2019 J1 WAIVER TIMELINE - New Applicants

[fetom 7]

Hi yall, my journey is almost over now. I'm just waiting for the FR to get in the mail, and then the actual waiver from the USCIS. My case took a loooooooong time.

My home country funded my scholarship, so my case was based on non-objection. A US government institution hosted me during that period.

 

It's a long story, but I should share it because it might help someone who is in the same situation that I was.

 

The first time the DOS sent the sponsor views to the US institution that hosted me was in September 2019. After a couple of months, I emailed the DOS asking about my case, and I got a generic answer. 

 

In December 2019, I contacted my congressman, and after a few weeks, I got an email from the DOS saying that I should wait a few months for them to process my case. That "a few months" turned out to be almost a whole year of waiting.

 

In June 2020, without hearing anything back from the DOS, I decided to email them again. After a long time, they answered me, saying that they sent the request to my host institution, and I should contact them because my case was pending because they were waiting for their answer. Then, I emailed my US institution, and I learned that they didn't have any request from the DOS on my files, that maybe they had sent this request to an employee who was on extended leave and that I should ask the DOS to resend it to them.

 

So once again, I contacted the DOS and asked them to forward the request to the new person in charge. After a month with no answer, I emailed my congressman, showing him all the emails I exchanged with the US institution and asked him to help me make the DOS to forward the sponsor view's request to the new employee.

After almost two months of waiting, I got an email from my US institution, saying they received the DOS request and needed my advisor's name. After one more month, my advisor contacted me and said that she had received the DOS request, and she was sending the favorable recommendation back to the DOS.

 

I don't think it's that common for this to happen, but if you're an unlucky one like I was, start contacting your visa sponsor and your congress representative as soon as you can. Keep in touch with them and try to learn where your process is.

 

I can't believe it's finally over.
 

[waiverj 0]

Hi guys,

 

Can you please help me with the following.

I received my favorable recommendation according to the online status (no objection), but not the mailed version from DOS.

Is there a way to check if USCIS approved?

 

Thanks a lot!

[habibti 1]

26 minutes ago, waiverj said:

Hi guys,

 

Can you please help me with the following.

I received my favorable recommendation according to the online status (no objection), but not the mailed version from DOS.

Is there a way to check if USCIS approved?

 

Thanks a lot!

I'm in the same situation. I called USCIS to get my receipt number. Then use the receipt number to get the status of your case on this site. https://egov.uscis.gov/casestatus/landing.do

 

It's weird, but since FR, USCIS hasn't contacted me. I've been doing the active reaching out and sometimes I can't get past the automated system. 

[Hardship waiver 20]

7 minutes ago, habibti said:

I'm in the same situation. I called USCIS to get my receipt number. Then use the receipt number to get the status of your case on this site. https://egov.uscis.gov/casestatus/landing.do

 

It's weird, but since FR, USCIS hasn't contacted me. I've been doing the active reaching out and sometimes I can't get past the automated system. 

To get past the automated system, always say “I have never received a receipt number” and then it will transfer you to tier 1 officer. Usually those don’t help much so ask to be transferred to a tier 2 officer. You will get a call from a tier 2 officer within 7 days.

[waiverj 0]

Thanks a lot for the replies!

Do you have by any chance a phone number for USCIS?

Do you know if they are going to call back also outside US?

 

According to DOS website, I received FR a month ago.

I sent my documents at the beginning of March.

 

[New_here 2]

Hello everyone, 

 

I had a question if anyone has gone through the similar processes. 

 

My timeline of 16 week is almost about to end but I have not received FR yet. My embassy sent NOS on August 8th and it showed up 4 weeks later on the DOS website on Sep 8th. Considering that, I am around 16 week marker. I tried to reach out to DoS but they said following.

 

"

Thank you for contacting 212e Waiver Inquiries.  The Waiver Review Division (WRD) does have an expedited processing track, but it is reserved only for those cases in which there is a significant humanitarian need or in which there exists a clear and significant U.S. government interest.  Should you feel your case meets one or both of these criteria, you are welcome to send an email outlining the circumstances and requesting expedited processing.  Please include any documentation that you feel would support your case.

 

 

Please note that neither the presence of COVID-19 in the United States nor training as a physician present grounds for expedited processing in and of themselves.

"

My J-1 is going to expire on 31st Jan 2021. I am not sure what is considered humanitarian ground. Does anyone had similar experience? I certainly, would not like to travel due to Covid. Plus, we are expecting a baby before the end of my J-1 period. I am not sure if I can ask based on that. 

 

Anyone has any suggestion or any help, I would greatly appreciate that. 

 

Thank you. 

