U.S. Immigration Law

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Certain immigrant visa applicants who are relatives of U.S. Citizens or lawful permanent residents may file an I-601A Waiver to request a provisional waiver to avoid the three or ten-year wait to obtain a green card.  You may be able to apply for the waiver while in the U.S. before departing the U.S. to appear at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate for an immigrant visa.  If successful you will spend much less time apart from your family.

Generally, those who have lived in the U.S. unlawfully have to leave the country and wait for three or ten years before reentering.  This waiver avoids the long wait period.  However, you must demonstrate extreme hardship to get it.  The I-601 Waiver can be used to seek waiver of certain grounds of inadmissibility such as adjustment of status, certain nonimmigrant statuses, or certain other immigration benefits.

If you have committed a crime and deported (removed) from the United States, you are inadmissible and barred from visa eligibility for five, ten, twenty years (or even permanently barred).  If you are otherwise eligible for a visa, you can request a 212(h) waiver to apply for a visa to enter the U.S. before the expiration of your inadmissiblity period. 

The 245(i) Waiver allows qualified immigrants to remain in the U.S. while obtaining a green card, despite having entered the country without inspeciton.  In other words, if approved you would not have to return to your home country for consular processing.