To file Form I-192, Application for Advance Permission to Enter as a Nonimmigrant, you assemble certified proof of every arrest and conviction, identity and citizenship documents, and a personal statement with rehabilitation evidence, then submit the current edition of the form with a $1,100 fee — through CBP’s e-SAFE portal if you’re a Canadian or other visa-exempt applicant, or by mail to a USCIS lockbox if you’re applying in T or U nonimmigrant status. After filing you attend a biometrics appointment and wait somewhere between roughly 9 months and nearly 3 years for a decision, depending on which agency handles your case.
Confirm You Actually Need Form I-192
You file this form when a ground of inadmissibility under Section 212(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act would keep you out of the country and you want to travel to the U.S. temporarily anyway. The most common triggers are a criminal conviction or admitted conduct (particularly crimes involving moral turpitude or controlled substances), a communicable disease or a mental or physical disorder with associated harmful behavior, prior removal, unlawful presence, or a finding of fraud or misrepresentation.1Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 8 USC 1182 – Inadmissible Aliens
Canadians are among the most frequent filers, because Canadians don’t need a visa for most short visits and a disqualifying record often surfaces for the first time at the border. Applicants for T status (trafficking victims) and U status (crime victims) also use this form when a ground of inadmissibility applies.2U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I-192, Application for Advance Permission to Enter as a Nonimmigrant
Two boundaries are worth knowing before you start. Certain security-related grounds — espionage, sabotage, terrorist activity, genocide, Nazi persecution, extrajudicial killing — sit outside the discretionary waiver authority and cannot be waived with an I-192. And if you’re seeking admission under the Visa Waiver Program, you cannot file Form I-192 at all; you have to apply for a nonimmigrant visa at a U.S. Embassy or consulate instead.3U.S. Customs and Border Protection. e-SAFE
Gather Your Supporting Documents
The strength of your application is the strength of what you attach. The officer needs enough evidence to conclude that letting you in serves a legitimate purpose and that you don’t pose a risk.4eCFR. 8 CFR Part 212 – Documentary Requirements: Nonimmigrants; Waivers; Admission of Certain Inadmissible Aliens; Parole – Section 212.4
Criminal Records
Collect certified court records for every arrest, charge, and conviction — not only the one that triggered your inadmissibility. Each record should show the plea, indictment, conviction, and final disposition. If a court record can’t be produced, include an official letter from the court explaining why. For any pardoned offense, attach a complete copy of the pardon or record suspension.3U.S. Customs and Border Protection. e-SAFE
Canadian applicants also need verification of their criminal record (or proof of a clean record) from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. The RCMP endorsement must be dated within 15 months of the date you submit the application. If it expires while your case is pending, you may be asked for a fresh one, so plan for that.
Identity and Citizenship
Include a valid passport or birth certificate. The form asks for your full legal name along with every alias, nickname, or maiden name you have ever used. Leaving one off can trigger a denial on misrepresentation grounds, so be thorough.
Personal Statement and Rehabilitation Evidence
A signed personal statement is one of the most important pieces of the package. Explain why you want to enter the U.S. and address the circumstances of your inadmissibility directly. Back it up with concrete proof that you no longer pose a risk: completion certificates from counseling or rehabilitation programs, letters from employers or community leaders, evidence of stable family ties, and financial documents or other proof of ties to your home country that show you’ll return after your visit. The officer is weighing whether the reasons to admit you outweigh the reasons to keep you out; give them material to work with.
Translations
Any document not in English must come with a certified English translation. The translator must certify that the translation is complete and accurate and that they are competent to translate. Certified translation of legal documents typically runs about $25 to $39 per page.
Completing the Form
Download the current edition from uscis.gov/i-192. Using an outdated edition is a common reason for rejection, so check the edition date before you start.2U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I-192, Application for Advance Permission to Enter as a Nonimmigrant
You’ll need to list every physical address you’ve had for the last five years, current address first, with full postal codes for international locations.5U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Form I-192 Application for Advance Permission to Enter as a Nonimmigrant Employment history for the same five years is also required, most recent first.6U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Form I-192, Application for Advance Permission to Enter as a Nonimmigrant Don’t leave gaps; account for time in school or out of work.
Identify the specific grounds of inadmissibility you want waived. Being precise here matters — vague or wrong citations give the officer less to work with and can delay the case. State your intended purpose of travel and how long you plan to stay. The form also collects your parents’ birth dates and birthplaces as an added identity check. If a question doesn’t apply, write “N/A” rather than leaving it blank; a blank field reads as an oversight and can trigger a rejection.
