J1 waiver 2020 NOS update timeline

[Ffghw 0]

On 2/18/2022 at 1:54 PM, pedroneo said:

Hi Everyone, 

 

I have applied for J1-waiver on second week of January, 2022. Documents were received by DoS, Washington on March 30th 2022 as shown on https://j1visawaiverstatus.state.gov

Since then there is no update about NOS. I confirmed with Indian Embassy Washington and they emailed my final No Objection statement to wrd-nos@state.gov on Feb 1st, 2022 and I have also received a copy. Even, I mailed a copy of the NOS on May 27th 2022. Today the Indian Embassy Washington again emailed my NOS to WRD. But, still my case status is pending and I don't see the NOS item on my portal. 

 

My J1 status is expiring on Jun 15th, 2022 and I am getting worried. Any ideas how to confirm about whether DOS has received the NOS or not? and approximately how long would the waiver approval process take and any way to expedite this process? Is there any other to extend my status as my waiver is pending? 

 

Thanks

 

[Ffghw 0]

On 3/20/2022 at 11:20 AM, waiverstress said:

Hi All,

 

I'm reaching out to see if anyone has had any experience with expediting their waiver review at the Department of State either on their own, or through a congressman.

 

My current DS2019 expires April 2nd 2022, and I am at my wit's end. Due to lab funding/project-related issues, I formally joined a collaborator's lab in July 2021, and started the J1 process with all updated documents (just to ensure I had all up-to-date documents and wouldn't run the risk of additional delays due to the new DS2019 signatures being needed). After long delays in getting my NORI documents from the three Indian govt orgs (if anyone wants to know I can outline these separately), I started stage 3 just before Christmas 2021. Before anyone comes for me, I am very aware of the ticking clock! 

 

Here's my timeline:

Application sent to DOS and CGI Houston: Dec 22 2021, received Dec 23 (USPS tracking)

NOC received from CGI: Jan 14 2022

No update on DOS website through January of February on any documents received.

Emails to DOS generated auto-responses about when I could expect to hear back, but no real response or update.

Reached out to my congressman's office on March 1, 2022. Their office called a contact at the Embassy and told me that they needed a copy of my No Objection certificate (march 3rd) which I sent to the congressman via email, and received their response that the NOC had been emailed to the DOS contact the same day.

I received an email from 212ewaiver on march 10 2022 stating that they had received my NOC certificate.

Documents finally updated on the DOS portal on March 15th 2022 with March 15th as date of receipt, but NOC is not shown:

 

I spoke with the congressman's office on 3/17, and they mentioned that their contact had confirmed receipt of my NOC as well. 

 

Is there anyone with a similar timeline as mine? Anyone who has reached out to expedite their waiver review with a couple weeks left on their J1? I do have 30 days' grace, but needless to say this process has been nerve-wracking.

 

Thank you in advance, and sending prayers to all who are in limbo!

Hello, I'm in a similar situation. Is it showing NOS Received in your portal now? Also, how did you contact your local congressman?

[qwopqwop 5]

Late April-early May FR recipients: has anybody received a receipt number yet? 

[rianno 7]

My FR was sent 29 April. I was able to have a USCIS agent put in a service request to VT service center since it had been more than 30 days and I just got an email saying the center can't find it. So, if anyone's in a similar boat as me I'd suggest getting the USCIS to create a service request (all the USCIS before that were just telling me to email the lockbox). 

 

Jesus ###### christ this whole system is beyond ######. 

[Rimssk 1]

37 minutes ago, rianno said:

My FR was sent 29 April. I was able to have a USCIS agent put in a service request to VT service center since it had been more than 30 days and I just got an email saying the center can't find it. So, if anyone's in a similar boat as me I'd suggest getting the USCIS to create a service request (all the USCIS before that were just telling me to email the lockbox). 

 

Jesus ###### christ this whole system is beyond ######. 

Hi, My FR was sent on 12th May. I waited for 2 weeks and requested a service request to the agent. The told me that u will receive a call in next 30 days. Finally, yesterday I got a message USCIS that u will get a call in next 2 days so please keep your phone handy. Fingers crossed

[qwopqwop 5]

1 hour ago, Rimssk said:

Hi, My FR was sent on 12th May. I waited for 2 weeks and requested a service request to the agent. The told me that u will receive a call in next 30 days. Finally, yesterday I got a message USCIS that u will get a call in next 2 days so please keep your phone handy. Fingers crossed

I’ve had the same call, the agent was nice and friendly but he couldn’t do anything besides telling me to email lockbox support again. I have a feeling that something is going very wrong here… 

[Amoyar_Dever 30]

@qwopqwop @Rianna @Rimssk

DoS issued FR, and electronically forwarded the case to Vermont Service Center on May 12, 2022. No "Receipt Notice" or "Receipt Number" as of today. Contacted the USCIS representative. He couldn't locate my case.  He submitted the "Service Request", and informed to wait for 30 days. Don't understand why it requires so much time

