ComplexIssuesthatMayArise
WhenFilingaUVisaApplication:
Inadmissibility,Derivative
Applications,andWaitlists
July30,2015
WorkshopIII,SessionC
NewOrleans,LA
NationalImmigrantWomen'sAdvocacyProject,
AmericanUniversityWashingtonCollegeofLaw
1
Introductions
EdnaYang
• LegalDirector,AmericanGateways
MercedesV.Lorduy
• Co‐Director,VIDALegalAssistance
Inc.
NationalImmigrantWomen'sAdvocacyProject,
AmericanUniversityWashingtonCollegeofLaw
2
LearningObjectives
Bytheendofthistraining,youwillbebetterableto:
• Identifypotentialgroundsofinadmissibility
• Prepareacompleteapplicationtoovercomeany
potentialgroundsofinadmissibilityandavoid
RequestsforFurtherEvidence(RFEs)
• Identifyproblemswithderivativeapplications
• UnderstandtheprocessofreliefwiththeUvisa
waitlist
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AmericanUniversityWashingtonCollegeofLaw
3
UVisaRequirements
• Victimofaqualifyingcriminalactivity
• Hasbeen,isbeing,orislikelytobehelpfulin
– Detection,investigation,prosecution,convictionor
sentencing
• Sufferedsubstantialphysicalormentalabuseasa
resultofthevictimization
• Possessesinformationaboutthecrime
• CrimeoccurredintheU.S.orviolatedU.S.law
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QualifyingCriminalActivity
Domesticviolence
Sexualassault
Rape
Incest
Prostitution
Torture
Femalegenital
mutilation
• Feloniousassault
• Manslaughter
• Murder
•
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•
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•
Kidnapping
Abduction
Trafficking
Involuntary
servitude
Slavetrade
Beingheld
hostage
Peonage
FraudinForeign
LaborContracting
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
FalseImprisonment
Blackmail
Extortion
Witnesstampering
Obstructionof
justice
Perjury
Stalking
*Includesanysimilaractivitywheretheelementsofthecrimearesubstantiallysimilar
**Attempt,conspiracyorsolicitationtocommitanyofthesecrimesanysimilaractivity
NationalImmigrantWomen'sAdvocacyProject,
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Whocanapply?
• Victimsofqualifyingcriminalactivity
• Bystandervictimization– verylimited
• Forchildvictims(under16)a“nextfriend”can
providehelpfulness
• QualifyingFamilyMembers
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Whocanapply?
QualifyingFamilyMembers
&IndirectVictims
Ifthevictimisdeceasedduetomurderormanslaughter,oris
incompetentorincapacitated,thenthefollowingwillbe
considered“indirectvictims”:
• Ifvictimisunder 21‐ thenparents,unmarriedsiblings
under18,spouse,andchildrenunder21yearsofage
• Ifthevictimis21‐ thenspouse,childrenunder21yearsof
age
8C.F.R.214(a)(14)(i)
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7
CaseScenario#1
YoumeetAnnaandherson,William.Theyareboth
undocumented.Williamis15.Annatellsyouthather
U.S.citizendaughter,Nancy,whois9,wassexually
assaultedbyaneighbor.Annahasreportedthecrime
tothepoliceandiscurrentlyworkingwiththe
DistrictAttorney’soffice.Shetellsyouthatshehasa
daughternamedGloriainherhomecountrywhois
17yearsold.Gloriaisalsopregnant.
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WhattoFile
• FormI‐918,PetitionforUNonimmigrantStatus
• FormI‐918SupplementAforDerivatives(qualifyingfamily
members)
• FormI‐918SupplementBCertification– Uvisacertification
• FormI‐192ifthereareinadmissibilitiesthatneedtobewaived
(pardoned)
• FeeorFeeWaiverforFormI‐192
• FormI‐765EmploymentAuthorizationDocument(EAD)(category
(C)(14)forvictim/principleand(a)(20)forderivatives)
– Twophotosoftheapplicant
– Identificationdocuments
– I‐765WS
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Inadmissibility
• INASection212(a)– listsallthegroundsof
potentialinadmissibility
• INASection212(d)(14)– Allgroundsof
inadmissibility(exceptnationalsecurity
grounds)canbewaivedforUvisa
applicants
NationalImmigrantWomen'sAdvocacyProject,
AmericanUniversityWashingtonCollegeofLaw
10
Whatpotentialgroundsof
inadmissibilityhaveyourclients
faced?
