2018 J1 WAIVER TIMELINE

[MarianG 0]

2 hours ago, plasma said:

I am not sure when I got the mail with the notice. I figured it was here on the 16th but I didn't open my mail box for several days so it could have arrived much earlier. I got an mail from DOS - they used one of the 2 envelops we send as part of the application.

Great, thanks! 

[Royalpalla 0]

Hey NIWJunkie,

 

I read in one of your replies that you asked the Embassy to resend your NOS. Did they do that?

 

I am afraid because my NOS had been sent way before my documents arrived at DOS.

[bibble 0]

Any thoughts on my timeline? I'm starting to get paranoid.

 

I have had two J-1 visas. First was a short-term scholar funded by home government, sponsored by NIH. Second was a five year research scholar, funded and sponsored by the NIH. I started the waiver process in June, but my embassy lost my paperwork for months which delayed things significantly. Favorable sponsor views have been received from the NIH but no update in nearly a month - which worries me, because in many sponsor cases I see a favorable recommendation updated within days. I'm not at the 6-8 weeks yet, but I'm running out of time for H1-B processing - worth emailing to try to expedite? Thanks!

[NIWjunkie 11]

On 11/19/2018 at 1:03 PM, Royalpalla said:

Hey NIWJunkie,

 

I read in one of your replies that you asked the Embassy to resend your NOS. Did they do that?

 

I am afraid because my NOS had been sent way before my documents arrived at DOS.

Yeah, they did that. Actually, the first time I asked them they said they would not do that because it had already been sent. So, I emailed J1 waiver review department at DOS and they said they did not receive it. Afterward, I emailed the Brazilian Embassy in Washington again forwarding them the email I received from DOS. Finally, two or three days later they acknowledge the receipt of NOS on my timeline. Good luck!!!

[NIWjunkie 11]

Hi folks,

 

Something really weird happened to me. A couple of days ago I emailed J1 waiver review department asking if they had any update on my case (first tip: if you're in a rush like myself, I totally recommend you doing that, by the end of this post you will see why).

 

To my surprise (because my timeline was not updated, as you can see attached), I just got their reply with the following message:

 

Thank you for contacting the 212e Waiver Inquiries.

On October  11, 2018, a “favorable” recommendation was made on your case.  Your case has been electronically forwarded to U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) Vermont Service Center (VSC) where your J-1 waiver eligibility will be determined. 

 The Department of State no longer has jurisdiction over your case. 

For further information, you may contact USCIS at (800) 375-5283.

 

Has anybody experienced something similar to that? It is so awkward the fact they did not upload my case online. Should I be concerned about it? What are the next steps? Is there any way I can get the USCIS receipt number to check my case status online? I mean, I live abroad and it costs an arm and a leg to call to the US. Any tips are highly appreciated.

Good luck to you all.

 

 

[MarianG 0]

52 minutes ago, NIWjunkie said:

Hi folks,

 

Something really weird happened to me. A couple of days ago I emailed J1 waiver review department asking if they had any update on my case (first tip: if you're in a rush like myself, I totally recommend you doing that, by the end of this post you will see why).

 

To my surprise (because my timeline was not updated, as you can see attached), I just got their reply with the following message:

 

Thank you for contacting the 212e Waiver Inquiries.

On October  11, 2018, a “favorable” recommendation was made on your case.  Your case has been electronically forwarded to U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) Vermont Service Center (VSC) where your J-1 waiver eligibility will be determined. 

 The Department of State no longer has jurisdiction over your case. 

For further information, you may contact USCIS at (800) 375-5283.

 

Has anybody experienced something similar to that? It is so awkward the fact they did not upload my case online. Should I be concerned about it? What are the next steps? Is there any way I can get the USCIS receipt number to check my case status online? I mean, I live abroad and it costs an arm and a leg to call to the US. Any tips are highly appreciated.

Good luck to you all.

 

 

There must have been some miscommunication. I can't believe they sent recommendation in just "one day" after receiving NOS. 

[NIWjunkie 11]

3 hours ago, MarianG said:

There must have been some miscommunication. I can't believe they sent recommendation in just "one day" after receiving NOS. 

I agree. It's so awkward.

 

Actually, I am kinda desperate now. I called USCIS and they said they did not receive any favorable recommendation or anything else from DOS (they actually have nothing on file about myself). And DOS, in its turn, says they no longer have any jurisdiction on my case.

 

I really don't know what to do. Anyone could provide me with any tips on how to solve this problem? 

[TheAmericanDream8 0]

On 10/22/2018 at 10:17 AM, TheAmericanDream8 said:

My update. I send again (3 weeks ago) a mail with the new address and the new envelopes but I don't know if they actually received it. 

