QUOTE(americankiwi @ Mar 13 2007, 06:44 PM)

Something I found on a website for Katy Strait Chavez:
"One important exception, though, is that the waiver CAN NOT be approved for any person that was in the US illegally for more than one year after 1997, and then left, and then returned again. There is no way at present for such people to get their residency."
So if someone overstays, leaves, goes back again on 2 seperate occassions just for visists but remains in their home country, they can NEVER file a waiver or get residency?
Yes this is true. If a person had more than one illegal entry into the US post 1997 and stayed in the US for more than 6 months each time, they are ineligible for a waiver. It may be that they can reapply after a ten year ban - this is something you would have to confirm with a lawyer. It appears that the law is written to "forgive" one-time illegal presence in the US, but multiple entries make a person not eligible. Again, confirm with a lawyer. Residency is a completely separate issue and once a person has been given a visa to the US, the normal process follows for residency.