You might have heard a lot about the U.S. Visa Waiver, and what that means. Basically, a Visa Waiver is an authorization from the U.S. Government to allow you to come to the United States to travel or do business. If you are a U.S. citizen, green card holder or an immigrant, you might be eligible for an immigrant visa or an adjustment of status. It does not matter if your crime was serious or not. You will still be able to come to the United States if you are eligible. There are several important questions that immigrants ask and every person who wishes to need the US Entry Waiver must know. Read this info.
US Waiver Eligibility
- Simply put, if you’ve ever been turned down for immigration into the U.S., or if you’ve been convicted of a crime, you won’t be able to come to the U.S. until you can present an acceptable U.S. Entry Waiver, which is basically an authorization to come to the U.S. that is supported by some type of documentation, usually a form from the Department of Homeland Security. If you’ve recently been turned down or had some type of criminal record, you’ll find that you may still be able to apply for an immigrant visa. The forms are available online and can be downloaded within minutes, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t also required to be filled out completely and returned along with any applicable fees. Please visit the Department of Homeland Security website for more information on submitting your application for an immigrant visa or adjustment of status.
- Some people ask whether or not it’s possible to apply for and be approved for an immigrant or adjustment of status even if they’ve been previously denied entry into the United States. There is actually no law that specifically states that someone who’s already been refused can’t later apply for either an immigrant visa or adjuster visa. This is generally referred to as a “green card” or “immigrant visa.” While you can’t actually be approved for either of those programs if you’ve previously been refused, most do offer certain protections to those with past convictions of criminal acts or other issues. This doesn’t mean you can’t be denied entry altogether, but if you meet the requirements to be eligible for either one of these programs, you may still have difficulty getting approval in the United States.
- An example of one type of criminal act that would prevent someone from gaining admission into the United States would be past convictions of major crimes, including rape, murder, drug trafficking, theft, fraud and more. In order to apply for an immigrant visa or adjuster visa, you must first have no criminal record. Even if you’ve committed a crime in the past, if it happened in the U.S., and was either served in prison or spent time in jail, it may be considered an immigration offense which could cause you to be denied entry to the U.S.
- However, for some categories of criminal activity in the U.S. such as sexual offenders, those with substance abuse problems and those with gang-related convictions, there are specific types of criminal background checks which may be acceptable. To obtain this type of conditional approval, you may need to create a “good” standing criminal record. This way the government won’t be able to use derogatory information against you on your application. You can hire an attorney to create a “good” standing criminal history or you can do it yourself through a process called detective work. Either way, you’ll want to hire a professional to help create your criminal record.
- Another factor which may bar you from entering the country is if your country of citizenship requires that you show valid s. visas or immunities before being allowed into the U.S. If you don’t have a valid visa, you may find that you’re unable to enter or remain in the country. Some countries will only issue a visa if they believe you can be properly taken care of.
- Some other factors that may prevent you from legally entering the U.S. include if you’re facing criminal charges in Canada. Although many people in Canada choose to stay away from the U.S. due to criminal charges against them, many crimes can still occur outside of Canada. For example, some crimes committed by Canadian citizens in the U.S. can have additional consequences for an individual who has entered Canada. The same is true for people who are accused of various crimes in other countries outside of Canada. Even if a person’s crime did not occur within the United States or Canada, these legal proceedings can be considered by the government as an attempt to avoid sending someone to the U.S.
If you’ve been detained in a U.S. Border Patrol checkpoint and are concerned about a possible criminal record, contact a Canadian Immigration lawyer. While it can be difficult to find one in a busy border area, there are options available. For example, many lawyers offer emergency representation in U.S. immigration courts. A border official may not have the information necessary to provide you with a current application, but they can refer you to a qualified lawyer. Similarly, border officials who do not know about the application process can refer you to a lawyer who can fill out your application on their behalf.
There are several more important questions that immigrants ask and every person who wishes to enter the USA must know. Read this required information at pardonapplications.ca
