I-601A, Application for Provisional Unlawful Presence Waiver
Alert: Before sending your package to USCIS, make sure that all the forms you have completed are the current acceptable edition. The current acceptable edition can be found under the Edition Date section listed on each form’s webpage.
You can also find the edition date at the bottom of the page on the form and instructions. For each form that you are submitting, make sure that all pages are from the same form edition. If any of the form’s pages are from a different form edition, we may reject your form. Watch USCIS Forms: Download the most recent version! to see how to ensure your form is acceptable.
For additional guidance on filing paper-based forms at the Lockbox and how to avoid or correct common errors before you file, please visit the Five Steps to File at the USCIS Lockbox webpage.
Certain immigrant visa applicants who are relatives of U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents may use this application to request a provisional waiver of the unlawful presence grounds of inadmissibility under Immigration and Nationality Act section 212 (a)(9)(B) before departing the United States to appear at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate for an immigrant visa interview. For more information, see our Provisional Unlawful Presence Waiver page.
Form Details
Dates are listed in mm/dd/yy format.
If you complete and print this form to mail it, make sure that the form edition date and page numbers are visible at the bottom of all pages and that all pages are from the same form edition. If any of the form’s pages are missing or are from a different form edition, we may reject your form.
If you need help downloading and printing forms, read our instructions.
Mail your Form I-601A to the Chicago lockbox.
U.S. Postal Service (USPS):
USCIS
Attn: I-601A
P.O. Box 4599
Chicago, IL 60680-4599
FedEx, UPS, and DHL deliveries:
USCIS
Attn: I-601A (Box 4599)
131 S. Dearborn, 3rd Floor
Chicago, IL 60603-5517
You can find the filing fee for Form I-601A by visiting our Fee Schedule page.
You can pay the fee with a money order, personal check, cashier’s check, or pay by credit card or debit card using Form G-1450, Authorization for Credit Card Transactions. If you pay by check, you must make your check payable to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
When you send a payment, you agree to pay for a government service. Filing fees are final and non-refundable, regardless of any action we take on your application, petition, or request, or if you withdraw your request. If you pay by credit card or debit card, you cannot later dispute the payment. Use our Fee Calculator to help determine your fee.
If you are submitting multiple forms, pay each filing fee separately. We are transitioning to electronically processing immigration benefit requests, which requires us to use multiple systems to process your package. We may reject your entire package if you submit a single, combined payment for multiple forms.
Please do not submit this checklist with your Form I-601A. The checklist is an optional tool to use as you prepare your form, but does not replace statutory, regulatory, and form instruction requirements. We recommend that you review these requirements before completing and submitting your form. Do not send original documents unless specifically requested in the form instructions or applicable regulations.
If you submit any documents (copies or original documents, if requested) in a foreign language, you must include a full English translation along with a certification from the translator verifying that the translation is complete and accurate, and that the translator is competent to translate from the foreign language into English.
Did you provide the following?
- Your Department of State (DOS) Immigrant Visa (IV) Processing Fee Receipt (for immediate relatives, family-sponsored, and employment-based immigrant visa applicants);
- The fee receipt must show a payment status of “PAID ”. The receipt cannot be accepted with a payment status of “In Process”. You can get your receipt on the DOS Immigrant Visa Process webpage.
- Your immigrant visa petition approval notice or DOS Electronic Diversity Visa Entrant Status Check printout (if applicable);
- A copy of your Department of Justice EOIR Administrative Closure Order (if applicable);
- A copy of your Form I-797, Notice of Action, showing we approved your Form I-212, Application for Permission to Reapply for Admission into the United States After Deportation or Removal (if applicable);
- Evidence of your relationship to your qualifying relative (if applicable);
- Evidence of U.S. citizenship or lawful permanent resident status of your qualifying relative (if applicable);
- Evidence of your admission or parole;
- Evidence of extreme hardship; and
- Evidence your case warrants a favorable exercise of discretion.
Filing Tips for Form I-601A, Application for Provisional Unlawful Presence Waiver
We will reject your form if any of the following are missing:
- Part 1 – Information About You
- Alien Registration Number (A-Number) (if any)
- Family Name
- Your U.S. Physical Address
- Date of Birth
- Country of Birth
- Part 3 – Information About Your Immigrant Visa Case
- Basis on which you are immigrating to the United States (1.a. – 1.e.)
- DOS Diversity Visa Case Number (KCC Case Number) (if applicable)
- USCIS receipt number for your approved immigrant visa petition (Form I-130, I-140 or I-360) (if applicable)
- DOS Consular Case Number (NVC Case Number) (if applicable)
Include all required supporting documentation and evidence listed in the form instructions, including:
- Evidence that you are the beneficiary of an approved immigrant visa petition, Diversity Visa Program selectee, or derivative including:
- A copy of your Department of State immigrant visa processing fee receipt (IV fee payment receipt). The fee receipt must show that the fee has been paid in full. Documents such as the immigrant visa application processing fee bill invoice, Affidavit of Support (AOS) Fee receipt or a receipt showing the payment is in process are not sufficient and could cause delays in processing your case. See the National Visa Center website to learn how to obtain your immigrant visa fee receipt.
Or
- A printout from the Electronic Diversity Visa Entrant Status Check page at dvprogram.state.gov confirming you are a DV Program selectee or derivative.
- If you have any attachments, make sure your name and either your A-Number or Forms I-130, I-140 or I-360 receipt number are on every page.
Filing Tips: Review our Tips for Filing Forms by Mail page for information on how to ensure we will accept your form.
Don’t forget to sign your form. We will reject any unsigned form.
E-Notification: If you want to receive an e-mail and/or text message that we have accepted at a USCIS lockbox, complete Form G-1145, E-Notification of Application/Petition Acceptance, and clip it to the first page of your form.