Hundreds of thousands of people are deported from the United States every year. Most are unable to return to the United States on an immigrant visa, due to a variety of factors. Some lack a way to obtain a new immigrant visa, and others face grounds of inadmissibility for which they are unable to obtain a waiver.
In some cases, however, a non-immigrant visa may provide a way for a person to return to the United States following removal. If the applicant is able to meet the general requirements for such a visa, a waiver of inadmissibility may be sought under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). Non-immigrant waiver are available for a broad range of inadmissibility grounds. Under certain circumstances, even an applicant with a “lifetime bar” (for example, a former lawful permanent resident deported due to an aggravated felony conviction) may obtain such a waiver.