2018 J1 WAIVER TIMELINE

[Coco8 1,042]

5 hours ago, ticocali said:

Hi everyone,

 

I'm applying for a J1 waiver under the "no objection" basis, I am subject to the 2 year rule because of the skills list requirement. DoS received my no objection statement on April 13th and I still haven't received any response from them. Here's my official timeline:

Other	Received	May, 22 2018
Change of Address	Received	May, 18 2018
No Objection Statement	Received	April, 13 2018
Fee	Received	March, 29 2018
Form DS-3035	Received	March, 29 2018
Form DS-2019	Received	March, 29 2018
Passport Data Page	Received	March, 29 2018
Statement Of Reason	Received	March, 29 2018

 

I've sent them an email asking for more information but they just say that the 6 to 8 weeks are just an estimate and it could take longer than that. I'm especially worried because after this I'm expecting also a month (or more) of wait time while my case is at USCIS. I have a job offer waiting for me in California. Is there a phone number I can call or someone I can talk to?

Also, I sent two self-addressed UPS envelopes with my packet. Does anyone know if DoS accepts those or do they only accept US Post self-addressed envelopes? Could that be a reason why it has taken so long?

 

UPS is OK. 

 

There is no phone number, only the e-mail. The 6-8 weeks start once all your paperwork is there, so April 13. You can email them and tell them about the job offer and if they can make the final decision. It takes them 10 days to process an email (per my interaction with them).

 

Once DOS makes the decision and sends it to USCIS, you may be able to request an expedite to USCIS with an offer in hand, as you have. Usually, you call, request an expedite because of financial loss and offer in hand, and then they give you a fax number to send your job offer. It might work. 

 

Are you in the US under some time of visa? Is your employer doing a H1B petition for you? If so, they can start the process with the DOS letter, without waiting for the UCSIS paper.

 

[Stylish 3]

7 minutes ago, Coco8 said:

The office is on your DS 2019 along with the type of J1 visa. There are plenty of types. 

 

What have you been doing in the US? I thought the program lasted only one month. 

Yeah, it did but with crisis back home, I overstayed and life happened. I got a family here now. And it's hard to separate from them. 

[Stylish 3]

11 minutes ago, Coco8 said:

The office is on your DS 2019 along with the type of J1 visa. There are plenty of types. 

 

What have you been doing in the US? I thought the program lasted only one month. 

 Yeah it was a month.  But with crisis back home i overstayed and life happened. I have a family here now and seperating from them is not easy. 

[Coco8 1,042]

43 minutes ago, Stylish said:

 Yeah it was a month.  But with crisis back home i overstayed and life happened. I have a family here now and seperating from them is not easy. 

Yes, it will be hard because you overstayed, so they will ask another opinion to the DOS office that gave you the fellowship. Given your situation, the DOS office does not have a lot to agree with in the sense that you were given the fellowship for a purpose and you should have written or shown that you would continue with the purpose by staying in the US.

 

Your evidence of hardship has to weight enough to overcome they negative opinion. Hopefully it will. 

 

Good luck!

Edited May 30, 2018 by Coco8

[ticocali 0]

1 hour ago, Coco8 said:

 

UPS is OK. 

 

There is no phone number, only the e-mail. The 6-8 weeks start once all your paperwork is there, so April 13. You can email them and tell them about the job offer and if they can make the final decision. It takes them 10 days to process an email (per my interaction with them).

 

Once DOS makes the decision and sends it to USCIS, you may be able to request an expedite to USCIS with an offer in hand, as you have. Usually, you call, request an expedite because of financial loss and offer in hand, and then they give you a fax number to send your job offer. It might work. 

 

Are you in the US under some time of visa? Is your employer doing a H1B petition for you? If so, they can start the process with the DOS letter, without waiting for the UCSIS paper.

 

I'm not on the US right now, my employer is sponsoring an L1 petition for me but are waiting for my J1 waiver decision to continue with the petition. 

I've already mailed DoS about the job offer (May 22nd) and got a response by email saying that they are doing everything they can to process cases as fast as possible. My concern is that I don't know how long my employer will remain patient and wait for my J1 waiver, and it's been almost 7 weeks already. 

[Coco8 1,042]

10 minutes ago, ticocali said:

I'm not on the US right now, my employer is sponsoring an L1 petition for me but are waiting for my J1 waiver decision to continue with the petition. 

I've already mailed DoS about the job offer (May 22nd) and got a response by email saying that they are doing everything they can to process cases as fast as possible. My concern is that I don't know how long my employer will remain patient and wait for my J1 waiver, and it's been almost 7 weeks already. 

You have to be honest with them. Nobody is going to expect you to move so fast to the US anyway. Talk to them about a timeline not only about the visa, but about moving to the US. If you are doing an L1 then you are already working for the company so they also need you and it is not like they could easily ask someone else to move.

