, safety, or
welfare of the alien or others and which behavior is likely to recur
or to lead to other harmful behavior or
(iii) who is determined
(in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Health
and Human Services) to be a drug abuser or addict, is excludable.
(B) WAIVER AUTHORIZED.--
For provisions authorizing waiver of certain clauses of subparagraph
(A), see subsection (g).
(2) CRIMINAL AND RELATED
GROUNDS.--
(A) CONVICTION OF
CERTAIN CRIMES.--
(i) IN GENERAL.-- Except
as provided in a clause (ii), any alien convicted of, or who admits
having committed, or who admits acts which constitute the essential
elements of--
(I) a crime involving
moral turpitude (other than a purely political offense), or
(II) a violation of (or
a conspiracy to violate) any law or regulation of a State, the United
States, or a foreign country relating to a controlled substance (as
defined in section 102 of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C.
802)), is excludable.
(ii) EXCEPTION.-- clause
(i)(I) shall not apply to an alien who committed only one crime if--
(I) the crime was
committed when the alien was under 18 years of age and the crime was
committed (and the alien released from any confinement to a prison or
correctional institution imposed for the crime) more than 5 years
before the date of application for visas or other documentation and
the date of application for admission to the United States, or
(II) the maximum penalty
possible for the crime of which the alien was convicted (or which the
alien admits having committed or of which the acts that the alien
admits having committed constituted the essential elements) did not
exceed imprisonment for one year and, the alien was not sentenced to a
term of imprisonment in excess of 6 months (regardless of the extent
to which the sentence was ultimately executed).
(B) MULTIPLE CRIMINAL
CONVICTIONS.-- Any alien convicted of 2 or more offenses (other than
purely political offenses), regardless of whether the conviction was
in a single trial or whether the offenses arose from a single scheme
of misconduct and regardless of whether the offenses involved moral
turpitude, for which the aggregate sentences to confinement actually
imposed were 5 years or more is excludable.
(D) PROSTITUTION AND
COMMERCIALIZED VICE.-- Any alien who--
(i) is coming to the
United States solely, principally, or incidentally to engage in
prostitution, or has engaged in prostitution within 10 years of the
date of application for a visa, entry, or adjustment of status,
(ii) directly or
indirectly procures or attempts to procure, or (within 10 years of the
date of application for a visa, entry, or adjustment of
status)procured or attempted to procure or to import, prostitutes or
persons for the purpose of prostitution, or receives or (within such
10-year period) received, in whole or in part, the proceeds of
prostitution, or(iii) is coming to the United States to engage in any
other unlawful commercialized vice whether or not related to
prostitution, is excludable.
(E) CERTAIN ALIENS
INVOLVED IN SERIOUS CRIMINAL ACTIVITY WHO HAVE ASSERTED IMMUNITY FROM
PROSECUTION.--Any alien--
(i) who has committed in
the United States at any time a serious criminal offense (as defined
in section 101(h)),
(ii) for whom immunity
from criminal jurisdiction was exercised with respect to that offense,
(iii) who as a
consequence of the offense and exercise of immunity has departed from
the United States, and
(iv) who has not
subsequently submitted fully to the jurisdiction of the court in the
United States having jurisdiction with respect to that offense, is
excludable.
(F) WAIVER AUTHORIZED.--
For provisions authorizing waiver of certain subparagraphs of this
paragraph, see subsection (h).
(3) SECURITY AND RELATED
GROUNDS.--
(A) IN GENERAL.-- Any
alien who a consular officer or the Attorney General knows, or has
reasonable ground to believe, seeks to enter the United States to
engage solely, principally, or incidentally in--
(i) any activity to
violate any law of the United States relating to espionage or sabotage
or to violate or evade any law prohibiting the export from the United
States of goods, technology, or sensitive information,
(ii) any other unlawful
activity, or
(iii) any activity a
purpose of which is the opposition to, or the control or overthrow of,
the Government of the United States by force, violence, or other
unlawful means, is excludable.
