The United States Consulates overseas offer varying services to both citizens and foreign visitors. For the sake of this blog, we will be focusing on the U.S. Consulate’s processing of visa applications for foreign nationals. At this step, a consular officer may decide whether a filed immigrant visa application should be approved or rejected. For this, please continue reading to learn what happens if you are deemed inadmissible by a consular officer and how one of the experienced consular processing lawyers at Lupton Law LLC can help you navigate this posed challenge.
What does consular processing look like?
First things first, it is important that you know what to expect from your experience with consular processing, as this is a crucial step toward obtaining entrance into the United States. Well, the United States Citizen and Immigration Services (USCIS) must first approve your initial immigration application, and then transfer your case over to the National Visa Center (NVC). From here, you may be scheduled for an interview at the U.S. Consulate in your home country or the country where you legally reside.
Before your scheduled interview, you may be required to submit a consular processing application and undergo a medical examination. You may also be expected to bring supporting documentation with you to your interview, such as your passport, a passport-sized photograph, a copy of your initial immigration application, and any other evidence relevant to your desired visa (i.e., birth certificate, marriage certificate, employment offer letter, bank records, etc).
What happens if I’m deemed inadmissible during consular processing?
Unfortunately, the consular officer interviewing you at the United States Consulate may cite a specific section in the Immigration Nationality Act (INA) that deems you inadmissible to enter the country. This means that you may have to reapply in the future; depending on what made you inadmissible, you may have to wait years or not even be given a second chance.
Nonetheless, you must understand the exact reason why you were denied an immigration visa so that you correct it in your next application. For example, if you did not provide all the required supporting evidence, you may make sure to submit it and bring it with you to your next interview. Or, if you did not provide an adequate affidavit of support, you may find someone else who is better able to sponsor you in the future. Under extreme conditions, you may even find it in your best interest to file Form I-601, Application for Waiver of Grounds of Inadmissibility.
It should be mentioned that errors such as these may be easily avoided the first time around if you simply acquired legal representation before you even started your immigrant visa application. In conclusion, if you require further consultation, look no further than one of the skilled consular processing lawyers from Lupton Law LLC. Schedule your initial consultation with us today.
