ANG isang dayuhan na ineligible sa pagkuha ng green card sa loob ng US dahil sa unlawful presence ay maaaring mag-apply ng I-601A Provisional Unlawful Presence Waiver bago siya umalis ng US para sa consular immigrant visa interview. Upang maging eligible para sa provisional unlawful presence waiver, ang mga sumusunod ang kinakailangan: (1) ang dayuhan ay nasa loob ng US; (2) ang dayuhan ay may 17 taon gulang; (3) ang dayuhan ay nasa proseso ng pagkuha ng kanyang immigrant visa at may nakasalang na immigrant case sa Department of State (DOS) dahil sa ang dayuhan ay mayroong aprubadong I-130 family-based petition o I-140 employment-based petition; (4) maipapakita ng dayuhan na ang hindi pagbigay sa kanya ng immigrant visa ay magdudulot ng extreme hardship sa kanyang “qualifying relative”; (5) naniniwala ang dayuhan na ang kanyang inadmissibility ay dahil lamang sa kanyang unlawful presence sa loob ng US na mahigit sa 180 araw pero di umabot ng isang taon sa isang pagpunta niya sa US, o kaya ay unlawful presence na higit sa isang taon sa isang pagpunta niya sa US. Kung ang dayuhan ay nasa removal proceedings, hindi siya maaaring mag-apply ng I-601A waiver hanggat aprubahan ng Immigration Judge ang administrative closure ng kanyang kaso.
Ang I-601A Waiver ay kailangang i-file sa USCIS. Kapag naaprubahan na ng USCIS ang I-601A provisional unlawful presence waiver, ang dayuhan ay kinakailangang lumabas ng US upang ipagpatuloy ang pagproseso ng kanyang immigrant visa sa isang US Embassy o US Consulate. Ang approval ng provisional unlawful presence waiver ay hindi nagbibigay ng eligibility sa dayuhan para makakuha ng green card sa loob ng US. Ang approval ng I-601A Waiver ay maaari lamang maging epektibo kapag: (1) Ang dayuhan ay lumabas ng US para sa kanyang immigrant visa interview; (2) Ang DOS Consular Officer ay nagkaroon ng determinasyon na ang dayuhan ay admissible sa US at eligible para sa immigrant visa. Ang approved I-601A waiver ay maaaring mawalan ng bisa kung may ibang inadmissibility ang dayuhan bukod sa unlawful presence.
Ang isa sa mga kailangan para sa I-601A Waiver ay ang pagdudulot ng extreme hardship sa “qualifying relative” ng dayuhan kung siya ay hindi makakabalik ng US. Ang “qualifying relative” ay asawa na USC/LPR o magulang na USC/LPR ng dayuhan. Hindi kasama sa “qualifying relative” ang USC/LPR na anak ng dayuhan. Maaari lamang isaalang-alang ang extreme hardship sa anak na USC/LPR kung ito ay magdudulot ng pagpapahirap sa “qualifying relative.” Sa isang kasong napagdesisyonan ng Administrative Appeals Office (AAO), ang dayuhan ay nag-apply ng I-601A Waiver dahil sa extreme hardship sa kanyang mga anak na USC kung ang dayuhan ay aalis ng US at hindi makakabalik. Sinabi ng dayuhan na ang kanyang mga anak ay may mga malubhang medical condition tulad ng hika. Ang dayuhan mismo ay umaasa sa kanyang mga anak na USC na alagaan siya dahil ang dayuhan ay tinanggalan na ng baga. Sinabi rin ng dayuhan na ang kanyang mga anak na USC ang mga nananatiling kamag-anak niya sapagkat patay na ang kanyang mga magulang at mahigit na 15 taon na silang iniwan ng tatay ng kanyang mga anak. Sinabi ng AAO na bagamat naiintindihan nila at nagmamalasakit sila sa sitwasyon ng dayuhan at ng kanyang mga anak na USC, ang mga anak na ito ay hindi “qualifying relative” para sa I-601A Waiver. Dahil sa walang “qualifying relative” ang dayuhan, hindi maaaring maaprubahan ng AAO ang I-601A waiver application.
Immigrant visa applicants who are ineligible to adjust status in the US due to unlawful presence can apply for I-601A Provisional Unlawful Presence Waiver before they leave the US for their consular interview. To be eligible for provisional unlawful presence waiver, the alien must meet the following requirements: (1) alien is physically present in the US; (2) alien is at least 17 years old; (3) alien is in the process of obtaining his immigrant visa and have an immigrant case pending with the Department of State (DOS) due to an approved I-130 family-based petition or I-140 employment-based petition; (4) alien should be able to demonstrate that a refusal of his admission to the US will cause extreme hardship to a “qualifying relative”; (5) the alien believes that he is inadmissible only because of a period of unlawful presence in the US that was more than 180 days but less than 1 year during a single stay or 1 year or more during a single stay. If the alien is in removal proceedings, he cannot apply for I-601A provisional unlawful presence waiver unless the Immigration Judge administratively closes the case.
Upon approval of the I-601A provisional unlawful presence waiver, the alien is required to depart the US to process his immigrant visa at a US Embassy or US Consulate Abroad. The approval of a provisional unlawful presence waiver does not make the alien eligible for adjustment of status in the US. The approval by USCIS of the provisional unlawful presence waiver takes effect only after: (1) the alien departs the US and appears for his immigrant visa interview; and (2) a DOS consular officer determines that the alien is otherwise admissible to the US and eligible to receive an immigrant visa. The approved I-601A waiver may be revoked if the consular officer at the US Embassy or US consulate determines that the alien is ineligible for the immigrant visa, including that the alien is inadmissible on grounds other than unlawful presence.
One of the requirements for the I-601A Waiver is that the refusal of admission would result in extreme hardship to a “qualifying relative” – a USC/LPR spouse or USC/LPR parent of the alien. Hardship to the applicant or other family members, like USC/LPR children of the alien does not establish eligibility for the waiver, and can only be considered insofar as it results in hardship to a “qualifying relative.” In a case decided by the Administrative Appeals Office (AAO), the alien applied for I-601A waiver on the basis of extreme hardship to her USC daughters if she were to depart the US. The alien stated that her USC daughters suffer various medical conditions including asthma. She also asserted that she depends on her daughters for her care due to her medical conditions, including her surgical history of having a lung removed. She also stated that her daughters are her only family as her parents are deceased and the daughters’ father abandoned them more than 15 years ago. The AAO held that while it is sympathetic to the Applicant’s and her USC daughters’ circumstances, there is no qualifying relative on which to base the waiver application. As such the I-601A waiver application is denied.
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ATTY. RHEA SAMSON is a Partner at LINDAIN & SAMSON LAW FIRM. Atty. Lindain and Atty. Samson are both licensed to practice law in California and in the Philippines. Both Attorneys were also professors. LINDAIN & SAMSON LAW FIRM aims to provide excellent and efficient legal representation to clients, and support clients in achieving their goals and dreams. As professors, Atty. Lindain and Atty. Samson wish to educate the younger generation, as it is through education and continuous study that one can achieve success and serve others.
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