(B) TERRORIST
ACTIVITIES. --
(i) IN GENERAL.-- Any
alien who--
(I) has engaged in
terrorist activity, or
(II) a consular officer
of the Attorney General knows, or has reasonable ground to believe, is
likely to engage after entry in any terrorist activity (as defined in
clause (iii)), is excludable.An alien is an officer, official,
representative, or spokesman of the Palestine Liberation Organization
is considered, for purpose of this Act, to be engaged in a terrorist
activity.
(ii) TERRORIST ACTIVITY
DEFINED.-- As used in this Act, the term 'terrorist activity' means
any activity which is unlawful under the laws of the place where it is
committed (or which, if committed in the United States, would be
unlawful under the laws of the United States or any State) and which
involves any to the following:
(I) The hijacking or
sabotaging of any conveyance (including aircraft, vessel, or vehicle).
(II) The seizing or
detaining, and threatening to kill, injure, or continue to detain,
another individual in order to compel a third person(including a
governmental organization) to do or abstain from doing any act as an
explicit or implicit condition for the release of the individual
seized or detained.
(III) A violent attack
upon an internationally protected person (as defined in section 1116
(b)(4) of title 18, United States Code) or upon the liberty of such a
person.
(IV) An assassination
(V) The use of any--
(a) biological agent,
chemical agent, or nuclear weapon or device, or
(b) explosive or firearm
(other than for mere personal monetary gain), with the intent to
endanger, directly or indirectly, the safety of one or more
individuals or to cause substantial damage to property.
(VI) A threat, attempt,
or conspiracy to do any of the foregoing.
(iii) ENGAGE IN
TERRORIST ACTIVITY DEFINED.-- As used in this Act, the term 'engage in
terrorist activity' means to commit, in an individual capacity or as a
member of an organization, an act which the actor knows or reasonably
should know, afford material support to an individual organization or
government in conducting a terrorist activity at any time, including
any of the following acts;
(I) The preparation or
planning of a terrorist activity.
(II) The gathering of
information on potential targets for terrorist activity.
(III) The Providing of
any type of material support, including a safe house, transportation,
communications, funds, false identification, weapons, explosives, of
training, to any individual the actor knows or has reason to believe
has committed or plans to commit a terrorist activity.
(IV) The soliciting of
funds or other things of value for terrorist activity or for any
terrorist organization.
(V) Tho solicitation of
any individual for membership in a terrorist organization, terrorist
government, or to engage in a terrorist activity.
(C) FOREIGN POLICY.--
(i) IN GENERAL.-- An
alien whose entry or proposed activities in the United States the
Secretary of State has reasonable ground to believe would have
potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences for the United
States is excludable.
(ii) EXCEPTIONS FOR
OFFICIALS.-- An alien who is an official of a foreign government or a
purported government, or who is a candidate for election to a foreign
government office during the period immediately preceding the election
for that office, shall not be excludable or subject to restrictions or
conditions on entry into the United States under clause (i) solely
because of the alien's past, current, or expected beliefs, statements,
or associations, if such belief, statements, or associations would be
lawful within the United States.
(iii) EXCEPTIONS FOR
OTHER ALIENS.-- An alien, not described in clause (ii) shall not be
excludable or subject to restrictions or conditions on entry into the
United States under clause (i) because of the alien's past, current,
or expected beliefs, statements, or associations, would be lawful
within the United States, unless the Secretary of State personally
determines that the alien's admission would compromise a compelling
United States foreign policy interest
(iv) NOTIFICATION OF
DETERMINATIONS.-- If a determination is made under clause (iii) with
respect to an alien, the Secretary of State must notify on a timely
basis the chairman of the committees on the Judiciary and Foreign
Affairs of the House of Representatives and of the Committees on the
Judiciary and Foreign Relations of the Senate of the identity of the
alien and the reasons for the determination.
(D) IMMIGRANT MEMBERSHIP
IN TOTALITARIAN PARTY.--
(i) IN GENERAL.-- Any
immigrant who is or has been a member of or affiliated with the
Communist or any other totalitarian party (or subdivision or affiliate
thereof), domestic or foreign, is excludable.
