Upon receiving notification that the Provisional Unlawful Presence Waiver (Form I-601A) has been approved, the beneficiary is then positioned to pursue the subsequent steps toward obtaining an immigrant visa. This approval signifies that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has preliminarily determined that the applicant meets the criteria for a waiver of inadmissibility based on unlawful presence in the United States.
This waiver approval is a significant milestone in the immigration process. It mitigates the risk of being denied an immigrant visa due to the statutory bar triggered by unlawful presence. Historically, individuals subject to this bar faced considerable uncertainty, as they could only apply for a waiver after departing the U.S., often leading to prolonged separation from family members. The provisional waiver process aimed to alleviate this hardship by allowing applicants to seek a waiver decision while still in the United States.