[rianno 7]

1 hour ago, Amoyar_Dever said:

@qwopqwop @Rianna @Rimssk

DoS issued FR, and electronically forwarded the case to Vermont Service Center on May 12, 2022. No "Receipt Notice" or "Receipt Number" as of today. Contacted the USCIS representative. He couldn't locate my case.  He submitted the "Service Request", and informed to wait for 30 days. Don't understand why it requires so much time

Yeah! Well, they finally did my service request on 6/3/22 and it took them a week to send me an email so hopefully it'll only take you that long to hear from them. I've replied with my FR hardcopy that DOS sent and also tried to see if DOS can resend it again. I don't understand why it's so difficult to 'receive' something. 

[Rimssk 1]

3 hours ago, rianno said:

Yeah! Well, they finally did my service request on 6/3/22 and it took them a week to send me an email so hopefully it'll only take you that long to hear from them. I've replied with my FR hardcopy that DOS sent and also tried to see if DOS can resend it again. I don't understand why it's so difficult to 'receive' something. 

You have at least received hard copy of FR. I did not receive anything. They just wrote take this email as a proof that FR is done. Hope to get a call on Monday. 

[konrad89 4]

On 6/7/2022 at 6:04 PM, Ffghw said:

Hello, I'm in a similar situation. Is it showing NOS Received in your portal now? Also, how did you contact your local congressman?

Hi, I’m in a similar situation. All the docs received on April 6th except for NOS. I contacted the DOS on April 25th, and they replied immediately that they hadn’t received my NOS (sent beginning of March and delivered a few days later according to the USPS tracking). On April 26th, the Embassy sent a digital copy, as advised by the DOS. I emailed the DOS again on the same day, and they said they saw the doc recently received which would be entered in the system in the future and my case would be processed in the coming weeks. I followed up on that at the beginning of June, and I got a reply that no action is needed and “please refer to the previous email”. The NOS is still not marked as received in the system.

 

I also reached out to the local congressional office and they are working on my case. I asked them to request expedited processing based on significant US Government interest.
 

@Ffghw You can submit a casework request to the office of your local congressman. Typically they have a dedicated service “help with a federal agency” on their websites. Any updates on your end?

Edited June 15, 2022 by konrad89

[Rimssk 1]

On 6/10/2022 at 2:28 PM, rianno said:

Yeah! Well, they finally did my service request on 6/3/22 and it took them a week to send me an email so hopefully it'll only take you that long to hear from them. I've replied with my FR hardcopy that DOS sent and also tried to see if DOS can resend it again. I don't understand why it's so difficult to 'receive' something. 

Any updates. I received a call from USCIS after 30 days. They still could not locate my FR and could not give me a receipt number. They told me to again wait for next 30 days. They system is mismanaged. 

[qwopqwop 5]

My guess is that our cases are sitting in the system but nobody is processing them. They probably shifted whatever resources they have to process other cases. I heard there is an ongoing effort to clear the backlog of cases from the last few years at USCIS, so maybe we got deprioritized.
 

At some point, one officer will log in to the system and go “oh there are a bunch of unprocessed cases here, silly us”. Until then they’ll tell us they have no idea. 

[rianno 7]

4 hours ago, Rimssk said:

Any updates. I received a call from USCIS after 30 days. They still could not locate my FR and could not give me a receipt number. They told me to again wait for next 30 days. They system is mismanaged. 

No, I ended up also mailing in my evidence to the VT Service Center after calling USCIS because I realized the email wasn't very clear about how to reply to them (I had just assumed I could reply to the email...) and the agent told me to actually mail it in. I also tried to get DOS to resend the FR but all they said was that they sent it on 29 April and that it wasn't their jurisdiction anymore and to contact USCIS....which I don't get why it would be such a hassle for them to resend it if USCIS is having trouble finding it? I don't know. 

 

I'm sorry your call wasn't helpful and I agree, the whole system is very mismanaged. I feel like DOS has at least done the "heavy lifting" and given the "OK!" so why should getting final approval take several months? 

[tub77 4]

On 5/10/2022 at 12:32 PM, asmacan said:

i sent documents at November 12 th , all my paperworks uploaded at March 23th , waiting for decision since, i know August applicant waiting for decision, so frustrating

Hi @asmacan, do you have any update?

[asmacan 3]

25 minutes ago, tub77 said:

Hi @asmacan, do you have any update?

I had favorable recommendation at May 25 th, had the hardcopy at June 3th, now waiting for USCIS receipt 

 

timeline

sent package at November 13 th 2021

Seen received at system March 23  2022

Get favorable recommendation May 25 

Had hardcopy June 3