(ii) EXCEPTION FOR
INVOLUNTARY MEMBERSHIP.-- clause (i) shall not apply to an alien
because of membership or affiliation if the alien establishes to the
satisfaction of the consular officer when applying for a visa (or to
the satisfaction of the Attorney General when applying for admission)
that the membership or affiliation is or was involuntary, or is or was
solely when under 16 years of age, by operation of law, or for
purposes of obtaining employment, food, rations, or other essentials
of living whether necessary for such purposes.
(iii) EXCEPTION FOR PAST
MEMBERSHIP.-- Clause (i) shall not apply to an alien because of
membership or affiliation if the alien establishes to the satisfaction
of the consular officer when applying for a visa (or to the
satisfaction of the Attorney General when applying for admission)
that--
(I) the membership or
affiliation terminated at least--
(a) 2 years before the
date of such application,or
(b) 5 years before the
date of such application, in the case of an alien whose membership or
affiliation was with the party controlling the government of a foreign
state that is a totalitarian dictatorship as of such date, and
(II) the alien is not a
threat to the security of the United States.
(iv) EXCEPTION FOR CLOSE
FAMILY MEMBERS.-- The Attorney General may, in the Attorney General's
discretion, waive the application of clause (i) in the case of an
immigrant who is the parent, spouse, son, daughter, brother, or sister
of a citizen of the United States or a spouse, son or daughter of an
alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence for humanitarian
purposes, to assure family unity, or when it is otherwise in the
public interest if the immigrant is not a threat to the security of
the United States.
(E) PARTICIPANTS IN NAZI
PERSECUTIONS OR GENOCIDE.--
(i) PARTICIPATION IN
NAZI PERSECUTIONS.-- Any alien who, during the period beginning on
March 23, 1933, and ending on May 8, 1945, under the direction of, or
in association with--
(I) the Nazi government
of Germany
(II) any government in
any area occupied by the military forces of the Nazi government of
Germany,
(III) any government
established with the assistance or cooperation of the Nazi government
of Germany, or
(IV) any government
which was an ally of the Nazi government of Germany, or incited,
assisted, or otherwise participated in the persecution of any person
because of race, religion, national origin, or political opinion is
excludable.
(ii) PARTICIPATION IN
GENOCIDE.-- Any alien who has engaged in conduct that is defined as
genocide for purposes of the International Convention on the
Prevention and Punishment of Genocide is excludable.
(4) PUBLIC CHARGE.-- Any
alien who, in the opinion of the consular officer at the time of
application for a visa, or in the opinion of the Attorney General at
the time of application for admission or adjustment of status, likely
to become a public charge is excludable.
(5) LABOR CERTIFICATION
AND QUALIFICATIONS FOR CERTAIN IMMIGRANTS.
-- (A) LABOR
CERTIFICATION.--
(I) IN GENERAL.-- Any
alien who seeks to enter the United States for the purpose of
performing skilled or unskilled labor is excludable, unless the
Secretary of Labor has determined and certified to the Secretary of
State and the Attorney General that--
(I) there are not
sufficient workers who are able, willing, qualified (or equally
qualified in the case of an alien described in clause (ii) and
available at the time of application for a visa and admission to the
United States and at the place where the alien is to perform such
skilled or unskilled labor, and
(II) the employment of
such alien will not adversely affect the wages and working conditions
in the United States similarly employed.
(ii) CERTAIN ALIENS
SUBJECT TO SPECTIAL RULE.-- For purposes of clause (i)(I), an alien
described in this clause is an alien who--
(I) is a member of the
teaching profession, or
(II) has exceptional
ability in the sciences or the arts.
(B) UNQUALIFIED
PHYSICIANS.-- An alien who is a graduate of a medical school not
accredited by a body or bodies approved for the purpose by the
secretary of Education (regardless of whether such school or medicine
is in the United States) and who is coming to the United States
principally to perform services as a member of the medical profession
is excludable, unless the alien (i) has passed parts I and II of the
National Board of Medical Examiners Examination (or an equivalent
examination as determined by the Secretary of Health and Human
Services) and (ii) is competent in oral and written English. For
purposes of the previous sentence, an alien who is a graduate of a
medical school shall be considered to have passed parts I and II of
the National Board of Medical Examiners if the alien was fully and
permanently licensed to practice medicine in a State on January 9,
1978, and was practicing medicine in a State on that date.
