2019 J1 WAIVER TIMELINE - New Applicants

[knightrider 6]

Hi all. I am waiting for more than 6 weeks now. Anybody on the same boat?

No Objection Statement May 01 2019

Edited June 13, 2019 by bummerman

[Illy 0]

19 hours ago, AB2019 said:

My NOA says the same.

 

About your timeline, it's very much the same as mine. If by chance you applied for Advisory Opinion prior to Waiver application, your waiver application would be logged on that old case number.

Yes, let's hope it comes quickly I am running out of time...

Do you have 'case received' or 'accepted by lockbox' ?

[AB2019 1]

9 hours ago, Illy said:

Yes, let's hope it comes quickly I am running out of time...

Do you have 'case received' or 'accepted by lockbox' ?

Case received . I wouldn't worry to much about the online status. There is a backlog and you will probably receive approval notice before they  even update the website.

 

I know each case have their own Merits,but would be interesting to see if our cases fall within the same update timeframe as Jack93./ different months but similar. see below

Edited June 14, 2019 by AB2019

[Nikos_AEK 1]

Hi all,

 

first of all thank you all very much for your updates! It is really helpful and very informative. I'm reporting my timeline below only to point out that it seems that things are speeding up at the DOS. They received my packet on May 28th and on June 13th they updated the system! 

[Serhat 1]

On 6/11/2019 at 3:48 PM, JWaiver_2019 said:

You have hit the average processing time today so decision should be on the way or try calling USCIS for the status. Website sometimes doesn't show status and applicants have received decision by mail.

Thank you for your response.
I called many times. They have same information.. What should I do? 
Is that normal or something is wrong?

[jadh 0]

On 5/18/2019 at 1:00 PM, JWaiver_2019 said:

Hi Guys,

 

Today, I got final waiver in mail but online website is not updated with the status.  

My J1 waiver journey is concluded positively with final waiver!! Journey started on December 26, 2018 and concluded today on May 18, 2019. Almost 6 month to pass all steps.

 

I had to involve congressmen and provide documentation to prove that there is USCIS error in updating my case in time and delay is beyond normal processing time plus I may need to leave if waiver doesn't come in time (my visa expiry is really near now).

So congressmen office contacted me after a week to sign a document for them to contact USCIS on my behalf and then after one week I got informed that USCIS is investigating congressmen request.
So, congressmen involvement really worked for me otherwise there could be further delay since USCIS lost my case and then found and updated acceptance date with one month gap of receiving date for processing etc. It took only few day for USCIS to investigate and conclude after congressmen involvement.

 

Use congressmen option carefully and when things are very tight and not going well in your favor! This will really work with wise decision and homework (evidences)!

I hope this information will be helpful for those still waiting or facing some issues. I will be happy to help you guys with specific questions, if you have.

 

Wish you all the best for your J1 waiver journeys for positive outcomes too!

 

Thanks everyone and specially those who responded to my questions offering help!

Can I ask what comes after "Case is approved" status on uscis? I received NOA in the mail, and the status changed to case is approved. I should wait for a final waiver document correct? how long does that take? 

[jadh 0]

On 6/8/2019 at 7:19 PM, Micht said:

I finally received my approval notice!

@MichtDoes the approval notice come as a thick green paper? I thought mine reads Notice of Action but has I797 written? Should I wait for a final approval?

[Micht 2]

17 minutes ago, jadh said:

@MichtDoes the approval notice come as a thick green paper? I thought mine reads Notice of Action but has I797 written? Should I wait for a final approval?

you don't have to wait anymore the final waiver (I797) is a thick paper as you said, comes with the statue of liberty background a and bar code at the bottom

[Olufunke 0]

Hi guys

I submitted my application and was received by Dos march 19th, and am confused, am I going to use the same case number I got while applying or am going to receive a different one from Dos to request for a Nos from the embassy....

Pls help out cos am really worried, thanks

[Olufunke 0]

On 6/14/2019 at 12:35 PM, Nikos_AEK said:

Hi all,

 

first of all thank you all very much for your updates! It is really helpful and very informative. I'm reporting my timeline below only to point out that it seems that things are speeding up at the DOS. They received my packet on May 28th and on June 13th they updated the system! 

Have you gotten a case number to request NOS from the embassy, cos am also on the same page as you, but dnt know if am to use the same case number I got while applying.. please let me know if you've done that,thanks 

[Olufunke 0]

On 6/10/2019 at 7:16 PM, Sam86 said:

My journey finally ended today!!!

my case was accepted on May 2nd by the Vermount USCIS office and today I received the final approval in the mail. My online status was never updated though...

there is Hope!

all the best to you guys!

Hi, did you make use of the same case number you got while applying to request a NOS from the embassy, Or you got a different one?

[Sam86 0]

2 hours ago, Olufunke said:

Hi, did you make use of the same case number you got while applying to request a NOS from the embassy, Or you got a different one?

The USCIS will give you a new case number. You will receive it in the mail.

[Olufunke 0]

3 minutes ago, Sam86 said:

The USCIS will give you a new case number. You will receive it in the mail.

Thanks for responding, so that means I have to wait to get the case number before I could get a No Objection Statement. 

[Nikos_AEK 1]

23 hours ago, Olufunke said:

Have you gotten a case number to request NOS from the embassy, cos am also on the same page as you, but dnt know if am to use the same case number I got while applying.. please let me know if you've done that,thanks 

Yes, you get a number when you apply. In the packet you print to send to DOS there is a page which is meant to be sent to your embassy for the NOS. That page has already the case number on. In my particular case because I had previously applied for an advisory opinion I had to put the same case number as before. If you haven't applied for an advisory opinion, DOS assigns you a case number right away.

[eliottreid 9]

For me, they updated everything on June 5th and my embassy called today that they sent the NOS. But I was in a train and I couldn't hear if they had a tracking number or something. I hope the mailman doesn't lose it  as I won't know until weeks later when it gets updated on the DOS website. 

Edited June 17, 2019 by eliottreid