Visa & CBP refusal codes reference
Common consular refusals (§214(b), §221(g), §212(a)(6)(C), §212(a)(9)(A/B/C), §222(g)) and CBP port actions (expedited removal, withdrawal, deferred inspection, NTA): statute, meaning, and downstream impact.
Last reviewed: 2026-06-27
Consular and CBP standards, and waiver rules, evolve. This page only maps terminology and pathways — not a substitute for legal advice.
Visa refusals and CBP port refusals are two systems. §214(b) / §221(g) are the most common consular refusals; §212(a)(9)(B) / (C), §222(g) are bar-type refusals; on the CBP side expedited removal / withdrawal / deferred inspection / NTA have very different downstream consequences.
Consular refusal
| Code / Name | Statute | Meaning | Downstream impact |
|---|---|---|---|
214(b) Failure to overcome immigrant intent 非移民倾向不足 | INA §214(b) | Officer is not convinced the applicant overcame the presumption of immigrant intent. The default refusal for B / F / J. | Not an inadmissibility, no UP accrual. Reapplication needs materially new evidence. |
221(g) Refused pending administrative processing 行政审理 / 材料不全 | INA §221(g) | Temporary refusal awaiting background check or requested documents. May issue or convert to hard refusal. | Suspends issuance; not permanent and not an inadmissibility ground on its own. |
212(a)(6)(C)(i) Fraud or willful misrepresentation 签证/入境时欺诈或虚假陈述 | INA §212(a)(6)(C)(i) | Finding of material misrepresentation to obtain a visa / admission / immigration benefit. Lifetime inadmissibility absent an I-601 waiver. | Permanent inadmissibility affecting every future visa / entry / AOS; waiver bar is high. |
212(a)(9)(B) 3- or 10-year unlawful presence bar 3 / 10 年禁令 | INA §212(a)(9)(B) | Bar triggered by a single continuous UP of >180 days / ≥1 year followed by departure. Consulate refuses on this ground. | No admission-type visa during the bar; I-601 / I-601A waiver may be available. |
212(a)(9)(C) Permanent bar 永久禁令 | INA §212(a)(9)(C) | Aggregate UP > 1 year followed by later reentry / attempt without admission, or reentry after removal. | Consent-to-reapply only after 10 years abroad; very narrow in practice. |
212(a)(9)(A) Prior removal bar 曾被遣返 / 递解禁令 | INA §212(a)(9)(A) | 5 / 10 / 20-year bar after expedited removal, IJ removal, or reinstatement. | Requires Form I-212 consent to reapply during the bar; can stack with (B) or (C). |
212(a)(2) Criminal inadmissibility 刑事类不可入境 | INA §212(a)(2) | CIMTs, controlled substances, multiple offenses, trafficking. Most are lifetime bars. | Some categories waivable via I-601; controlled-substance waivers are extremely narrow (30g marijuana single). |
222(g) Visa voidance after overstay overstay 后签证作废 | INA §222(g) | Crossing the I-94 date voids the visa; a new visa must generally be sought in the country of nationality. | Independent of §212(a)(9)(B); a single-day overstay can trigger it. |
Port of entry action
| Code / Name | Statute | Meaning | Downstream impact |
|---|---|---|---|
Expedited removal Expedited removal 快速遣返 | INA §235(b)(1) | CBP on-the-spot finding under §212(a)(6)(C) or §212(a)(7); removed without an IJ. Triggers §212(a)(9)(A)(i) 5-year bar (20-year for aggravated). | Creates a removal record often stacked with §212(a)(6)(C); future admission requires I-212 + waiver. |
Withdrawal Withdrawal of application for admission 撤回入境申请 | INA §235(a)(4) | CBP allows the traveler to withdraw the application for admission — no expedited removal, no formal removal record. | Does not trigger §212(a)(9)(A); the refusal is noted for future visa applications but impact is generally minor. |
Deferred inspection Deferred inspection 延后检查 | 8 CFR §235.2 | When CBP cannot verify identity or eligibility at the port, an I-546 is issued to appear at a deferred inspection office. | Entry is provisionally paroled or conditional; failure to appear may result in NTA. |
NTA / removal Notice to Appear (formal removal) 签发 NTA 转入 IJ 程序 | INA §239 / §240 | CBP/ICE issues an NTA to place the person in §240 removal proceedings before an IJ (not expedited). | Bond, relief and appeals are possible; the IJ's ultimate order controls whether §212(a)(9)(A) attaches. |
Legal terminology quick reference
Split by axis + events; click a term to jump to the matching definition section on this site.