(C) APPLICATION OF
GROUNDS.-- The grounds for exclusion of aliens under subparagraph (A)
and (B) shall apply to immigrants seeking admission or adjustment of
status under paragraphs (2) or (3) of Section 203(b).
(6) ILLEGAL ENTRANTS AND
IMMIGRATION VIOLATORS.--
(A) ALIENS PREVIOUSLY
DEPORTED.-- Any alien who has been excluded from admission and
deported and who again seeks admission within one year of the date of
such deportation is excludable, unless prior to the alien's
reembarkation at a place outside the United States or attempt to be
admitted from foreign contiguous territory the Attorney General has
consented to the alien's reapplying for admission.
(B) CERTAIN ALIENS
PREVIOUSLY REMOVED.-- Any alien who--
(i) has been arrested
and deported,
(ii) has fallen into
distress and has been removed pursuant to this or any prior Act,
(iii) has been removed
as an alien enemy, or
(iv) has been removed at
Government expense in lieu of deportation pursuant to section 242(b),
and (a) who seeks admission within 5 years of the date of such
deportation or removal or (b) who seeks admission within 20 years in
the case of an alien convicted of an aggravated felony, is excludable,
unless before the date of the alien's embarkation or reembarkation at
a place outside the United states or attempted to be admitted from
foreign contiguous territory the Attorney General has consented to the
alien's applying or reapplying for admission.
(C) MISREPRESENTATION--
(i) IN GENERAL-- Any
alien who, by fraud or willfully misrepresenting a material fact,
seeks to procure (or has sought to procure or has procured) a visa,
other documentation, or entry into the United States or other benefit
provide under this Act is excludable.
(ii) WAIVER
AUTHORIZED.-- For provisions authorizing waiver of clause
(i), see subsection (i).
(D) STOWAWAYS.-- Any
alien who is a stowaway is excludable.
(E) SMUGGLERS.--
(i) Any alien who at any
time knowingly has encouraged, induced, assisted, abetted, or aided
any other alien to enter or to try to enter the United States in
violation of law is excludable.
(ii) SPECIAL RULE IN THE
CASE OF FAMILY REUNIFICATION.--Clause (i) shall not apply in the case
of alien who is an eligible immigrant (as defined in section 301(b)(1)
of the Immigration Act of 1990), was physically present in the United
States on May 5, 1988, and is seeking admission as an immediate
relative or under section 203(a)(2) (including under section 112 of
the Immigration of 1990) or benefit under section 301(a) of the
Immigration Act of 1990 if the alien, before may 5, 1988, has
encouraged, induced, assisted, abetted, or aided only the alien's
spouse, parent, son, or daughter (and no other individual) to enter
the United States in violation of law.
(iii) WAIVER
AUTHORIZED.-- For provisions authorizing waiver of clause (i), see
subsection (d)(11).
(F) SUBJECT OF CIVIL
PENALTY.-- An alien who is the subject of a final order for violation
of section 247C is excludable.
(7) DOCUMENTATION
REQUIREMENTS.--
(A) IMMIGRANTS
(i) IN GENERAL.-- Except
as otherwise specifically provided in this Act, any immigrant at the
time of application for admission--
(I) who is not in
possession of a valid immigrant visa, reentry permit, border crossing
identification card, or other valid entry document required by this
Act, and a valid unexpired passport, or other suitable travel
document, or document of identity and nationality if such document is
required under the regulations issued by the Attorney General under
Section 211(a), or
(II) whose visa has been
issued without compliance with the provisions of section 203, is
excludable
(ii) WAIVER
AUTHORIZED.-- For provisions authorizing waiver of clause (i), see
subsection (k).
(B) NONIMMIGRANTS.--
(i) IN GENERAL.-- Any
nonimmigrant who--
(I) is not in possession
of a passport valid for a minimum of six months from the date of the
expiration of the initial period of the alien's admission or
contemplated initial period of stay authorizing the alien to return to
the country from which the alien came or to proceed to and enter some
other country during such period, or
(II) is not in
possession of a valid nonimmigrant visa or border crossing
identification card at the time of application for admission, is
excludable.
