J1 Hardship Waiver 2021-2022 Timeline

[Saysono 5]

Just now, Sabina Bart said:

Wow yours is much much faster! Was your program via DOS or any other US Gov program? I wish mine would take this faster, mine did take a way longer at USCIS, it was like last minute for them to open my case and issue an rfe. 

Uscis was quick-ish but case has now been stuck at dos since Feb 2022. I think the timing then was just faster before the dos backlog started affecting uscis too. No US gov funding. 

[Wyboxcx 49]

3 minutes ago, Sabina Bart said:

Wow yours is much much faster! Was your program via DOS or any other US Gov program? I wish mine would take this faster, mine did take a way longer at USCIS, it was like last minute for them to open my case and issue an rfe. 

See that’s what I meant by some people get lucky. It’s absurd that this process takes a widely different time to get processed through USCIS. It’s very unfair to people like us who have to endure absurdly long wait times. 

[Sabina Bart 28]

2 minutes ago, Freidrichm said:

See that’s what I meant by some people get lucky. It’s absurd that this process takes a widely different time to get processed through USCIS. It’s very unfair to people like us who have to endure absurdly long wait times. 

For sure. I did contact my senator though none of them promise expedite, so I hope they can help me. My husband is a disabled veteran and we honestly don't ask for much just consider someone who served the country and gave their youth to protect this country while also getting illnesses when serving. 

[Sabina Bart 28]

8 minutes ago, Saysono said:

Uscis was quick-ish but case has now been stuck at dos since Feb 2022. I think the timing then was just faster before the dos backlog started affecting uscis too. No US gov funding. 

Makes sense, mine has US Gov funding maybe that's why yours is faster. But also I think you are right about the backlog. It is honestly DOS fault all they could do is consider one or two case every day, now it also affected those who do Non objection and they even wait longer. 

[ErinK 35]

6 hours ago, J1toGC said:

Hello everyone, 

I am trying to understand how long processing of the form I-612 takes at USCIS. Looking at the timelines on the forum, it seems that it's fairly short, but mine was received by USCIS 9 months ago and is still pending. How long did it take you, if you submitted for hardship in the past 2 years? And have you found ways to expedite this step? 

 

Seems like 9-12 months at USCIS  and 12- 20+ months at DoS

[Sabina Bart 28]

2 hours ago, ErinK said:

Seems like 9-12 months at USCIS  and 12- 20+ months at DoS

Yep! They just increased the processing times from 10 months I think to 12... Crazy! 

Edited June 5, 2023 by Sabina Bart

[Hardship_waiver 54]

On 6/2/2023 at 9:19 PM, Fisha said:

I sent updated hardship statement and brief with some evidence and proof of the new hardship to the DOS. Today while I was checking the status of the case, I found new update (other) date June 1/2023. Does this mean that they considered the information I sent?

Yes, they have added new proof you had sent to your file. Hardship changes over such a long time and new proofs deserve addition to file.  

[ErinK 35]

On 5/31/2023 at 10:44 AM, surefire6 said:

Cost was $5000

Took him 2 weeks to file

Can I have your lawyers information as well? And please let us know the result of the lawsuit. We are saving money to file a lawsuit too. 

[Sabina Bart 28]

Has anyone tried to expedite their hardships? Did it work? I contacted the senator but no promises. According to FB yesterday someone posted their hardship case being approved-from March 2022, my God they are so behind!! It’s already June 2023.

[Wyboxcx 49]

57 minutes ago, Sabina Bart said:

Has anyone tried to expedite their hardships? Did it work? I contacted the senator but no promises. According to FB yesterday someone posted their hardship case being approved-from March 2022, my God they are so behind!! It’s already June 2023.

I am interested as well. As far as I know, it is near impossible to get DOS to expedite the case, unless it's a life or death situation or government interest. During the pandemic, some people were able to expedite based on the fact they work in healthcare and are thus needed for US effort against the virus, however, since then DOS stopped expediting on this basis. I did see some other people who were successful in getting their cases expedited by DOS post about it, but what is very frustrating is that these people never share the reason why they got the expedite approved and are generally very secretive about it. 

[Ontarkie 14,225]

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[TBoneTX 45,293]

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[Hardship_waiver 54]

This person must have started this process in start of 2021 and waiting till today.

Timeline going above 2 years now. 

[Wyboxcx 49]

1 hour ago, Hardship_waiver said:

This person must have started this process in start of 2021 and waiting till today.

Timeline going above 2 years now. 

This is getting ridiculous. It is clear that the DOS not only does not consider hardship waivers a priority, they are deliberately delaying them. I wonder if he sued them. 

[J1 hardshipwaiver 1]

22 hours ago, Hardship_waiver said:

This person must have started this process in start of 2021 and waiting till today.

Timeline going above 2 years now. 

Looks like that person doesn't have their complete application. They are missing their passport data page. Maybe that's why their case is not being processed yet.