Has your friend or loved one being detained for immigration reasons? Well, being arrested and detained in a foreign country is not a pleasant experience. The laws and legal procedures of foreign countries tend to be different than those of your home country. So you can imagine the frustration of having to get acclimatized to the new environment and the challenging laws that come with it. Anyway, you need an immigration bond to secure the release of your friend or loved one from custody until their court appearance. However, you should also understand that detainees only qualify for immigration bonds if they meet certain minimum requirements or qualifications. For companies like Bob Block Immigration Bond Co, here’s what to expect during the immigration bond process.
Setting bail
Foreign nationals are arrested and detained by U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement, which is the government organization with the authority and mandate to release the detained based on personal recognizance, where he or she won’t have to pay for the immigration bond. However, an immigration judge or the ICE may set the bail amount for the defendant to pay, in which case you may have to explore some of the options available to you.
Types of immigration bonds
In case a bail amount has been set, the two types of immigration bonds you can access include delivery bond and voluntary departure bond. Remember that the detainee should not be regarded as a threat to national security/public safety to qualify for any of these bonds. A delivery bond ensures the detainee shows up to court for all immigration hearings. An immigration judge or ICE may determine whether the detainee is eligible for this type of bond and the detainee must receive notice of custody conditions to be released on this type of bond. Once out, the person may consult with his or her immigration lawyer and spend some quality time with family until he or she shows up to the immigration hearing.
Voluntary departure bond is also another type of immigration bond, whereby the detainee is given the option to leave the country voluntarily at their own expense but by a given time period. This type of bond is paid to ICE and is refundable once there is a confirmation that the individual has left the country. However, the voluntary departure bond will be forfeited if the detainee fails to leave the country.
Bail amount
The set bail bond amount may depend on several factors, including the detainee’s immigration status, employment situation, criminal history, and even current family ties in the U.S. Delivery bonds often cost $1, 500 – $10, 000 depending on assessed risk factors. On the other hand, departure bonds are cheaper and start at $500. However, it may take a year or even longer for the bond to be returned to the individual who posted it. An immigration bond can be paid via a surety bond obtained from an immigration bond agent at a non-refundable fee of 15-20% of the bond amount or a refundable cash bond paid to ICE by cash, Cashier’s check, money order, or U.S. bonds/notes.
If a friend or loved one is in police custody for immigration reasons, these are some of the things to expect during the immigration bond process. You can find a reliable and trusted immigration bond agent to help you go through the complex legal process, as they have the qualification, experience, and network to help make the process painless.
