I-601A Provisional Unlawful Presence Waiver

TITLE: I-601A Provisional Unlawful Presence Waiver

WHAT IT IS:

- Form I-601A is a request for a “provisional waiver.”

- You ask USCIS to forgive (waive) the time you stayed in the United States without legal permission before you leave the country for your immigrant visa interview at a U.S. embassy or consulate abroad.

- If approved, you know in advance whether the unlawful presence will block your return after the interview.

WHO NEEDS IT:

- You must be an immigrant visa applicant who is a relative of a U.S. citizen or a lawful permanent resident (green card holder).

- You need this waiver if you have accrued unlawful presence in the U.S. and plan to leave to attend your immigrant visa interview overseas.

- The waiver is for the specific inadmissibility ground under Immigration and Nationality Act section 212(a)(9)(B).

HOW TO FILE:

1. Get the correct form edition. Download Form I-601A from the official USCIS page. All pages must come from the same edition (look at the edition date at the bottom of each page).

2. Complete every required part. The USCIS filing tips list information that will cause rejection if missing:

- Part 1: Your Alien Registration Number (A‑Number) (if you have one), family name, U.S. physical address, date of birth, country of birth.

- Part 3: The basis on which you are immigrating (items 1.a.–1.e.); DOS Diversity Visa Case Number (if applicable); USCIS receipt number for an approved immigrant visa petition (Form I‑130, I‑140, or I‑360) (if applicable); DOS Consular Case Number (NVC Case Number) (if applicable).

3. Prepare supporting documents. Do not send originals unless the instructions specifically ask for them. You will likely need:

- Your Department of State (DOS) Immigrant Visa (IV) Processing Fee Receipt showing “PAID” status.

- Your immigrant visa petition approval notice or DOS Electronic Diversity Visa Entrant Status Check printout (if applicable).

- A copy of the Department of Justice EOIR Administrative Closure Order (if applicable).

- A copy of Form I‑797 showing approval of Form I‑212 (permission to reapply after deportation/removal) (if applicable).

- Evidence of your relationship to your qualifying relative (if applicable).

- Evidence of the U.S. citizenship or lawful permanent resident status of that qualifying relative (if applicable).

- Evidence of your admission or parole.

- Evidence of extreme hardship.

- Evidence that your case warrants a favorable exercise of discretion.

- All documents in a foreign language must include a full English translation and a signed translator’s certification.

4. Pay the filing fee. Find the current amount on the USCIS Fee Schedule page (the source text does not list a fee in this guide).

5. Mail your package to the Chicago lockbox.

- USPS (U.S. Postal Service):

USCIS

Attn: I-601A

P.O. Box 4599

Chicago, IL 60680-4599

- FedEx, UPS, and DHL deliveries:

USCIS

Attn: I-601A (Box 4599)

131 S. Dearborn, 3rd Floor

Chicago, IL 60603-5517

6. Do not include the optional checklist with your filing. Use it only to prepare.

FEES:

- The filing fee is not listed on this page. Please visit the USCIS Fee Schedule page to find the exact amount.

- No fee waiver information is provided in this source; check the fee schedule for waiver options or eligibility.

CURRENT EDITION & DEADLINES:

- The current acceptable form edition is 01/20/25 (dates appear in mm/dd/yy format on the bottom of the form pages).

- There is no specific filing deadline mentioned. You must always use the most recent edition. Before you mail anything, check the USCIS website under “Edition Date” to be sure no newer edition has been released.

COMMON MISTAKES:

- Using an old edition of Form I-601A or mixing pages from different editions. Always download the form fresh right before you complete it.

- Leaving required fields blank, especially your name, physical address, date of birth, country of birth, and the immigration-case information in Part 3. USCIS may reject your form if these are missing.

- Forgetting to include the DOS IV Fee Receipt with “PAID” status when required, or failing to include certified English translations for foreign-language documents.

- Mailing to the wrong address. The Chicago lockbox addresses differ for USPS and private couriers; use the right one for your delivery method.

- Remember to sign and date the form where the instructions require it (unsigned forms are commonly returned).

WHERE TO GET THE FORM:

Always go directly to the official USCIS page: www.uscis.gov/i-601a to download the form and the instructions. Never use a copy from an unofficial website.

SOURCE: https://www.uscis.gov/i-601a

DISCLAIMER: General info from USCIS, not legal advice — always verify on the official page and consult a licensed immigration attorney for your case. English is authoritative.