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AmericanUniversityWashingtonCollegeofLaw
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CommonInadmissibilityIssues
• Crimes/criminalactivityoftheapplicant,INA
212(a)(2)
– Crimesinvolvingmoralturpitude(CIMT’s),drug
offenses,multiplecriminalconvictions,etc.
• Immigrationviolations–
– Entrywithoutinspection(EWI)entry,INA212(a)(6)
– Unlawfulpresence(ULP),INA212(a)(9)(B)
– Permanentbar,INA212(a)(9)(C)
• Nopassport,INA212(a)(7)
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AmericanUniversityWashingtonCollegeofLaw
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CaseScenario#2
WhenyouinterviewAnna,shetellsyouthatshehasentered
theU.S.3times– in1995,2002,and2005.Shewasstoppedat
theborderin2002.Shedoesn’trememberwhathappenedin
2002.Annatellsyoushehasaconvictionforshopliftingfrom
2001,andthatshewentbeforeanImmigrationJudgeafter
that.Annatellsyouhersononlyhadoneentryin2005.She
statesthatWilliamhashadonearrestwhenhewas14for
possessionofmarijuana.Shesaysnothinghappenedto
Williamandthathewas“justletgo”intohercustody.Gloria
hasneverbeentotheU.S.
NationalImmigrantWomen'sAdvocacyProject,
AmericanUniversityWashingtonCollegeofLaw
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FindingOutAboutPotentialBars
• Interviewswithclient
• Getrecords!
– FOIA:NRC,CBP,ICE,EOIR
– FBIcheck
– Arrestrecords:policereport,charging
document,finaldisposition,plea
documents/agreements
• Generaldiscretion
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AmericanUniversityWashingtonCollegeofLaw
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Whatelsedoyouwanttoknow
aboutAnnaandWilliam?
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CaseScenario#3
YouinterviewAnnaandWilliamagain.Annatellsyouthatshe
has2otherchildrenwhowerebornintheU.S.Shetellsyou
thatherdaughterwasbornwithaseverephysicaldisability
andhastouseawalker.Herdaughterreceivesphysical
therapyweekly.Annatellsyouthatsheworks2jobsto
supportherkids,andalsovolunteersattheclinicwhereher
daughterreceivesherphysicaltherapy.Williamtellsyouthat
heisnowastraightAstudent.Heplaysonhisschool’s
baseballteamandhealsovolunteersattheclinicwherehis
sisterreceivesherphysicaltherapy.
NationalImmigrantWomen'sAdvocacyProject,
AmericanUniversityWashingtonCollegeofLaw
16
HowdoIapplyforawaiver?
• Thewaiverissimilartoapardontoaddress
groundsofinadmissibility
• SubmitFormI‐192,“ApplicationforAdvance
PermissiontoEnterasNonimmigrant”
• Feeiscurrently$545.00,butcanrequestafee
waiver
• Identifyallgroundsofinadmissibilitywith
specificity
• Addressequitiesofthecaseinyourargument
– Considershouldwaiverbegrantedinnationalorpublic
interest?
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AmericanUniversityWashingtonCollegeofLaw
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WhatevidencedoAnnaandWilliam
havetosubmitfortheirI‐192s
(waiverofinadmissibility)?
