Visa Denials: Ineligibilities for Visas

When immigrants apply for visas, their applications are reviewed, and interviews with each applicant are conducted by a consular officer at a U.S. embassy or consulate. Subsequently, the visa is either approved or denied by the consular officer handling the case, and in the case of denials:

• The specific reason for the visa denial is provided, with the applicable section of U.S. immigration law cited.
• Applicants will be informed regarding whether they may apply for a waiver of their ineligibility.

According to the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), some of the specific reasons that visas may be denied – i.e., some of the reasons for ineligibilities for visas – include (but are not limited to) the following:

• The visa application was not properly filled out, and/or the necessary supporting documentation was not provided (INA section 221(g)).
• The applicant did not sufficiently establish his eligibility for the specific visa for which he applied (INA section 214(b)).
• The applicant did not show sufficient proof of financial support in the U.S. (INA section 212(a)(4)).
• The applicant has lied or committed some type of fraud in an effort to obtain a visa (INA section 212(a)(6)(C)(i)).
• The applicant has a history of having stayed longer than he was authorized to in the U.S. (INA section 212(a)(9)(B)(i)).
• The applicant has been convicted of a crime involving moral turpitude (INA section 212(a)(2)(A)(i)(I)) or has been convicted of a drug offense (INA section 212(a)(2)(A)(i)(II)).
• The applicant has been convicted of at least two offenses for which he served at least 5 years in jail or prison (INA section 212(a)(2)(B)).

While some of these ineligibilities may be overcome, others are permanent, meaning that, regardless of what an applicant does, he will never be eligible for the visa for which he is applying.

If you are applying for a visa and want to minimize your chances of denial, or if your visa application has been denied and you need help reapplying, an experienced immigration lawyer can be essential to helping you efficiently obtain the visa you need.

The Los Angeles, California Immigration Lawyers at the Hanlon Law Group

At the Hanlon Law Group, P.C., our Los Angeles immigration lawyers have more than 15 years of experience successfully representing clients in various types of immigration cases, including those that involve the most basic immigration applications to those associated with extremely complicated federal court litigation. Our firm offers state-of-the art technology to deliver these services efficiently while also providing each of our clients with old-fashioned personal service. That means you can count on your case progressing as quickly as possible while feeling confident that your Hanlon Law Group lawyer will answer your questions quickly, clearly and honestly.

Given the constant change and complexities associated with U.S. immigration laws, today’s immigration cases demand attorneys like those at the Hanlon Law Group who have an unrelenting commitment to understanding every change in the law while providing clients with superior legal service at every stage of their case. In fact, clients who choose us will benefit not only from our experienced immigration attorneys and staff, who provide personal care and attention to every case, but also from our state-of-the-art immigration case management system that promotes both efficiency and effectiveness.

To learn more about our citizenship, immigration and deportation defense services contact our Los Angeles immigration attorneys today by calling (626) 765-4641 or (866) 489-7612 or by emailing us using the form at the upper right-hand side of the screen. From our office in Pasadena, we serve clients throughout the Los Angeles area, across the state of California and from around the world.

We offer free, confidential initial consultations to provide potential clients with expert advice regarding their immigration law needs. Additionally, we are able to provide immigration legal services in various languages, including in Spanish, Mandarin, Cantonese, Vietnamese, Korean, Japanese, Bahasa Indonesian, Tagalog and Fukienese.