USCIS Notice of Intent: Provisional Waivers of Inadmissibility for Certain Immediate Relatives of U.S. Citizens

"U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) intends to change its current process for filing and adjudication of certain applications for waivers of inadmissibility filed in connection with an immediate relative immigrant visa application. Specifically, USCIS is considering regulatory changes that will allow certain immediate relatives of U.S. citizens to request provisional waivers under section 212(a)(9)(B)(v) of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952, as amended (INA or Act), 8 U.S.C. 1182(a)(9)(B)(v), prior to departing the United States for consular processing of their immigrant visa applications. An alien would be able to obtain such a waiver only if a Petition for Alien Relative, Form I–130, is filed by a U.S. citizen on his or her behalf and that petition has been approved, thereby classifying the alien as an ‘‘immediate relative’’ for purposes of the immigration laws, and he or she demonstrates that the denial of the waiver would result in extreme hardship to the alien’s U.S. citizen spouse or parent ‘‘qualifying relative.’’ The qualifying relative for purposes of the waiver is not necessarily the immediate relative who filed the immigrant visa petition on the alien relative’s behalf." - Federal Register /Vol. 77, No. 5 /Monday, January 9, 2012.

NOTE: This is not the final rule.  It's not even the proposed rule.  It's just a "notice of intent" to engage in rulemaking.  It may take months...even years...for a final rule to emerge.  Until then, the current system is still in effect.  Don't get too excited.