J1 Hardship Waiver 2021-2022 Timeline

[MayurSh 0]

5 minutes ago, PeterW said:

Hello, it seems that some cases DOS received at March 2022 have been FR. How is your case going now? May I ask when your J will expire? Thank you!

Hey, 

I am not on J-1 visa anymore, on O-1 at this point. Thanks

[PeterW 17]

3 minutes ago, MayurSh said:

Hey, 

I am not on J-1 visa anymore, on O-1 at this point. Thanks

It is so good! Thanks for the communication! It seems we have similar track. My J will expire in 4 months and now in O1 application.

[Pillowchis 6]

2 hours ago, PeterW said:

Hello, it seems that some cases DOS received at March 2022 have been FR. How is your case going now? May I ask when your J will expire? Thank you!

What is your timeline @ PeterW? DOS said they will process icases according to the time they receive it but Im wondering why my case is still pending and they gave FR already to the March 2022 cases
DOS received my case Sept 2021. 

 

[PeterW 17]

9 minutes ago, Pillowchis said:

What is your timeline @ PeterW? DOS said they will process icases according to the time they receive it but Im wondering why my case is still pending and they gave FR already to the March 2022 cases
DOS received my case Sept 2021. 

 

Hello, it is so painful that to wait for 1 year of the DOS recommendation. I filed my I-612 to USCIS at June 2021. The DOS received my case at April 07, 2022 and it is still pending. The DOS said they follow the rule of "first in and first out", but it seems that it is not true. Maybe whether you have US government funding and the expired date of your current visa are the factors which impact the velocity. September 30 is the last day of DOS's fiscal year. I think you will have the recommendation soon. Maybe congress inquiry will be helpful. 

[DrIdaddoq 22]

Been waiting since Sept 2021 at the DoS. Pending. Hoping for the best. 

[PeterW 17]

18 minutes ago, DrIdaddoq said:

Been waiting since Sept 2021 at the DoS. Pending. Hoping for the best. 

I believe you will have the recommendation this or next month. 

[DrIdaddoq 22]

Thanks I hope so. 
can someone confirm that the DoS website did not update the status for today 8/24/2022? I see the update date as august 23 and I don’t believe this has ever happened before. They always have an up to date status. Anybody else seeing this?

[SMARCA4 15]

7 minutes ago, DrIdaddoq said:

Thanks I hope so. 
can someone confirm that the DoS website did not update the status for today 8/24/2022? I see the update date as august 23 and I don’t believe this has ever happened before. They always have an up to date status. Anybody else seeing this?

You’re right!

I don’t want to read much into it, but I really hope that it means some good news for us (somehow)..

[ErinK 35]

3 hours ago, DrIdaddoq said:

Thanks I hope so. 
can someone confirm that the DoS website did not update the status for today 8/24/2022? I see the update date as august 23 and I don’t believe this has ever happened before. They always have an up to date status. Anybody else seeing this?

Seeing the same thing. Not sure if it means anything 

Edited August 25, 2022 by ErinK

[ErinK 35]

10 hours ago, DrIdaddoq said:

Been waiting since Sept 2021 at the DoS. Pending. Hoping for the best. 

Do you have governmental funding? Do they have to get an outside review/opinion? I hope you get a FR soon. These wait times are crazy.

[ErinK 35]

On 8/23/2022 at 12:51 PM, MayurSh said:

Hey, 

I am not on J-1 visa anymore, on O-1 at this point. Thanks

Did you have to leave the country and go to an embassy for your get O-1? Or did they let you do adjustment of status while in the U.S? 

[DrIdaddoq 22]

1 hour ago, ErinK said:

Do you have governmental funding? Do they have to get an outside review/opinion? I hope you get a FR soon. These wait times are crazy.

I’m on J1 ECFMG so not sure. I guess that counts as government funding? I have no idea tbh. No outside opinion as far as I know. I hope I get FR soon too… starting to look for O-1 positions tbh

[g3dan00 20]

23 minutes ago, DrIdaddoq said:

I’m on J1 ECFMG so not sure. I guess that counts as government funding? I have no idea tbh. No outside opinion as far as I know. I hope I get FR soon too… starting to look for O-1 positions tbh

Hi, Based on what my attorney said, ECFMG J1 is not government funding. 

[ErinK 35]

45 minutes ago, DrIdaddoq said:

I’m on J1 ECFMG so not sure. I guess that counts as government funding? I have no idea tbh. No outside opinion as far as I know. I hope I get FR soon too… starting to look for O-1 positions tbh

ECFMG does not count as governmental funding as far as I know.

 

If you are thinking O-1 do it sooner rather than later. My lawyer says that although you can technically pay and expedite your O-1, many USCIS office's issue RFEs on O-1s these days which makes the expedite useless! He told me that O-1 will take 3-4 months to get approved these days.  I haven't applied for O-1 because per my lawyer you can't adjust your status to O-1 inside the country and once USCIS approves your O-1 application you have to leave the country and go to an embassy and get the O-1 visa. 

Edited August 25, 2022 by ErinK

[PeterW 17]

Yes, if you don't have waiver, you need to go out of USA for the consular processing of O1. If you apply for O1 through CSC, it should be not difficult. VSC is not so friendly.