When a Person is Deported, Can They Come Back? 

A person who has been deported from the United States generally cannot come back immediately. However, under the right conditions, they can return after five, ten, or twenty years, possibly sooner in a limited number of cases. The delay depends on the circumstances of their deportation. 

Non-U.S. residents with questions or concerns about deportation can get straightforward answers from a Tampa, FL deportation defense attorney at the Bassey Immigration Law Center. We help individuals in Florida and elsewhere throughout the United States respond to deportation threats and actions and legally return to the United States. You can count on us for full accessibility to your suggestions, questions, and concerns. Schedule an affordable consultation today. 

How Long Does a Deported Person Have to Wait Before Returning to the U.S.? 

The delay before a deported person can return to the U.S. depends on the circumstances of their deportation: 

• A five-year waiting period applies to persons immediately deported when they attempted to enter the U.S. because immigration officials determined they were admissible. A minimum five-year ban also applies to non-residents who do not appear for their scheduled removal hearings. 
• A ten-year waiting period applies to persons subject to removal orders issued by an immigration law judge in a hearing before an immigration court. 

• A twenty-year waiting period applies to persons who are convicted of an aggravated felony in a state or federal court and to persons who have become subject to more than one removal order. Further, persons who illegally return to the United States before their applicable waiting periods expire will likely be subject to a twenty-year ban. 

If you are unsure of the waiting period that applies to your deportation circumstances, contact an immigration attorney for deportation defense, who will review your situation and provide specific information about when you or a family member will be eligible to return to the United States. 

Are There Exceptions to the Waiting Periods? 

Deported persons who want to come back to the United States should complete and file Form I-212  along with the required filing fee and all supporting documentation. Among other matters, supporting documentation should demonstrate: 

• If the deportation was the result of  a criminal conviction, a full rehabilitation from that conviction 
• Good moral character 
• Connections with family members who are legally residing in the United States. 

Persons who were deported based on specific grounds, for example, violating a specific immigration law or a crime of moral turpitude, should also complete and file Form I-601. Deported persons may qualify for a waiver of those grounds if they show, for example, that their continued absence from the U.S. will cause extreme hardship to a spouse or other family members. 

There is no guarantee that U.S. Immigration Services will grant an exception to any waiting periods for readmission into the United States. However, in all cases, an experienced immigration attorney can provide valuable assistance to complete and file the required forms in ways that substantially improve a deported person’s opportunity for quicker re-entry. 

Call the Bassey Immigration Law Center for Help After a Deportation 

For more than 20 years, our attorneys at the Bassey Immigration Law Center in Tampa, Florida, have helped immigrants and their families challenge deportations, secure readmission after deportation, and gain permanent residency status in the United States. Please call us for information on how you or a family member can get back to the U.S. after deportation and for answers to questions you may have about how we can help you with your immigration case.