ELIGIBILITY REVIEW UNIT
Waivers of Visa Ineligibility
In order to protect the health, welfare, and security of the U.S., certain applicants are not eligible for the issuance of a visa even if they qualify in other ways. Click here to learn more about specific ineligibilities.
If you have been found ineligible for a visa under section 212(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), you cannot be issued a visa unless the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) grants you a waiver of ineligibility.
Nonimmigrant Visas
If you applied for a nonimmigrant visa, a consular officer must recommend your waiver. If you would like to be recommended for a waiver, please email consulardakar@state.gov and provide a detailed explanation why a consular officer should recommend this waiver. You will be given additional instructions only if a consular officer decides to recommend a waiver of ineligibility.
Immigrant Visas
If you applied for your immigrant visa at the U.S. Embassy in Dakar, you must submit you application for a waiver of ineligibility through the U.S. Embassy in Dakar. In order to submit your application, you must schedule an appointment by emailing consulardakar@state.gov. At the time of your appointment, you must present the following items:
- A completed waiver application form I-601; and
- A nonrefundable fee of USD 545 paid in cash in dollars or the equivalent in CFA (The U.S. Embassy Dakar cannot accept a check or money order even if made out to the Department of Homeland Security); and
- A letter written by you explaining the extreme hardship on your family member in the U.S. if the waiver is not granted.
If you have been previously deported or removed from the U.S., you must also submit a completed Form I-212 (available only from USCIS) and an additional nonrefundable fee of USD 545 to be paid in cash in dollars or the equivalent in CFA.
If you are HIV positive, you must also submit the HIV supplemental form.
The consular section Eligibility Review Unit will forward your application to the DHS U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) office in Accra, Ghana for adjudication. If you would like to know the status of an application, you must contact USCIS in Accra directly. Their phone number is [233] (21) 769-257/258. USCIS will notify you directly when it approves or denies your application for a waiver. If USCIS grants you a waiver and you have no other visa ineligibilities, the consular section will provide instructions on how to schedule an appointment to complete your application process.