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SupportingDocuments
• BirthcertificatesofU.S.citizenchildren
• Evidenceofrehabilitation
– Certificatesforclasses/awards
– Affidavitsfromfamily,friends,co‐workers
• Documentsrelatedtocriminaloffenses
– Finaldispositions/sentences
– OnlyuseRecordofConviction(ROC);challenge
officialsthataskforrecordsoutsideofROC(i.e.,
policereports)
NationalImmigrantWomen'sAdvocacyProject,
AmericanUniversityWashingtonCollegeofLaw
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CaseScenario#4
AfteryoufiletheapplicationsforAnnaandWilliam,
Annatellsyouthatshehasanotherarrestforassault
fromlastyear.Shedidn’ttellyoubecauseshewas
embarrassed.Shegotintoafightwithherex‐sister
inlaw.ShewasconvictedofaclassAmisdemeanor.
ShealsotellsyouthatGloriahasbeentotheU.S.
oncebefore,butshewascaughtforshoplifting.
Gloriahadanimmigration“hold”andwasthen
returnedtoherhomecountry.
NationalImmigrantWomen'sAdvocacyProject,
AmericanUniversityWashingtonCollegeofLaw
20
UVisaWaitlist
• Only10,000UVisascanbeissuedbyUSCIS
eachfiscalyear
– Thisnumberonlyappliestoprincipal
applicants,notderivatives
• Whathappenswhenthe10,000capis
reached?
– Uvisawaitlist
– DeferredActionStatus
NationalImmigrantWomen'sAdvocacyProject,
AmericanUniversityWashingtonCollegeofLaw
7/20/2015 …21
DeferredActionStatusundertheU
VisaWaitlist
• UvisasforFY2014and2015havealready
beenused
• CurrentwaitforadecisiononaUvisais12‐
14months
• Onceadjudicated,applicantsaregiven
deferredactionstatus
• MustapplyforanEmployment
AuthorizationDocument(EAD)
NationalImmigrantWomen'sAdvocacyProject,
AmericanUniversityWashingtonCollegeofLaw
7/20/2015 …22
WhattoFileforanEADBasedon
DeferredAction
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
FormI‐765
FormI‐765WS
DeferredActionNotice
Twophotosoftheapplicant
IdentificationDocument
Nofeeisrequired!!
EADissuedfor2years
NationalImmigrantWomen'sAdvocacyProject,
AmericanUniversityWashingtonCollegeofLaw
7/20/2015 …23
CaseScenario#5
TheapplicationsforAnna,William,andGloria
areapproved.Annacallsyou6monthslater
andtellsyouthatsheneedstogobacktoher
homecountry.Hermotherisdyingandshe
wantstoseeher.
NationalImmigrantWomen'sAdvocacyProject,
AmericanUniversityWashingtonCollegeofLaw
24
WhatifanInadmissibilityisnotIdentifiedin
AdvanceandTriggeredLater?
• Groundthatisnotrevealed,oranewarrest
orcriminalissue
• TraveloutsidetheU.S.– triggeringULP
• Pre‐ orPost‐ UVisa/I‐192approval
– AmendI‐192
– FilenewI‐192
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AmericanUniversityWashingtonCollegeofLaw
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TechnicalAssistanceandMaterials
• PowerPointpresentationsandmaterialsforthis
conferenceatwww.niwap.org/go/NOLA2015
• NIWAPTechnicalAssistance:
– Call(202)274‐4457
– E‐[email protected]
• WebLibrary:www.niwaplibrary.wcl.american.edu
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AmericanUniversityWashingtonCollegeofLaw
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Questions
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AmericanUniversityWashingtonCollegeofLaw
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Evaluations
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Thankyou!
THIS PROJECT WAS SUPPORTED BY GRANT NO. 2013-TA-AX-K009 AWARDED BY THE OFFICE
ON VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. THE OPINIONS, FINDINGS,
CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS EXPRESSED IN THIS
PUBLICATION/PROGRAM/EXHIBITION ARE THOSE OF THE AUTHOR(S) AND DO NOT
NECESSARILY REFLECT THE VIEWS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, OFFICE ON
VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN.
NationalImmigrantWomen's
AdvocacyProject,American
UniversityWashington 29
College of Law