| 中文 | English | Axis / Category | One-liner |
|---|---|---|---|
| 合法身份 | lawful status / legal status | status axis | Complying with classification conditions; a subset of authorized stay. |
| 失去身份 | out of status | status axis | Violation of classification conditions; ≠ automatic UP accrual. |
| 授权停留期 | period of stay authorized | presence axis | The §212(a)(9)(B) primary anchor; UP does not accrue during this period. |
| 非法滞留 (UP) | unlawful presence | presence axis | Accrues in real time in-country; settles into a bar upon departure. |
| 超期停留 | overstay | event | Past the I-94 date; triggers §222(g) visa voidance. |
| 离境 | departure | event | The event that settles accrued UP into a 3 / 10-year bar. |
| §222(g) 签证作废 | §222(g) visa voidance | event consequence | Triggered by overstay; decoupled from UP / bar mechanics. |
| 3 / 10 年禁令 | 3 / 10-year bar | settlement outcome | INA §212(a)(9)(B); single continuous UP; activates on departure. |
| 永久禁令 | permanent bar | settlement outcome | INA §212(a)(9)(C); aggregate UP > 1 year + later reentry/attempt without admission. |
Frequently asked (FAQ)
Does a §214(b) refusal stay on my record forever?
No. §214(b) means you did not overcome the immigrant intent presumption this time; it is not an inadmissibility ground, does not accrue UP, and only affects this decision. Reapply with materially new evidence.
Is §221(g) a real refusal?
Formally yes — the DS-160 status shows 'refused' — but it's temporary, pending background checks or requested documents. It can be issued or converted to a hard refusal later.
How do 6C and 9A/9B/9C differ?
§212(a)(6)(C) is fraud/misrepresentation (lifetime); §212(a)(9)(A) is a prior removal; §212(a)(9)(B) is a single continuous UP + departure; §212(a)(9)(C) is aggregate UP + later reentry without admission (permanent). They are independent tracks and can stack.
Withdrawal vs expedited removal — what's the real difference?
Withdrawal is voluntary — no removal record, no §212(a)(9)(A) bar. Expedited removal is CBP's unilateral action, triggers a 5-year bar (20 years for repeats), and often stacks with §212(a)(6)(C). Negotiating for withdrawal at the port is a common goal.
Deferred inspection: did I get in or not?
Provisional entry. CBP paroled or conditionally admitted you and issued Form I-546 requiring you to appear at a deferred inspection office. Missing the appointment may escalate to an NTA.
What does an NTA mean?
It opens §240 removal proceedings before an IJ. Bond, relief, and appeals are possible — an entirely separate track from expedited removal. Only the IJ's final order controls whether §212(a)(9)(A) attaches.
Is §222(g) a consular refusal?
Not strictly a refusal — it is automatic visa voidance — but it will surface as the ground of the next visa refusal. It's independent from §212(a)(9)(B): a one-day overstay can trigger §222(g) even when no UP bar attaches.
What do I-601 and I-601A cover?
I-601 waives multiple inadmissibility grounds (including some §212(a)(6)(C) and §212(a)(9)(B)); I-601A is the provisional §212(a)(9)(B) UP waiver granted in the US before consular processing. §212(a)(9)(C) and most §212(a)(2) drug offenses are not waivable via these forms.
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