PUP Waiver

How to obtain a provisional waiver of unlawful presence

On January 2, 2013, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released new rules regarding the permanent residence application process which will benefit immediate family members of U.S. citizens. It is not a change in the law, only a change in procedure. DHS officials say the new rules

will take effect March 4, 2013.

Why the changes were needed

The law requires that spouses and minor children of U.S. citizens who entered the United States without inspection (undocumented) residing in the United States leave the country to obtain permanent residence (also known as a “green card”). The law imposes certain bars for individuals who leave the United States after residing here for more than six months without legal documentation. The most common is a bar of 10 years for people older than 18 years who have lived undocumented in the United States for more than one year. Immediate relatives of U.S. citizens can request a waiver of these bars if they can show that prolonged separation would cause extreme hardship to U.S. citizen family members. Prior to the implementation of the new rule, the process has usually been long and  immediate relatives have waited outside the country for many months or even a year.

How the waiver application process will work under DHS's new rules

The new process will permit spouses and minor children of U.S. citizens to request the waiver before they leave the country, helping families to avoid prolonged separation. The change will only apply to spouses and minor children of U.S. citizens who can show extreme hardship to U.S. citizen parents or spouses. It will not benefit relatives of lawful permanent residents. It also will not apply to other types of waivers individuals may require to obtain their green cards and reenter the United States.

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If you have any questions regarding PUP Waiver or any other immigration topic,
Please contact LEGiTiGO, today