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Can You Get an Immigration Bond Refund?

Immigration Bond Refund

It is common for immigrants who have been detained by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency to be released on bond. Because immigration bonds are unexpected expenses that can exceed thousands of dollars, paying one can place a financial strain on loved ones. This leads many who have paid for a bond to question: can you get an immigration bond refund?

There are a lot of factors to consider when it comes to determining refund eligibility with immigration bonds. The biggest factor is the method that was used to pay for the bond. Those who paid in full, directly at an ICE facility, are typically eligible for a refund although there are exceptions. The same goes for those who paid the immigration bond at full through a bond service. On the other hand, those who purchased a surety bond and only paid a small percentage of the bond are not. 

From there, it is crucial that the immigrant abided by the terms of their bond. If they had a departure bond that stated they must leave the country within 30 days, for example, they must have obeyed this order. The same goes for those with a delivery bond who were required to attend all future court proceedings. If they failed to appear or otherwise broke the stipulations of their bond, the bond will be revoked. This means that all of the money paid will be forfeited and the individual who paid for the bond will not receive a refund. The same rules apply to those who secured a surety bond from a bond service. In this case, however, since the full amount was not paid, collateral will be collected instead.

If the immigrant did abide by the terms of their bond and the sponsor paid in full through ICE or through a bond service, they are eligible for a refund. To get the refund, the case must be fully resolved within the immigration court system. The outcome of the case does not alter eligibility for a refund so even if the immigrant left the country, sponsors are still able to get their money back. Before they can pursue the refund process, they must receive what is known as a Notice of Bond Cancellation (or Form I-391). This form can be presented to an immigration bond service after it is received and the money will be refunded quickly as it is held in escrow. Unfortunately, receiving a refund if you paid at an ICE facility proves to be much more difficult and time-consuming. 

Many people who are eligible for an immigration bond refund (who also paid through ICE) report that it can be impossible to get their money back. Even after following all of the instructions, some wait over a year to get a refund while others fail to receive it at all. Because of these complaints and other problems that commonly arise when working with ICE, it is preferable to work with an immigration bond service.

If you want to learn more about how the immigration bond refund process works, reach out to the experts at US Immigration Bonds today.