I-601 Waiver Processing

I-601 Waiver Application - Pilot Processing Program in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico

The USCIS office in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico operates a new pilot program for I-601 waiver processing. This pilot is an effort to come up with new ways to use available resources with limited staff to shorten waiver processing times.

I-601 Waiver - Pilot Application Process

When a consular officer makes a determination of inadmissibility at the time of the immigrant visa interview and a waiver application may be submitted, the applicant will be given a USCIS waiver letter, which indicates that the applicant may make an appointment to come back to the Consulate in Ciudad Juarez to submit an I-601 or I-212, as applicable, with along with supporting evidence and material.

I-601 Waiver - Appointment

The I-601 waiver appointments may be scheduled prior to the immigrant visa interview, but they cannot be made for the day of the immigrant visa interview. For those with waiver packets fully documented and ready for adjudication, the appointment should be set for at least 3 working days after the immigrant visa interview. This helps ensure that the fingerprints taken on the date of the immigrant visa interview have cleared.

When the waiver applicant comes back to the consulate with the complete waiver application, a USCIS employee will review the packet, and if the case is supported and approvable, the waiver application may be approved that day. Then, the Consulate will either approve the immigrant visa that day or within the next one to two days.

If the submitted packet is not clearly approvable, then the application will go into the regular processing waiting line (10 to 11 months) and the applicant will be instructed to provide additional supporting documentation to USCIS. In essence, the applicant will get a second chance for review.