I-212 Application for Permission to Reapply for Admission into the United States After Deportation or Removal
Asks for consent to reapply for admission after a removal or deportation order, which otherwise bars re-entry for five, ten, or twenty years, or permanently. It is often paired with an I-601 or I-601A because a removal order and unlawful presence are separate bars that each need their own forgiveness.
- Fee
- $1,175 when filed with USCIS. If applying with CBP at a port of entry, contact that port for payment instructions.
- Fee waiver
- Not available
- Who files
- People with a prior removal, deportation, or expedited removal order who want to return.
- Where to file
- By mail to the USCIS lockbox, to the consulate, or to CBP, depending on where the person is and what they are applying for.
- Processing time
- 35.7 months for waivers other than the I-601A (FY 2026 national median through June 30, 2026)
Usually filed with
Part of these processes
What changed in 2025 and 2026
- A person subject to the permanent bar under INA 212(a)(9)(C) generally must spend ten years outside the United States before an I-212 can even be considered.
Official page. https://www.uscis.gov/i-212. Download the form there, never from a third-party site; check the edition date and fee before filing.