2018 J1 WAIVER TIMELINE

[MUC26 2]

Hello,

 

Reading other people's experience helped a lot to calm my anxiety during this process, so I am paying it forward and sharing my timeline.

 

I applied for the J1 waiver based on 'No objection'. I haven't received funding from my or the US government. 

Department of State Advisory Opinion Finding: Favorable Recommendation

Item	Action	Date
Recommendation	Sent	June, 12 2018
Change of Address	Received	June, 06 2018
No Objection Statement	Received	April, 30 2018
Fee	Received	April, 12 2018
Form DS-3035	Received	April, 12 2018
Form DS-2019	Received	April, 12 2018
Passport Data Page	Received	April, 12 2018
Statement Of Reason	Received	April, 12 2018

 

June 19th, 2018: USCIS received my case

June 22th, 2018: USCIS sent me the notice that they had received my case

July 2nd, 2018: The USCIS notice arrived in the mail (in the US)

 

That's as far as I have gotten. I haven't received my final approval yet. However, my employers are filing my H1B petition with the DOS recommendation, and USCIS will process the waiver together with the visa petition.

 

My pitfalls:

- Since my case was opened, the DOS case status online indicated: "Department of State Advisory Opinion Finding: pending." I applied directly to the waiver and did not ask for the advisory opinion at any point, so I got a big scare when I saw what my online status showed. I consulted with a lawyer, and they let me know that it always indicates "Advisory opinion" with regard to this type of waiver.

- As you can see above, I had a change of address while waiting for the DOS recommendation. I filled out and sent the forms for change of mailing and official addresses, which the DOS received before sending my recommendation. However, I didn't know I had to include new envelopes with my new address. (Remember we had to send self-addressed envelopes with our initial packet?) As a result, my DOS recommendation didn't arrive at my new house, but at my old address. I was lucky that my old building saved it for me and was able to retrieve it. You might not be this lucky, so send new envelopes together with your change of address forms. 

 

Best of luck everyone!

 

 

 

 

 

[whereismywaiver 0]

On 7/3/2018 at 1:32 PM, mohitindelhi said:

HI just received the USCIS I-797C notice of action

When i am trying to check the status, it says "My Case Status does not recognize the receipt number entered. Please check your receipt number and try again. If you need further assistance, please call the USCIS Contact Center at 1-800-375-5283".

Does one have to wait for sometime? My received date is 06/27/2018 and date of notice  06/28/2018. Can anyone suggest how to get this resolved.; OR is there anyone who received I-797 recently (just to know the wait time)

Thanks

Hi @mohitindelhi , did you input the 3 letter at the beginning of your receipt number? For example, if your case is sent to Vermont, those 3 letters should be EAC.

[mohitindelhi 1]

Yes I did

even tried to call them but was an automated line. Entering those numbers said the same thing. Does it take some time before which you can track?

[YuesongWang 0]

I want to share my currret case time line:

Dos Received FR: May 17
Dos Recommendation Sent: June 12 (delayed because i have incomplete information - ds2019, i have to resent it again)

USCIS received my case and generate i797c: June 22nd

Now i am still desperately waiting my stupid waiver. 

Anybody who share the same time line, you can email wangyuesong0@gmail.com and we can share some status.

[YuesongWang 0]

@MUC26 I think we share the same timeline. Please keep posted  

[mohitindelhi 1]

On 7/6/2018 at 4:14 AM, YuesongWang said:

I want to share my currret case time line:

Dos Received FR: May 17
Dos Recommendation Sent: June 12 (delayed because i have incomplete information - ds2019, i have to resent it again)

USCIS received my case and generate i797c: June 22nd

Now i am still desperately waiting my stupid waiver. 

Anybody who share the same time line, you can email wangyuesong0@gmail.com and we can share some status.

Hi all

USCIS received my case June 28. Since then it is pending. Any idea folks, what is the current wait time?

[Gonzala 9]

1 minute ago, mohitindelhi said:

Hi all

USCIS received my case June 28. Since then it is pending. Any idea folks, what is the current wait time?

 

My case was received from USCIS May 31st. I think recently some people of this forum waited for 3 months for the final waiver. 

