Pubdate: Tue, 31 Jul 2012
Source: Sun.Star Cebu (Philippines)
Copyright: 2012 Sun.Star
Contact:  http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cebu/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1690
Author: Robert L. Reeves

VISA DENIALS FOR PAST DRUG USE NOW RECONSIDERED

TWO clients of Reeves & Associates recently received immigrant visas
and were able to join their families in the United States as lawful
permanent residents. What makes these cases remarkable is that both
clients were refused visas and declared inadmissible by the embassy
over ten years ago. The inadmissibility findings were based on the
applicant's admission during a routine medical examination that during
their childhood they had experimented with a controlled substance. In
both cases the denial of the visa resulted in the separation of
husband from wife as well as father from children.

The Immigration & Nationality Act dictates that any person who has
been convicted of or has admitted to the essential elements of a
controlled substance violation is inadmissible to the United States.
Further, any person who the embassy determines to be a drug abuser or
drug addict will also be declared inadmissible. In our client's cases
the embassy had found that both clients were inadmissible as persons
who had admitted the essential elements of a controlled substance violation.

After enduring years of separation from their loved ones our clients
came to Reeves & Associates seeking hope and a solution to the
embassy's denials of the immigrant visas. Through zealous and
persistent advocacy and painstaking legal research and writing, Reeves
& Associates was able to convince the embassy that our clients were
not inadmissible as drug abusers and were not subject to the ground of
inadmissibility for having admitted the essential elements of a
controlled substance violation.

Our clients were scheduled for new medical examinations and new
immigrant visa interviews and both were granted their visas and have
been able to join their loved ones in the United States. One of our
client's had this to say after receiving the good news: "My family
will soon be reunited here in the States and this is a dream come true
from a hopeless case 11 years ago. This would not have been possible
if it's not your hard work and effort."

These are just two recent examples of success in this type of case.
After advocating with the embassy, United States Citizenship and
Immigration Services, and the Department of State for years our office
has experienced a general breakthrough in these type of cases. Many of
our clients who were previously declared "permanently inadmissible" to
the United States due to a previous drug admission are being permitted
to reapply and present their cases to the Manila Embassy. If you or a
loved one has been deemed inadmissible to the United States because of
an admission to the use of a controlled substance there is a
possibility of achieving success in your case. The best way to
determine if there is a route to successfully overcome the finding of
inadmissibility based on past drug use and to reunite your family is
to speak with a reputable and experienced immigration attorney.
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