J1 waiver 2020 NOS update timeline

[dm2003 3]

Final update:

Today, i have received notifications from USPS that my official hard-copy of I-612 for waiver will be delivered to my address.

Besides, based on USCIS' website, Vermont Center will only take care of NOS, Interested agent & Conrad.

The California's office will take care of the rest.

@talboth, with you from Illinois, i am quite sure you'll get yours today also or latest to be tomorrow.

States like South Carolina & Illinois will take 5 days from the approved date updated online at USCIS' personal account.

Good luck to everyone and I am extremely grateful being a member here.

 

 

[talboth 0]

5 minutes ago, dm2003 said:

Final update:

Today, i have received notifications from USPS that my official hard-copy of I-612 for waiver will be delivered to my address.

Besides, based on USCIS' website, Vermont Center will only take care of NOS, Interested agent & Conrad.

The California's office will take care of the rest.

@talboth, with you from Illinois, i am quite sure you'll get yours today also or latest to be tomorrow.

States like South Carolina & Illinois will take 5 days from the approved date updated online at USCIS' personal account.

Good luck to everyone and I am extremely grateful being a member here.

 

 

Hi @dm2003,

 

   Congrats. I actually got the courtesy copy on Saturday. I think they sent the original to my lawyer. I am hoping to hear from him soon. 

[hareru 1]

37 minutes ago, talboth said:

Hi @dm2003,

 

   Congrats. I actually got the courtesy copy on Saturday. I think they sent the original to my lawyer. I am hoping to hear from him soon. 

Congrats @dm2003 &  @talboth. 

[dm2003 3]

Thank you very much @hareru

I will pray for you and all other members to have the FR & final approval as soon as possible.

[Mlle_Wanderlust 3]

On 3/20/2021 at 10:13 AM, JMCPMT said:

Exactly

Since your waiver is due to government funding, does it still come under the NOS?

I thought NOS was because of the skill set and I don't think France would come under that category.

Which of the three boxes were ticked on your DS2019 for reason to subject you to the 212(e) ?

Did talking to your senator help in any way?

[Mlle_Wanderlust 3]

On 3/19/2021 at 12:48 PM, ps_j1 said:

I have contacted them once, I got a canned response.

 

I contacted them via local senator representative, the first time they responded that   they do not have my NOS (despite it showing on the j1-waiver website). So I forwarded the screenshot to the senator representative, and now the response is "it will be processed as soon as possible" 😞 

I think that is because they don't have a termination date on your DS2019 so they think you are not n a rush ( I know it is ridiculous!)

From the posts here I gather they no longer use a 'first in first out' approach, rather an earlier date of DS expiration gets served first approach.

Usually congressional inquiries expedite the process but covid seems to have messed that up as well.

 

[JMCPMT 1]

15 minutes ago, Mlle_Wanderlust said:

Since your waiver is due to government funding, does it still come under the NOS?

I thought NOS was because of the skill set and I don't think France would come under that category.

Which of the three boxes were ticked on your DS2019 for reason to subject you to the 212(e) ?

Did talking to your senator help in any way?

Two year requirement was due to (US) government financing.  That doesn't stop my (French) government from not objecting to me staying here.

 

The senator has seemed to help the DOS to send the sponsor views, as they didnt respond to my lawyer. hard to say exactly since I can't really see in to the black box that is the DOS

[talboth 0]

Hi everyone,

 

        My lawyer has confirmed that he has received the final original waiver approval notice from USCIS, with which I think I am finally done with this excruciatingly long journey. I have attached my final timeline below for future reference. 

 

December 14 ---  Documents actually received by DOS (confirmed by tracking number)

January 28     ---   Documents showed up on DOS website

February 4      ---   NOS showed up on website. Actually received electronically early January

February  26   ---   Received FR

March 8           ---   Case received by USCIS

March 16         ---  USCIS approved case

 

       My case was a vanilla flavor skills list only waiver. Did not receive any funding from home or US Government. I know it was easy to file the waiver forms by myself but I just thought it would be easier to get professional help and so decided to hire a lawyer. 

 

       Thanks to everyone in this forum for your helpful suggestions and discussions. It kept me sane during this wait process. I hope everyone well, and I pray everyone gets their waiver approval ASAP.       

Edited March 22, 2021 by talboth

[talboth 0]

4 hours ago, hareru said:

Congrats @dm2003 &  @talboth. 

Thanks a lot @hareru I hope and pray you and everyone receive the waiver ASAP.

[Mlle_Wanderlust 3]

18 hours ago, JMCPMT said:

Two year requirement was due to (US) government financing.  That doesn't stop my (French) government from not objecting to me staying here.

 

The senator has seemed to help the DOS to send the sponsor views, as they didnt respond to my lawyer. hard to say exactly since I can't really see in to the black box that is the DOS

I hope it works out for you soon and positively.

 

Just to re-confirm, a change in universities does not mean we have to get two waivers? I changed universities (no government funding) but the program numbers were different.

[ps_j1 0]

20 hours ago, Mlle_Wanderlust said:

I think that is because they don't have a termination date on your DS2019 so they think you are not n a rush ( I know it is ridiculous!)

From the posts here I gather they no longer use a 'first in first out' approach, rather an earlier date of DS expiration gets served first approach.

Usually congressional inquiries expedite the process but covid seems to have messed that up as well.

 

My internship was 11 years ago, so DS2019 expired in 2010. Currently I am in F1-OPT which will expire in June. Would a letter from employer will help to expedite the waiver?

[Mlle_Wanderlust 3]

56 minutes ago, ps_j1 said:

My internship was 11 years ago, so DS2019 expired in 2010. Currently I am in F1-OPT which will expire in June. Would a letter from employer will help to expedite the waiver?

I am just guessing that may be a reason since they seem to be going for the end dates on the DS 2019-but again they work as if in Brownian motion!

Please try to send a letter from the Department Chair and keep pushing them

 

I am in an equally bad situation and really don't know what to do.

 

I wish you the best

[hareru 1]

Is there any one  you know who got the J 1 visa  waiver denied by USCIS for any reason once  State department made a favorable recommendation ?  .

[hareru 1]

2 hours ago, hareru said:

Is there any one  you know who got the J 1 visa  waiver denied by USCIS for any reason once  State department made a favorable recommendation ?  .

Update : 

Finally today , 03/24/2021 I get my J1 visa waiver approved at USCIS  after a brutal  waiting of more than 5 weeks at USCIS .   what is remaining is receiving the physical copy of the  waiver from USCIS . Thank you all for your support and best wishes .

[Mike Frinch 0]

Hi @ps_j1,

 

Have you tried contacting them? 

 

I actually sent the following email to them around 12 weeks and 16 weeks after all the documents were received. Email: 212ewaiver@state.gov

 

To whom it may concern,

My name is XX and I am standing by awaiting a decision on the J1 Waiver based on No Objection (all the required documents were received at the beginning of November 2020). Given that my current J1 visa will expire soon, I would like to kindly ask to receive an advisory opinion as soon as possible. Details of my application follow:

Case Number: XX

First Name: XX

Last name: XX

Date of Birth: XX

Basis for the waiver  application: No Objection Statement

Best regards,

XX

 

They always replied within a week. First time just saying that the application was pending, while the second time they told me that I got FR.

 

Hope this help.