Today, U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano announced the posting of a final rule that will dramatically reduce the time family members of U.S. citizens are separated while processing their immigrant visa waivers for unlawful presence. The new process will be effective on March 4, 2013 and more information about the filing process will be made available in the coming weeks.
This is excellent news because until now, applicants had to depart the United States first, and only then await a lengthy and uncertain process of the waiver application adjudication. The new process should reduce the time period of waiting abroad from months, or even a year or longer in some cases, to a matter of weeks.
