Under the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act (IIRIRA), a section sought to punish anyone who stayed in the US unlawfully by barring them from future legalization. Foreign nationals who have 6 to 12 months of unlawful presence in the US after their 18th birthday are barred from future entry for 3 years; those who are here for more than 1 year after their 18th birthday are barred for 10 years. Both of these bars are triggered on the day the foreign national leaves the U.S. The 3 or 10-year bars were supposed to discourage people from unlawfully entering the US, or from overstaying their visas, as well as to punish those who are already in the country without lawful status. The foreign national may be able to avoid the bars through several waivers.

The 212(d)(3) is a waiver under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) that allows foreign nationals to overcome many grounds of inadmissibility. This waiver is often used to overcome inadmissibility issues, such as the 3 or 10 year bar for …

Section 245(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) states that the status of a foreign national who was inspected and admitted or paroled into the United States may be adjusted to that of a lawful permanent resident if: the …

Section 245(i) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) allows some foreign nationals to apply for permanent residency without leaving the US through a process called “adjustment of status.” Generally, foreign nationals who entered the US without being inspected by …

The alien registration number or “A-number” is an identifying number that the Department of Homeland Security assigns to certain foreign nationals, such as those who apply for adjustment of status or who are in removal proceedings. It is a program …