J1 waiver 2020 NOS update timeline

[vincee 2]

On 12/3/2020 at 2:29 PM, Buse said:

 

On 12/3/2020 at 2:29 PM, Buse said:

Hi Everyone, 

 

I have applied for J1-waiver in first week of September,2020. Documents were received by DoS on October 15, 2020 . 

It's been almost 12 weeks 

My J1 will be expiring on January 17 plus 30 days grace period , 2020 and I am getting worried. Any ideas about how to get FR.

 

Thank you.

 

[vincee 2]

@Newbie I am following your timeline. My case has been pending for about 7 weeks after receiving all the required documents. I applied under the NOS category. 

Please let me know about the status of your waiver. Did you receive a recommendation from DOS?

[vincee 2]

Here is my timeline. I hope to receive a favorable recommendation soon! 

[Kiz 0]

My last and final update:

 

Timeline as attached. Received FR from DOS and I-797C from USCIS same day on December 21.

Case was approved on December 23!

[vincee 2]

Hello Kiz, I notice your Recommendation  was sent after 4-5 weeks of DOS received your NOS. Mine is still pending even after 9 weeks of receiving my NOS. Please, do you know of better way I can speed up my case. I am already worried.

[hlUSAj1 6]

8 hours ago, Kiz said:

My last and final update:

 

Timeline as attached. Received FR from DOS and I-797C from USCIS same day on December 21.

Case was approved on December 23!

Congrats!! When did you send the documents to the DOS?

[Kiz 0]

1 hour ago, hlUSAj1 said:

Congrats!! When did you send the documents to the DOS?

I sent all the documents on August 29. The NOS was sent September 17, and a second one sent on November 03. I posted a long story on page 14 if you need the details (hope you won't have to follow that though)

[Kiz 0]

7 hours ago, vincee said:

Hello Kiz, I notice your Recommendation  was sent after 4-5 weeks of DOS received your NOS. Mine is still pending even after 9 weeks of receiving my NOS. Please, do you know of better way I can speed up my case. I am already worried.

I emailed 212ewaiver@state.gov for an expedite request, explained that I have a job offer that starts soon and my current status is expiring a few months after the start date, so I need the waiver to apply for work visa and/or green card. (Remember to attach evidence documents as stated in their emails)

Quick note: learned from other forums-try to be as genuine as possible and make them feel you're planning within a reasonable timeframe, but have a good reason to have the waiver expedited. (Instead of having the impression- why didn't this person start earlier?)

 

The expedite request was made on December 02, request was approved December 03, saying they will decide within 5-10 business days.

 

Good luck!

[vincee 2]

@Kiz thank you for your kind response. In my case I don't have a job offer yet but I hope to get one soon. I already sent an email to 212ewaiver@state.gov to know why the delays in the processing time. They responded that the processing time for NOS is 12-16 weeks and sometimes it may take longer. I am just depressed and don't know what to do. I have equally applied for EB-2 and need the J1waiver to file for my AOS I485. 

[Kiz 0]

3 minutes ago, vincee said:

@Kiz thank you for your kind response. In my case I don't have a job offer yet but I hope to get one soon. I already sent an email to 212ewaiver@state.gov to know why the delays in the processing time. They responded that the processing time for NOS is 12-16 weeks and sometimes it may take longer. I am just depressed and don't know what to do. I have equally applied for EB-2 and need the J1waiver to file for my AOS I485. 

I sent that first email too and got the same response of 12-16 weeks. That's why I sent an expedite request. Maybe try mentioning something like, your current visa status is expiring and you have already applied for EB-2, now awaiting the waiver to file I-485 so that you can maintain legal status? 

 

Not sure of this is a thing, but I send emails around 5am EST so that I can assume my email will be at the top of their mail box lol. This is probably not true, but all my emails were replied pretty soon.

[vincee 2]

@Kiz Thank you Kiz! Since I am a Postdoc, I extended my J1 status to September 2023, that is for a maximum of 5 years. So saying my Visa status is expiring soon might not work. Although I am currently applying for a Tenure-Track Assistant Professor position and I can't accept a potential job offer if I don't have the J1 waiver. I don't know if it is wise to mention that I plan to apply for AOS I485 since J1 is non-immigrant visa. 

[Kiz 0]

8 minutes ago, vincee said:

@Kiz Thank you Kiz! Since I am a Postdoc, I extended my J1 status to September 2023, that is for a maximum of 5 years. So saying my Visa status is expiring soon might not work. Although I am currently applying for a Tenure-Track Assistant Professor position and I can't accept a potential job offer if I don't have the J1 waiver. I don't know if it is wise to mention that I plan to apply for AOS I485 since J1 is non-immigrant visa. 

"I can't accept a potential job offer if I don't have the J1 waiver" is a pretty solid reason to me! It doesn't hurt to try

I am on F1-OPT, and applying for a waiver for my J-1 visa 8 years ago... didn't know until now that I needed a waiver

[hlUSAj1 6]

Finally I got my FR on December 28th. This is my timeline: 

Documents received by DOS September 16th

NOS received on September 21st. 
Documents showed as received in website on November 5th and 12th.
I’m so happy, it took me only 14 weeks since it was received in St. Louis. 

[vincee 2]

@hIUSAj1 Congratulations!!!. 

[hlUSAj1 6]

8 hours ago, vincee said:

@hIUSAj1 Congratulations!!!. 

Thank you! Good luck with yours!!