US Waiver for Canadians

As mentioned by a contributor on the I-194 waiver forum , a recent article on CBC ( Have you ever smoked weed? ) has made claim that the cost of an I-192 waiver application is increasing from $585 to a whopping $930 US ($1,200 CDN) later this year. There seems to be some truth as found on a US Federal Register under a section labelled "TABLE 9—PROPOSED FEES BY IMMIGRATION BENEFIT" (see here: https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2016-05-04/pdf/2016-10297.pdf ) If these changes move ahead Canadian's who have been previously denied entry to the US will see a 59% increase on their US waivers. There is some potential good news in that all waivers after the fee increase may be issued for a set 5 year (instead of the current 1, 3, 5 year) with limited exceptions for sexual assault convictions but that has yet to be confirmed. Waiver renewal application processing seemed to have gotten quicker over the summer with some applicants commenting on 3 month returns. So perhaps we can f...

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...

Here are the most recent steps to apply for the I-194 waiver  (advance permission to enter the United States)  after being denied entry to the US because of a criminal record. Find your  local fingerprint office  (call to see if you need an appointment). Bring your passport, photo identification that shows your address (driver's licence for example) and approximately  $25 CDN (call to confirm, most places seem to accept debit / credit cards). RCMP is now processing  electronically captured fingerprints  only. Wait about 1 week ( current processing time on the RCMP website is 3 business days ). When you receive your completed C-216C from the RCMP ensure it includes the fingerprint chart with a date stamp and the documentation related to your conviction and disposition. Complete a personal statement regarding your intended activities in the US. Don't forget to specify if your travel intentions are for business (B1 visa), or pleasure (B2), and/or bot...