2019 J1 WAIVER TIMELINE - New Applicants

[Abayomi 1]

On 11/22/2019 at 3:56 PM, J1visa said:

Thank you, I will email them. I was trying to call today but there is not an option to talk with someone. My embassy sent the NOS and shows as received on October 17th.  It's really exhausting this waiting! Hopefully, I will get mine soon!! 

Congrats to you!!  

So if your embassy sent your NOS and it shows October 17 as the day they received it. Then your 12 to 16 weeks starts on October 17 and not when you sent your document.

This means your application just spent about 4 to 5 weeks with DoS. They start counting only when all documents are updated.

I will advice not to send any email yet because from what you said, your document has just been there with them officially for about 5 weeks thereabout.

I was also disturbed. All my document was uploaded on August 28 and I just got a favorable recommendation on November 21. That is almost 12 weeks (11 weeks thereabout)

So my advice, do not send any email yet. Wait till it is exactly 12 weeks after October 17.

[J1visa 10]

10 minutes ago, Abayomi said:

So if your embassy sent your NOS and it shows October 17 as the day they received it. Then your 12 to 16 weeks starts on October 17 and not when you sent your document.

This means your application just spent about 4 to 5 weeks with DoS. They start counting only when all documents are updated.

I will advice not to send any email yet because from what you said, your document has just been there with them officially for about 5 weeks thereabout.

I was also disturbed. All my document was uploaded on August 28 and I just got a favorable recommendation on November 21. That is almost 12 weeks (11 weeks thereabout)

So my advice, do not send any email yet. Wait till it is exactly 12 weeks after October 17.

Omg!!! This is terrible, I thought it was 12 to 16 weeks the whole process! A friend of mine did the same process. My embassy is Colombia, and she got the waiver in exactly 4 months.

Thanks for your reply. 

 

[Lalu90 1]

On 11/20/2019 at 11:33 AM, Lalu90 said:

Hi all,

This seems to be the most active and helpful J1 visa forum, hence I am posting it here! I have 2 years validity left on my current J1 visa (no govt funding)- however, I want to look and move on to a different job with a different visa type. I am worried if it is too soon/ not a "valid enough" reason to apply for a no objection certificate. I already obtained the  no objection clearance from my home country (India). I'm afraid to file petition with DoS since it is a one shot thing. Any pointers/ suggestion will be helpful! Thank you! 

Any tips anybody?

[Abayomi 1]

Hey guys,

I need help on the USCIS number to call in order to ask about my waiver.

I got a favorable recommendation and it said sent on November 21. What number can I call at USCIS and what level officer should I ask for.

Please suggestions.

Thank you.

[dekk123 44]

7 hours ago, Abayomi said:

Hey guys,

I need help on the USCIS number to call in order to ask about my waiver.

I got a favorable recommendation and it said sent on November 21. What number can I call at USCIS and what level officer should I ask for.

Please suggestions.

Thank you.

Abayomi, you are still on the timeline. Call for: +1 800 375 5283 (USCIS) Options: 1 - 1 - 2 - 2 and #

My recommendation letter only came after the final decision from USCIS. I got a notice from USCIS by mail about 2 weeks after my DoS recommendation informing my case number and that they sent my paperwork to another office. After that it took about a week to see my final recommendation in the USCIS app. Within one week I got both my USCIS and DoS letters by mail. 

 

[dekk123 44]

On 11/19/2019 at 3:10 PM, tnnandi said:

Can someone please suggest about the time taken by DOS to post the first status update after they receive all the documents?

about one month, but if can take less: 20 days or more: 40-50 days. 

[dekk123 44]

On 11/21/2019 at 12:13 AM, tnnandi said:

Has anyone received their J-1 waiver recently? I'd appreciate if you can post your timeline.

 

The processing time for waiver based on NOS is mentioned as 12 to 16 weeks in the DOS website. So, it'd be good to know some actual timelines for a better estimate of the wait times. 

 

Thanks in advance.

Hi tnnandi, mine took exactly 3.5 months from submitting paper work in the mail to receive the final letter in the mail. I send the paperwork on August 2 and got my letter on November 15. 

[tnnandi 7]

8 minutes ago, dekk123 said:

Hi tnnandi, mine took exactly 3.5 months from submitting paper work in the mail to receive the final letter in the mail. I send the paperwork on August 2 and got my letter on November 15. 

Thanks for the information! Did you ask your embassy to send the no-objection certificate before August 2? I just wanted to know if it took 3.5 months entirely for the DOS decision, or did it include the time taken to submit the NOS to DOS.

 

Also, it'd be great if you can paste your timeline from the DOS website, if available. 

 

Again, thank you very much for sharing your experience.

Edited November 27, 2019 by tnnandi

[dekk123 44]

On 11/14/2019 at 7:01 PM, dekk123 said:

Hello all, I would like to share my J1 waiver timeline with you. I want to thank you all for the great advices on this process. This has been very helpful. 

 

November 13: USCIS approved my case (saw it online)

November 11: I saw the i797 notice of action in my mail with receipt number

October 31: USCIS received my recommendation from DoS 

 

 

 

 

 

 

@tnnandi the no objection letter from my embassy was sent before my application package got in. They were very fast. 

[tnnandi 7]

Just now, dekk123 said:

@tnnandi the no objection letter from my embassy was sent before my application package got in. They were very fast. 

Thank you very much.

[J1waiver1 8]

18 minutes ago, tnnandi said:

Thank you very much.

Hi tnnandi,

 

Is there any progress on your case? 

[J1waiver1 8]

No Status update after Oct 1 (docs received except NOS)

Embassy sent NOS on 09.26.2019 (confirmed).

Waiting for the NOS update (9th week)

Waiting for reply for email to DOS (2nd week). 

It looks like my NOS is lost   

 

Is it okay if I request my embassy to resend my NOS? 

Or Should I wait for reply to my email sent to DOS?

 

Thanks in advance!

 

[tnnandi 7]

16 hours ago, BL_07 said:

Hi tnnandi,

 

Is there any progress on your case? 

Not yet. When did you send the email to DOS asking about your missing NOS?

[J1waiver1 8]

9 minutes ago, tnnandi said:

Not yet. When did you send the email to DOS asking about your missing NOS?

On November 12.

[LauCC 2]

Hi, 

 

Our case is showing as received for the first time, however, it shows all the documents except the NOS. 

Our embassy sent the NOS on Nov. 13, one week after we sent the package to DOS. Is it common that it's not showing? I hope they got it...

 

Thanks...