Where to File
Filing location depends on your category.
CBP e-SAFE (Most Applicants)
Canadian citizens and other visa-exempt applicants file with U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The fastest route is CBP’s e-SAFE portal at e-safe.cbp.dhs.gov, which lets you complete and submit the application electronically and track it online.3U.S. Customs and Border Protection. e-SAFE You’ll need a Login.gov account. If an attorney is representing you, they have to register separately and be approved before they can file on your behalf. You can also submit the form in person at a major port of entry or a preclearance office. CBP only accepts electronic payment; contact the port where you plan to submit to confirm which methods are accepted.7U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Form I-192: Application for Advance Permission to Enter as Nonimmigrant
USCIS (T and U Applicants)
If you’re applying for or hold T or U nonimmigrant status, file with USCIS instead — not through e-SAFE. The correct lockbox address depends on where you live and on whether you’re filing the I-192 together with or separately from the underlying Form I-914 (T) or Form I-918 (U). Check the USCIS filing-addresses page for VAWA, T, and U applications for the address that applies to you.8U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Filing Addresses for Certain Forms Filed in Connection With a VAWA, T, or U Visa Application/Petition
Fees and Payment
The filing fee is $1,100.9eCFR. 8 CFR 106.2 USCIS also charges a $30 biometric services fee, paid separately from the filing fee.10U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. G-1055 Fee Schedule Two exceptions apply. Applicants for T or U status, including derivative family members, pay nothing — both the filing fee and the biometric fee are waived. Other applicants may request a fee waiver by filing Form I-912, but only if they are exempt from the public charge grounds of inadmissibility.11U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I-912, Request for Fee Waiver
USCIS no longer accepts personal checks, money orders, or cashier’s checks for paper-filed forms. When filing by mail, pay with a credit, debit, or prepaid card using Form G-1450, or pay directly from a U.S. bank account using Form G-1650. A narrow paper-payment exemption is available through Form G-1651.12U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Filing Fees Filing online with USCIS gets an online-filing discount; that discount doesn’t apply to applications submitted to CBP.
What Happens After You File
Biometrics
Once your application is received, you’ll be scheduled to give fingerprints, a photograph, and a signature so background checks can run. If you filed through e-SAFE, biometrics happen at a designated port of entry. Missing the appointment usually results in denial for abandonment, so treat it as mandatory.
Processing Times
How long you wait depends on where you filed. Applications through CBP’s e-SAFE portal currently run about 9 to 12 months.3U.S. Customs and Border Protection. e-SAFE Applications through USCIS take much longer: the median processing time for the USCIS waiver category (which includes Form I-192 along with other waiver forms) was 35.4 months as of early fiscal year 2026 — nearly three years.13U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Historic Processing Times Build that into any travel plans.
The Decision
You’ll receive the decision by mail. An approval will state the period during which you’re authorized to enter the U.S. and any conditions attached to your admission.14U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Form I-192 Instructions for Application for Advance Permission to Enter as a Nonimmigrant Keep the approval letter with your travel documents and present it at the port of entry. A denial notice will list the specific reasons and any options you have.
How Long an Approval Lasts
An approved I-192 is valid only for the period stated on the notice, and the officer has wide discretion in setting that period. Some approvals authorize a single entry; others cover multiple entries over several years. Once the approval expires, it can’t be renewed or revalidated. You file a fresh Form I-192 and pay the fee again for any future entries.14U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Form I-192 Instructions for Application for Advance Permission to Enter as a Nonimmigrant The government can also revoke an approval at any time if circumstances change. If you travel to the U.S. regularly, track the expiration date carefully; a new application means another wait of many months.
If You’re Denied
A denial notice lays out the specific grounds. If USCIS denied your application, you can challenge the decision by filing Form I-290B, Notice of Appeal or Motion. In most cases you have 33 calendar days from the date the decision was mailed. The date of service is the mailing date, not the date you received it, so read the notice carefully.15U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Notice of Appeal or Motion Late appeals are rejected unless the office treats the filing as a motion to reopen or reconsider; USCIS may excuse a late motion to reopen when the delay was reasonable and beyond your control, but that exception is narrow.
CBP denials work differently. CBP decisions generally do not carry the same I-290B appeal right, and your primary option is a new application with stronger evidence addressing the reasons for denial. If your first package was thin rather than fundamentally ineligible, a stronger personal statement and more rehabilitation evidence are usually the most productive next step.