Overstayed & Worked Illegally

T

Therealdeal

New Member
Hi,

Please help me. I lived in the US for 17 years and worked during that time with a valid SS#. I came to the US on a tourist visa from Jamaica and overstayed. My father just became a US citizen. Couple of questions:
1) Now that dad is a US citizen what is the best way to notify USCIS so that my priority date can improve i.e. by letter or is there a form?
2) Will i be penalized for the many years that I worked in the US without a valid work permit even though I always payed my taxes?
3) I was concerned about being deported because things were getting hot in Florida so I left the country. Will they impose a 10 year ban on me or will it not apply since I left the country voluntarily? I have heard different answers if someone can clarify for me I would really appreciate it.
 
If you have stayed illegally for more than a year after age 18, you will be banned for 10 years from reentering the US. Leaving voluntarily doesn't reduce that (but if you were forcibly deported, they might have made it a permanent ban).
 
Yikes is there any way around this? I miss the US and want to come back when my priority date is up? Can my father help in any way?
 
The only way around it is an I-601 waiver. But it requires that you prove "extreme hardship" to your spouse or parent who is in the US if you are not allowed to live in the US (not hardship to you), and that spouse or parent must be a citizen or permanent resident. For example, suppose your father was severely disabled and you were the only one available to take care of him.

If you didn't leave the US, due to your illegal status you would not have been able to obtain a green card via your father anyway, unless you are under 21.
 
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