(ii) GENERAL WAIVER
AUTHORIZED.-- For provisions authorizing waiver of clause (i) see
subsection (d)(4).
(iii) GUAM VISA
WAIVER.-- For provision authorizing waiver of clause (i) in the case
of visitors to Guam, see subsection (I).
(iv) VISA WAIVER PILOT
PROGRAM.-- For authority to waive the requirements of clause (i) under
a pilot program, see section 217.
(8) INELIGIBLE FOR
CITIZENSHIP.--
(A) IN GENERAL.-- Any
immigrant who is permanently ineligible to citizenship is excludable.
(B) DRAFT EVADERS.-- Any
person who has departed from or who has remained outside the United
States to avoid or evade training or service in emergency is
excludable, except that this subparagraph shall not apply to an alien
who at the time of such departure was a nonimmigrant and who is
seeking to reenter the United States as a nonimmigrant.
(9) MISCELLANEOUS.--
(A) PRACTICING
POLYGAMIST.-- Any immigrant who is coming to the United States to
practice polygamy is excludable.
(B) GUARDIAN REQUIRED TO
ACCOMPANY EXCLUDED ALIEN.-- Any alien accompanying another alien
ordered to be excluded and deported and certified to be helpless from
sickness or mental or physical disability or infancy pursuant to
section 237(e), whose protection or guardianship is required by the
alien ordered excluded and deported, is excludable.
(C) INTERNATIONAL CHILD
ABDUCTION.--
(i) IN GENERAL.-- Except
as provided in clause (ii), any alien who, after entry of an order by
a court in the United States granting custody to a person of a United
States Citizen child who detains or retains the child, or custody of
the child outside the United States from the person granted custody by
that order.
(ii) EXCEPTION.-- Clause
(i) shall not apply so long as the child is located in a foreign state
that is a party of the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of
International Child Abduction.
Section 212(e) of the
Immigration and Nationality Act reads as follows:
No person admitted under
section 101(a)(15)(j) of this title or acquiring such status after
admission (i) whose participation in the program for which he came to
the United states was financed in whole or in part, directly or
indirectly, by an agency of the Government of the United States or by
the government of the country of his nationality of his last
residence, (ii) who at the time of admission or acquisition of status
under section 101(a)(15)(j) of this title was a national or resident
of a country which the the Director of the U.S. Information Agency
pursuant to regulations proscribed by him, had designated as clearly
requiring the services of persons engaged in the field of specialized
knowledge or skill in which the alien was engaged, or (iii) who came
to the United states or acquired such status in order to receive
graduate medical education or training, shall be eligible to apply for
an immigrant visa, or for permanent residence, or for a nonimmigrant
visa under sections 101(a)(15)(H), 101(a)(15)(L), of this title until
it is established that such person has resided and been physically
present in the country of his nationality or his last residence for an
aggregate of at least two years following departure from the United
States: Provided, That upon the favorable recommendation of the
Director, pursuant to the request of an interested Government Agency,
or of the Commissioner of Immigration and Naturalization after he has
determined that departure from the United States would impose
exceptional hardship upon the alien's spouse or child (if such spouse
or child is a citizen of the United States or lawfully resident
alien), or that the alien cannot return to the country of his
nationality or last residence because he would be subject to
persecution on account of race, religion, or political opinion, the
Attorney General may waive the requirements of such two-year foreign
residence abroad in the case of any alien whose admission to the
United States is found by the Attorney General to be in the public
interest: And provided further, the except in the case of an alien
described in clause (iii), the Attorney General may, upon the
favorable recommendation of the Director a statement in writing that
it has no objection to such waiver in the case of such alien.
WAIVER OF INELIGIBILITY
Aliens who are
ineligible for a visa under one of the classes enumerated above may be
eligible for a waiver of ineligibility under one of the following
provisions of the Act.
