Grounds for Inadmissibility and Removability
Certain individuals are deemed "inadmissible to" or "removable from" the United States for a variety of reasons that can be grouped into basic categories:
- Health
- Ex: Tuberculosis, leprosy, syphilis, mental disorders, drug abuse
- Criminal
- Prostitution, human trafficking, drug offenses, crimes of moral turpitude
- Security
- Terrorist group membership, Nazi and Communist Party affiliations
- Public Charge
- Someone who is likely to be unable to support themselves (need I-864 affidavit)
- Labor Certifications
- Not passing tests required for immigration as a skilled professional
- Undocumented Entry and Immigration Status Violations
- Coming to the U.S. without USCIS or State Department permission
- Documentation Requirements
- Invalid visas
- Ineligibility for citizenship
- People who have left the U.S. to avoid the draft
- Previous removal for unlawful presence
- People who have been previously removed from the U.S. are barred from returning
- Other
- People who have renounced citizenship for tax purposes
The details of what makes an individual inadmissible or removable are numerous and complex but an experienced immigration attorney can help determine if you are inadmissible or not, and argue your case to USCIS.
In some cases, even if you would ordinarily be "inadmissible", it is still possible to get a waiver that allows you entry to the United States. Only an attorney specializing in immigration law knows the ins-and-outs of this complex area of Federal law.