 

 

 

08/13/2018 : 'No Objection Statement' Updated on DOS website

10/19/2018 : DOS sent Favorable Recommendation to USCIS

10/26/2018 : I received Recommendation letter from DOS

10/23/2018 : USCIS received my document

11/07/2018 : I received I-797C (Notice date : 10/25/2018)

11/21/2018 : J-1 WAIVER WAS APPROVED

[Lucia_F 0]

3 hours ago, TheAmericanDream8 said:

 

08/13/2018 : 'No Objection Statement' Updated on DOS website

10/19/2018 : DOS sent Favorable Recommendation to USCIS

10/26/2018 : I received Recommendation letter from DOS

10/23/2018 : USCIS received my document

11/07/2018 : I received I-797C (Notice date : 10/25/2018)

11/21/2018 : J-1 WAIVER WAS APPROVED

Hi,

did you received also the I-797 by mail??

My case was approved on 11/01/2018 but I didn't receved anything by mail.

 

 

Edited November 23, 2018 by Lucia_F

[TheAmericanDream8 0]

1 minute ago, Lucia_F said:

Hi,

did you received also the I-797 by mail??

My case was approved on 11/01/2018 but I didn't receved anything by mail.

 

 

I haven't received it yet.

[NIWjunkie 11]

On 10/15/2018 at 10:33 PM, j1j1j1 said:

Update on my case: The second-line officer could find my receipt number of the Form I-612 in their system on the phone today. The website says that they received my application in early August. To this date, I have not received any communication regarding the Form I-612 from the USCIS. It's strange that they do not update their website on time, given that mail gets lost all the time.

 

One observation: I noticed that the date on the envelope sent by the DoS to me is about 2 weeks later than the date of the favorable recommendation letter in that envelope.

I'm in the same boat. Called USCIS 100th times but they did not find any information regarding my case. They asked for a social security number and an alien number but I do not have any of them. Providing my first and last name as well as my date of birth they found nothing in their system.

Do you have any news about your case? Are you in the US? Have you received your waiver already?

[dvg85 0]

Hi everyone,

 

I'm in the process of applying for a No Objection based waiver. My timeline (so far) is at the end of this post.

 

I'm currently at the USCIS step, and I recently moved back to my home country (my program ended and I'm hoping to return later to take up a job). I was wondering if anyone had any experience with moving while the waiver was in progress. Specifically, am I required to change my address with USCIS? And if I am supposed to, do I do this over the phone? Their website only seems to allow you to change from one US address to another within the US. 

 

I can still receive mail at my old address and have it sent to me, and international mail takes longer/can get lost, so I'd only want to change my address if I'm supposed to/if not doing so gave the impression that I had overstayed. So I was wondering what people in a similar situation had done in the past.

Any help would be very much appreciated! Thanks!

 

Timeline:
08/30/18: Documents except for NOS show up as received on DOS website (I sent them mid-August so they took a couple of weeks to show up)
08/31/18: Embassy sends NOS
09/18/18: NOS shows up as received on website
11/09/18: Favorable recommendation sent by DOS (yay!)
11/14/18: Recommendation received at USCIS

 

[orpheus 1]

Hello

 

I just sent my application and I am wondering how likely is for the waiver to be approved. I've never had governamental money and my home country (Brazil) embassy already sent the letter. It seems to be an easy case, but I am a little anxious about all this weird process. 

 

Thanks 

 

[Lucky_Clove 0]

On 4/27/2018 at 7:28 PM, Buhr said:

Hey! 

 

Yeah, I was in Brazil during the whole process. The embassy sent the No Objection Statement directly to the Department of State but they also sent me a copy via email, so that's probably why you got it.

 

Hope you get rid of this drama soon.

Jumping in on this convo, hi Brazilian fellows! - were you engaged or were you already married when requesting the waiver?

 

I'm trying to figure out if engagement is a strong enough reason for the BR embassy to give the non objection statement? Or do they only give it through marriage?

And if you marry in the US and have to return to Brazil, how does the process go? Which visa would you apply if you are already married to an US citizen and have a waiver approval? 

 

Obrigada!

[plasma 3]

40 minutes ago, cmsk said:

Jumping in on this convo, hi Brazilian fellows! - were you engaged or were you already married when requesting the waiver?

 

I'm trying to figure out if engagement is a strong enough reason for the BR embassy to give the non objection statement? Or do they only give it through marriage?

And if you marry in the US and have to return to Brazil, how does the process go? Which visa would you apply if you are already married to an US citizen and have a waiver approval? 

 

Obrigada!

You need a letter from the sponsor (CAPES, CNPQ?) to get the NOS. Engagement/Marrying is not a valid case for it.If you are married to an US citizen you should go to the green card process - you don't need to get any other visa.