 

 

[MZQ 0]

17 minutes ago, New_here said:

Hello everyone, 

 

I had a question if anyone has gone through the similar processes. 

 

My timeline of 16 week is almost about to end but I have not received FR yet. My embassy sent NOS on August 8th and it showed up 4 weeks later on the DOS website on Sep 8th. Considering that, I am around 16 week marker. I tried to reach out to DoS but they said following.

 

"

Thank you for contacting 212e Waiver Inquiries.  The Waiver Review Division (WRD) does have an expedited processing track, but it is reserved only for those cases in which there is a significant humanitarian need or in which there exists a clear and significant U.S. government interest.  Should you feel your case meets one or both of these criteria, you are welcome to send an email outlining the circumstances and requesting expedited processing.  Please include any documentation that you feel would support your case.

 

 

Please note that neither the presence of COVID-19 in the United States nor training as a physician present grounds for expedited processing in and of themselves.

"

My J-1 is going to expire on 31st Jan 2021. I am not sure what is considered humanitarian ground. Does anyone had similar experience? I certainly, would not like to travel due to Covid. Plus, we are expecting a baby before the end of my J-1 period. I am not sure if I can ask based on that. 

 

Anyone has any suggestion or any help, I would greatly appreciate that. 

 

Thank you. 

 

 

Hi! My timeline is almost identical to yours. I am also awaiting the FR status update. DoS received my NOS on September 8 while other docs were received on August 18. Some here with identical timeline got the FR early November. Not sure why it is taking this long. I also wrote to WRD, and got the same reply that processing may take 16 weeks or more.

[New_here 2]

43 minutes ago, MZQ said:

Hi! My timeline is almost identical to yours. I am also awaiting the FR status update. DoS received my NOS on September 8 while other docs were received on August 18. Some here with identical timeline got the FR early November. Not sure why it is taking this long. I also wrote to WRD, and got the same reply that processing may take 16 weeks or more.

When did your embassy send NOS to the DoS? Has anyone gotten any update from DoS recently? Last time I saw a few people got update at the beginning of the month of November. 

 

 

[MZQ 0]

41 minutes ago, New_here said:

When did your embassy send NOS to the DoS? Has anyone gotten any update from DoS recently? Last time I saw a few people got update at the beginning of the month of November. 

 

 

I think my Embassy sent the NOS around July 18. Yeah, bit of a lull here recently. I also remember seeing many FRs around Oct end-Nov beginning time frame. I hope we receive the FR soon.

[waiverj 0]

Hi guys, I received a case number from USCIS, but when I check the status online, it says it has been received at another USCIS office.

Is anyone seeing this too?

Can you please share your experience/advice?

I sent my documents at the beginning of March. Got my FR after more than 20 weeks.

Now it has been a month and still didn't receive anything in the mail.

Thanks for your replies!

 

[MZQ 0]

Update: My FR posted in the system!

I emailed WRD asking about how long will it take, and got the positive response on the same day. They say I should be getting the FR in my mailbox in a few days. Right after the email, the FR showed up in the tracker as well. Here is my timeline so far:

 

[Prickles 0]

25 minutes ago, MZQ said:

Update: My FR posted in the system!

I emailed WRD asking about how long will it take, and got the positive response on the same day. They say I should be getting the FR in my mailbox in a few days. Right after the email, the FR showed up in the tracker as well. Here is my timeline so far:

 

Hi, MZQ,

 

Thank you for sharing your case. I have almost identical dates for all, except for that last one. In addition to inquiring about your status, did you also provide DOS with any new information that might have expedited their response? 

 

Much appreciated.

[MZQ 0]

1 hour ago, Prickles said:

Hi, MZQ,

 

Thank you for sharing your case. I have almost identical dates for all, except for that last one. In addition to inquiring about your status, did you also provide DOS with any new information that might have expedited their response? 

 

Much appreciated.

Nope, just asked a couple of times through email. Response to the first was the standard response that it takes 12-16 weeks yada yada. In my second email, I stressed that my employer is waiting for the waiver to complete my h1b change of status and is tgere a possibility of expediting the processing as I am working on a covid-19 research project. I got the the FR sent response to that email. 
HTH

✌🏻 

[New_here 2]

Finally FR! We were preparing to send expedite processing request but fortunately got FR just today. Good luck to everyone who are stuck in the same process. Do not loose hope! 

 

[SRGBR 0]

I sent all the documents Oct 20, my Embassy sent the NOS Oct 22 (only two days after). On Dec 1 I emailed DoS asking for status because there was nothing in the system, they sent me a generic answer but two days later the status was updated. From what I see here in this topic, I should expect a few more months until the FR. Unfortunately my last date to reply the H-1B RFE is Jan 7th and since this is one of the required items I think I am screwed :(