[SoniaL 5]

On 7/2/2018 at 10:04 PM, Coco8 said:

I don't see why you would have a problem. You have an easy case.

Hi all,

 

Quick update on my case. The DOS's Incomplete Information letter was refering to a mistake to be corrected on my DS-2019. All good!

 

Does anyone have any guidelines regarding expediting the process once the decision reaches USCIS? I would like to apply based on Financial Loss - I am waiting for the waiver, so I can apply for the greencard and the Work Authorization, and I need to file asap so I wouldn't have to stop working.

 

Any tips appreciated!
 

Thanks!

[Gonzala 9]

1 minute ago, SoniaL said:

Hi all,

 

Quick update on my case. The DOS's Incomplete Information letter was refering to a mistake to be corrected on my DS-2019. All good!

 

Does anyone have any guidelines regarding expediting the process once the decision reaches USCIS? I would like to apply based on Financial Loss - I am waiting for the waiver, so I can apply for the greencard and the Work Authorization, and I need to file asap so I wouldn't have to stop working.

 

Any tips appreciated!
 

Thanks!

@SoniaL

You can file I-485 and I-765 with the recommendation letter from DoS. This is what I did as the USCIS waiver process seems to take a bit longer at the moment.

[SoniaL 5]

2 hours ago, Gonzala said:

@SoniaL

You can file I-485 and I-765 with the recommendation letter from DoS. This is what I did as the USCIS waiver process seems to take a bit longer at the moment.

Hi Gonzala, thank you for your answer! Does DOS send their recommendation letter back to the applicant? I thought they send it to USCIS. Do you know of any source where I can read more about this part of the process? Thank you!

 

[SoniaL 5]

Just now, SoniaL said:

Hi Gonzala, thank you for your answer! Does DOS send their recommendation letter back to the applicant? I thought they send it to USCIS. Do you know of any source where I can read more about this part of the process? Thank you!

 

Also - on the basis of which VISA did you apply for the AEA? I plan to file it together with my greencard application.

[Cadem 1]

Hi Everyone ! Thank you for sharing your timeline and informations !  Especially Coco8 who really helps us with his advices  and experience!

 

I am waiting for the DoS recommandation for a no objection case I applied for in April 2018. I know they received positive views from my sponsor last week, so I am hopeful to received a positive recommandation (I hope soon!).

 

I have some questions juste to be sure I understand well the process once the DoS gives its recommandation.

 

- the DoS sends its recommandation to the USCIS : it seems to take from 7 days to several week as I could see on this forum, it is right?

- the USCIS then makes a determination for the waiver, again, it seems to take from one week to one month? Does it exist cases where the recommandation of the DoS was positive but the determination of the USCIS negative?

- The USCIS send by mail their recommandation and we need this PAPER to apply for a visa (the H1B in my case) in the US consulate in your country (I am in France). Do we really have to wait to have a hard copy of the paper or does it exist an electonic version we can use?  Can we ask to sent it by  Fedex for example (but I think it is too late, they use the stamp we sent us before I assume?)

 

Thank you so much !

 

[Gonzala 9]

12 hours ago, SoniaL said:

Also - on the basis of which VISA did you apply for the AEA? I plan to file it together with my greencard application.

I have an approved I-140 but you can send everything together. You need the waiver for the I-485. DoS sends the letter to USCIS and a copy to you.

[Gonzala 9]

I wanted to share the timeline for my NO waiver with USCIS:

 

5/31 USCIS received recommendation from DoS

6/11 Received I-797c

7/16 Received I-797 waiver approval notice

 

overall 1.5 months USCIS processing time

[Annina85 2]

24 minutes ago, Gonzala said:

I wanted to share the timeline for my NO waiver with USCIS:

 

5/31 USCIS received recommendation from DoS

6/11 Received I-797c

7/16 Received I-797 waiver approval notice

 

overall 1.5 months USCIS processing time

HI everyone! 

I received my DOS favorable  recommendation on May 26 and the hardcopy on June 6. Since that date... silence from USCIS, No notification or other stuff! Is that possible?? I am in Italy. Do the Uscis send all the documents to the address that I wrote on the pre-stamped letters, right? 

Please help me!!!!