What is Form I-601?
Form I-601 is U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services' Application for Waiver of Grounds of Inadmissibility. Some people can't be admitted or adjust status because of a ground of inadmissibility, such as unlawful presence followed by departure, fraud or misrepresentation, certain criminal grounds or a health-related ground. For some of these grounds the law lets USCIS waive them, and this form is how you ask. The current edition is 01/20/25.
The 11-page form collects your identity and addresses, related filings (I-485, I-821, I-212), your past stays in the United States, biographic details, and then the heart of it: the grounds you believe or were told apply to you, in the section that matches the benefit you're seeking. You explain the acts, convictions or conditions involved, the qualifying relatives who would suffer extreme hardship if you were refused, and other family ties for USCIS's discretion. Part 11 is for applicants with a Class A tuberculosis condition, completed with local and state health departments.
FileIt walks you through it, shows only the grounds for the section you choose, pre-fills your name and date of birth from your vault, and lays your statements out to fit the form's boxes. It prints everything on USCIS's own PDF and saves the finished form in your vault. USCIS requires handwritten signatures, and FileIt never files the form for you.
- Who files
- A person seeking an immigrant visa, adjustment of status, K or V status, T or SIJ adjustment, or TPS who is inadmissible on a waivable ground.
- Pages
- 11 (Parts 1-11, including the Class A tuberculosis statements).
- Key parts
- Part 4 (grounds and your statement), Part 5 (qualifying relatives and extreme hardship), Part 6 (other relatives and discretion).
- Signature
- Handwritten by the applicant, and by any interpreter, preparer and health officials.
- Edition
- 01/20/25 (OMB No. 1615-0029, expires 03/31/2027)
Who needs to fill out Form I-601?
- Immigrant visa applicants whom a consular officer found inadmissible on a waivable ground.
- Applicants for adjustment of status with a ground of inadmissibility that can be waived.
- K and V visa applicants, and T nonimmigrants or Special Immigrant Juveniles adjusting status.
- Temporary Protected Status applicants with a waivable ground.
- Applicants with a Class A tuberculosis condition, together with their health departments.
When to use Form I-601
- When a consular officer or USCIS has found, or you believe, that a waivable ground of inadmissibility applies to you.
- Together with or after the application for the benefit itself, as the instructions describe for your situation.
- Alongside Form I-212 when you also need permission to reapply after removal (the form asks about this).
- Read the instructions for the grounds this form can't waive and the ones that use a different form.
What you need before you start
- Your A-Number, online account number and Social Security number if you have them, and your mailing and physical addresses.
- Receipt numbers for any Form I-485, I-821 or I-212, and your Department of State case number if you were interviewed at a consulate.
- Dates, places and statuses of your past entries into the United States.
- A full account of the acts, convictions or medical conditions behind each ground, with dates; certified court records for any arrests or convictions.
- Details of your qualifying relatives and evidence of the extreme hardship they would face.
- For a Class A tuberculosis condition: arrangements with the local and state health departments.
What’s on Form I-601
The 2025 edition has 11 pages. FileIt asks for it in 16 parts:
- Attorney or accredited representative (top of page 1)Preparer
- Part 1. Information about youApplicant
- Part 1. Mailing and physical addressApplicant
- Part 1. Other informationApplicant
- Part 2. U.S. entry informationApplicant
- Part 3. Biographic information (USCIS applicants only)Applicant
- Part 4. Reasons for inadmissibilityApplicant
- Part 5. Information about your qualifying relativesApplicant
- Part 6. Information about your other relatives with ties to the United StatesApplicant
- Part 7. Applicant's contact information, certification and signatureApplicant
- Part 8. Interpreter's contact information, certification and signatureInterpreter
- Part 9. Person preparing this application, if other than the applicantPreparer
- Part 10. Additional informationApplicant
- Part 11. Class A tuberculosis condition: applicant's statement and medical care arrangementApplicant
- Part 11. Statement by local (city or county) health departmentHealth department physician
- Part 11. Endorsement of state health department officialState health official
How to fill out Form I-601, step by step
1 Part 1. Information about you
Your identifiers, names, addresses, birth details and citizenship, your consular case and post if any, and whether you've filed Form I-485, I-821 or I-212, with their receipt numbers.