Section 212(g) of the
Immigration and Nationality Act, provider that:
The Attorney General may
waive the application of--
(1) subsection (a)(1)(A)(i)
in the case of any alien who--
(A) is the spouse or the
unmarried son or daughter, or the minor unmarried lawfully adopted
child, or a United States citizen, or of an alien lawfully admitted
for permanent residence, or of an alien who has been issued an
immigrant visa, or
(B) has a son or
daughter who is a United States citizen, or of an alien lawfully
admitted for permanent residence, or an alien who has been issued an
immigrant visa, or
(2) subsection (a)(1)(A)(ii)
in the case of any alien , in accordance with such terms, conditions,
and controls, if any, including the giving of bond, as the Attorney
General, in his discretion after consultation with the Secretary of
Health and Human Services, may by regulation prescribe.
Section 121(h) of the
Immigration and Nationality Act, provides that:The Attorney General
may, in his discretion, waive the application of subparagraphs(A)(i)(I),
(B), (D), and (E) of subsection (a)(2) and subparagraphs (A)(i)(II) of
such subsection insofar as it relates to a single offense of simple
possession of 30 grams or less of marijuana if--
(1)(A) in the case of
any immigrant it is established to the satisfaction of the Attorney
General that--
(i) the alien is
excludable only under subparagraph (D)(i) or (D)(ii) of such section
or the activities for which the alien is excludable occurred more than
15 years before the date of the alien's application for a visa, entry,
or adjustment of status,
(ii) the admission to
the United States of such alien would not be contrary to the national
welfare, safety, or security of the United States, and
(iii) the alien has been
rehabilitated; or
(B) in the case of an
immigrant who is the spouse, parent, son, or daughter of a citizen of
the United States or an alien lawfully admitted for permanent
residence if it is established to the satisfaction of the Attorney
General that the alien's exclusion would result in extreme hardship to
the United States citizen or lawful resident spouse, parent, son, or
daughter of such alien; and
(2) the Attorney
General, in his discretion, and pursuant to such terms, conditions and
procedures as he may by regulations prescribe, has consented to the
alien's applying or reapplying for a visa, for admission to the United
States, or adjustment of status.No waiver shall be provided under this
subsection in the case of an alien who has been convicted of (or who
has admitted committing acts that constitute) murder or criminal acts
involving torture.
Section 212(i) of th the
Immigration and Nationality Act, provides that:The Attorney General
may, in his discretion, waive application of clause (i) of subsection
(a)(6)(C)--
(1) in the case of an
immigrant who is the spouse, parent, or son or daughter of a United
states citizen or of an immigrant lawfully admitted for permanent
residence, or
(2) if the fraud or
misrepresentation occurred at least 10 years before the date of the
immigrant's application for a visa, entry, or adjustment and it is
established to the satisfaction of the Attorney General that the
admission to the Unites States of such immigrant would not be contrary
to the national welfare, safety, or security of the United States.
Section 212(d)(11) of
the Immigration and Nationality Act, provides that:
The Attorney General
may, in his discretion for humanitarian purposes, to assure family
unity, or when it is otherwise in the public interest, waive
application of clause (i) of subsection(a)(6)(E) in the case of any
alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence who temporarily
proceeded abroad voluntary and not under an order or deportation, and
who is otherwise admissible to the United States as a returning
resident under section 211(b) and in the case of an alien seeking
admission or adjustment of status as an immediate relative or
immigrant under section 203(a) (other than paragraph (4) thereof) if
the alien has encouraged, induced, assisted, abetted or aided only the
alien's spouse, parent, son, or daughter (and no other individual) to
enter the United States in violation of law.
Section 212(d)(3) of the
Immigration an Nationality Act, provides that: Except as provided in
this subsection, an alien (A) who is applying for a nonimmigrant visa
and is know or believed by the consular officer to be ineligible for
such visa under one or more of the paragraphs enumerated in subsection
(q) (other than paragraphs (3)(A)(i)(I), (3)(A)(ii), (3)(A)(iii),
(3)(C), or(3)(E) of such subsection), after approval by the Attorney
General of a recommendation by the Secretary of State or by the
consular officer that the alien be admitted temporarily despite the
Secretary of State or by the consular officer that the alien be
admitted into the United States temporarily as a nonimmigrant in the
discretion of the Attorney General... The Attorney General shall
prescribe conditions including exaction of such bonds as may be
necessary to control and regulate the admission and return of
excludable aliens applying for temporary admission under this
paragraph.
|