US Waiver for Canadians

The Admissibility Review Office (ARO) located in the Washington, DC area and a department within Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has been the sole agency adjudicating I-192 waiver applications since 2005. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) created the ARO in an effort to achieve consistency in the adjudication of all nonimmigrant waivers ( CBP Memorandum from March 22, 2005 ). Processing times Application processing for the I-192 waiver can vary from case to case. AROs goal is to process each application within 120-180 days of the filing date, but there are many cases in which the processing period is much longer. The delay is not always with the ARO, but sometimes with other federal agencies responding to the necessary background and security checks (often referred to as secondary security checks). First time waiver applications usually involve the longest processing time with subsequent waiver applications being completed much quicker – often within 90-120 days. Recentl...

Note: The zip code for the ARO  (Admissibility Review Office/U.S. Customs and Border Protection)  recently changed and the current I-192 application form still shows the incorrect older zip code. The correct address is: 12825 Worldgate Drive, Herndon, VA  20598-1340 .

When weighing their decision on a waiver application the Admissibility Review Office (ARO) must take into consideration these 3 factors: The risk of harm to society if the applicant is admitted; The seriousness of the applicant's immigration or criminal law violations; and The nature of the applicant's reasons for wishing to enter the U.S. In addition to these factors, the ARO can also consider the following: The nature of the offense; The circumstances which led to the offense; How recently the offense occured; Whether it was an isolated incident, or part of a pattern of misconduct; Evidence of reformation or rehabilitation. This builds on my previous posting about intent: Be clear about your intent . Something to consider while completing your waiver application.