2 Parts 2 and 3. Entries and biographic information
Your previous stays in the United States, most recent first: entry and departure dates, status and port of entry, and where you lived. Then ethnicity, race, height, weight, eye and hair color if you file with USCIS.
3 Part 4. Reasons for inadmissibility
FileIt asks which section applies (A for immigrant visas, adjustment and K or V status; B for T or SIJ adjustment; C for TPS) and shows only its grounds. Select every one that applies and write your full inadmissibility statement in item 40.
4 Parts 5 and 6. Relatives and statements
Your qualifying relative's details and your statement of the extreme hardship they would suffer (or, for a VAWA self-petitioner, hardship to you). Then any other relatives with U.S. ties and your statement on discretion.
5 Parts 7 to 10. Signatures and more space
Your contact details and signature, any interpreter or preparer, and Part 10 for anything that didn't fit, with your name and A-Number printed at the top.
6 Part 11. Class A tuberculosis
Only for that condition: your agreement to medical care, the local health department physician's statement and the state health official's endorsement, each signed by hand.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Choosing grounds from a section that doesn't match the benefit you're seeking.
- Leaving out the item 40 statement because the details are in your documents: the form asks for it anyway.
- Not sending certified records of every arrest and conviction, even sealed or expunged ones.
- Describing your own hardship instead of your qualifying relative's (unless you're a VAWA self-petitioner).
- Forgetting Form I-212 when you also need permission to reapply after removal.
After you fill it out
Print the form, sign Part 7 by hand, and have any interpreter, preparer or health officials sign their parts.
Gather the evidence the instructions list for your grounds and your hardship claim, then check uscis.gov/i-601 for the fee and where to file. FileIt never submits anything.
Keep a copy. FileIt saves the filled PDF in your vault with your other immigration records.
Fill out Form I-601 online with FileIt
- Pick the person. Choose someone from People and FileIt fills in their name, date of birth, address and other details it already knows.
- Answer plain-language questions. One part of the form at a time, with the official help text beside each question — 220 fields in all. Your answers save as you go.
- Check the live preview. Watch your answers land on the real U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) form, and let FileIt do any worksheet arithmetic.
- Generate the official PDF. FileIt prints your answers into the agency’s own PDF and files it in that person’s folder in your vault.
FileIt fills the form — it never files or submits anything for you. Deliver the finished form to whoever asked for it, the way the form’s instructions say.
Start Form I-601 now — it’s freeForm I-601: frequently asked questions
What is Form I-601?
It is USCIS's Application for Waiver of Grounds of Inadmissibility: a request to forgive a ground that would otherwise bar you from an immigrant visa, adjustment of status or certain other benefits.
Which section of Part 4 do I use?
Section A if you're applying for an immigrant visa, adjustment of status (other than T or SIJ) or K or V status; Section B for adjustment based on T status or as a Special Immigrant Juvenile; Section C for Temporary Protected Status.
What is a qualifying relative?
Part 5 is about the U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident relative through whom you're eligible, as the instructions define for each ground. Special Immigrant Juveniles don't complete Part 5.
Can I attach a separate letter?
Yes. Items 9 in Parts 5 and 6, and item 39 in Part 4, let you say you're attaching a letter, which must be signed and submitted with the form.
Is Part 11 for everyone?
No. Part 11 is only for applicants seeking a waiver because of a Class A tuberculosis condition.
Does FileIt file the waiver?
No. FileIt fills USCIS's official PDF and saves it in your vault. You sign it and file it yourself.
Official sources
- Blank form (PDF), published by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS): https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/forms/i-601.pdf
- Official instructions and guidance: https://www.uscis.gov/i-601
- Edition shown on this page: 01/20/25 (OMB 1615-0029, expires 03/31/2027) (checked 2026-10-19).
FileIt is not affiliated with or endorsed by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) or any government. This page explains the form in general terms and is not legal, tax or immigration advice. Always read the official instructions, and check that you are using the edition the recipient accepts. Page last reviewed 2026-10-19.