Can Anyone Help Us? Pardons/ Illegal Immigrant Status

[Luis & Jessica]

Hi! My name is Jessica and my husband is Luis. I'm a US citizen and he is from Ecuador. He entered the country illegally in 1999. We have a child together and have been married since 2004. Our lawyer wants us to wait to file more paperwork with the INS. So far we have sent the I 130 and our papers have arrived in Vermont. Our lawyer says that we should wait to see if new laws are passed this year to help protect immigrates with illegal status/ no status. Is this good advice? Or could we proceed. Also has anyone ever applied for a pardon for entering the country illegally and has it helped towards gaining a legal status in the US? Our lawyer is worried that if we go to Ecuador for our interview then he could be deported as the law stands right now. Thanks. :)

[aleful]

jessica,
I don't think he is giving you good advice. If you read here all that have filed a waiver they will tell you not to wait. while he is illegal here he can be deported. the waiver he will have to file in Ecuador. don't wait, if he EWI only once, for sure he will be eligible for a waiver.

[Laura]

I am going to move this thread to I-601 All Other Countries.

The majority of the people on this site are in the process of or have already filed waivers for unlawful presence, deportation, etc. So, yes, there are a ton of us.

If your husband only entered that one time and doesn't have a criminal record you have a great chance. As far as what your lawyer is telling you, it's hard to say. Your waiver will be adjudicated in Panama, which is not known to be the easiest, but definitely not the strictest.

If you can put together a good packet that documents how you will suffer if he is barred for ten years, he'll have to stay out of the U.S. for up to a year, but there is a great chance he will be approved and return to you.

Keep reading... we are all here to help.

[Marie]

it's doubtful that any law would pass to grant amnesty right now.

I moved this thread to the waiver section. Many people have done the waiver process on the site. There is no guarantee that it will be granted but right now, this is the only way to get your husband legal.

edit: laura beat me to the move :D