legalfalcon
VIP Member
- Sep 21, 2015
- 9,916
- Category........
- FSW
- Visa Office......
- Ottawa
- NOC Code......
- 4112
- App. Filed.......
- 03-09-2015
- Doc's Request.
- 01-10-2015
- AOR Received.
- 03-09-2015
- Med's Done....
- 17-08-2015
- Passport Req..
- 05-04-2016
- VISA ISSUED...
- 12-04-2016
- LANDED..........
- 05-05-2016
Hi @legalfalcon , can you help me with this?
I received my ITA couple of days ago and I found I have overstayed in the US in 2016 for 4 months and I left the US voluntarily without any removal or deportation procedure. My criminal record from FBI is also clean.
I plan to disclose full detail in letter of explanation, but how should I answer the statutory questions? Should I answer no to all of them?
Thanks in advance.
You do not have to disclose this as you never opted for voluntary departure from ICE or an immigration judge. You just overstayed and left US on your own without a removal order.
So if you read the statutory questions, you do not fall under any one of them where you have to answer yes.
Also, after a US visa expires, as per US immigration law you get a grace period to leave the country. This depends on the type of visa you had.
- F-1 visa holders have 60 days after their program end date to leave the United States. For F-1 students who participate in post-completion optional practical training, they have 60 days after their employment ends to depart.
- M-1 visa holders have 30 days after their program end date to leave the United States. M-1 students who participate in practical training have 30 days after their EAD expires to depart.
If you have left the US, your previous overstay will not necessarily prevent you from returning to the US unless you accrued 180 days or more of unlawful presence before leaving and are therefore barred from reentry.
If you accrued fewer than 180 days of unlawful presence, you can still apply to return to the US if you otherwise qualify for another nonimmigrant or immigrant status. However, you will have to explain why you overstayed.