 

The L1 has a expedite premium. Once you have the UCSIS official waiver, the L1 should be a fast process. You might be able to get it in 10-15 days.

 

Being in the US 2 months from now is tight but possible.

 

You have to think that you'll also have to move to the US and make a lot of arrangements in your country, so you might want to ask for days off, vacation, or time between ending your job there and moving to the US. All this is totally normal. You don't want to be tired by the time you get to the US because you'll also have to get a place to live, furniture, phone, bank account, etc. etc. 

Edited May 30, 2018 by Coco8

[Stylish 3]

9 hours ago, Coco8 said:

Yes, it will be hard because you overstayed, so they will ask another opinion to the DOS office that gave you the fellowship. Given your situation, the DOS office does not have a lot to agree with in the sense that you were given the fellowship for a purpose and you should have written or shown that you would continue with the purpose by staying in the US.

 

Your evidence of hardship has to weight enough to overcome they negative opinion. Hopefully it will. 

 

Good luck!

Thanks, I do need it.

[SoniaL 5]

Hello everyone!

 

I've also applied for a J1 Waiver with a no-objection basis. My timeline so far:

 

1. May 2 2018 - DOS receives my application

2. May 14 2018 - My homecountry embassy in Romania sends their no-objection letter

 

So far (May 31), the status on the DOS website doesn't reflect that they received the letter from my Embassy. Has anyone tried to get in touch with DOS regarding this? Are there any ways to expedite the process?

 

Any tips are appreciated! Thanks, all!

[Coco8 1,042]

9 minutes ago, SoniaL said:

Hello everyone!

 

I've also applied for a J1 Waiver with a no-objection basis. My timeline so far:

 

1. May 2 2018 - DOS receives my application

2. May 14 2018 - My homecountry embassy in Romania sends their no-objection letter

 

So far (May 31), the status on the DOS website doesn't reflect that they received the letter from my Embassy. Has anyone tried to get in touch with DOS regarding this? Are there any ways to expedite the process?

 

Any tips are appreciated! Thanks, all!

 

If they sent the letter by mail it will take longer to get there and be processed. [Edit: I mean that diplomatic mail thing, not USPS]

 

If they sent it by fax the letter should take 2-3 days to appear on the website.

 

 

Edited May 31, 2018 by Coco8

[SoniaL 5]

10 minutes ago, Coco8 said:

 

If they sent the letter by mail it will take longer to get there and be processed. [Edit: I mean that diplomatic mail thing, not USPS]

 

If they sent it by fax the letter should take 2-3 days to appear on the website.

 

 

Thanks, @Coco8, I just sent an email to my Embassy asking them to send it by fax. Also emailed DOS with regards to it. 

 

[Coco8 1,042]

47 minutes ago, SoniaL said:

Thanks, @Coco8, I just sent an email to my Embassy asking them to send it by fax. Also emailed DOS with regards to it. 

 

The waiver email is not going to be helpful in this situation. I wouldn't email them unless is something very important.

[Annina85 2]

Hi guys! 

Here is my timeline. I am waiting for USCIS decision but I was wondering if I should send any other form to USCIS.

Than you,

Anna

 

[vzachari 1]

Greetings,

 

I am also waiting on DOS for my waiver. Currently waiting on DOS to request sponsor views from NIH as I was a postdoc there and that is the reason for the two year residency requirement. I have a job offer from a USA university which I have accepted so I think I will be OK.

 

I have a question. I see that many of you have "other" as Received on their DOS timelines. Any thoughts on what that might be? I don't have it on my timeline,

 

Thank you

 

Here is my DOS timeline so far:

Edited June 5, 2018 by vzachari
Added DOS timeline

[Coco8 1,042]

You don't have to send anything to UCSIS. They will send you a NOA 1 with a number for you to check online. When it is ready, they will mail the waiver to you (it is a green piece of paper).

 

25 minutes ago, Annina85 said:

Hi guys! 

Here is my timeline. I am waiting for USCIS decision but I was wondering if I should send any other form to USCIS.

Than you,

Anna

 

 

 

[Coco8 1,042]

 

Other could be your CV or any other paper that is not any of the items listed. Some people send additional material. You should not worry about it.

 

NIH has a separate request and you have to send them a letter about your waiver. Did you do that? 

 

9 minutes ago, vzachari said:

Greetings,

 

I am also waiting on DOS for my waiver. Currently waiting on DOS to request sponsor views from NIH as I was a postdoc there and that is the reason for the two year residency requirement. I have a job offer from a USA university which I have accepted so I think I will be OK.

 

I have a question. I see that many of you have "other" as Received on their DOS timelines. Any thoughts on what that might be? I don't have it on my timeline,

 

Thank you

 

Here is my DOS timeline so far: