J1 Hardship Waiver 2021-2022 Timeline

[Magnet 12]

Not mine but this took 20 months at the DOS!! This is a crazy amount of time at DOS which makes it extremely hard to plan our careers.

 

 

[PeterW 17]

17 hours ago, Magnet said:

Not mine but this took 20 months at the DOS!! This is a crazy amount of time at DOS which makes it extremely hard to plan our careers.

 

 

Yes, it is super hard. Mine has been 14 months, but it is still pending. 

[Motheus 1]

On 5/19/2023 at 9:10 AM, Magnet said:

Not mine but this took 20 months at the DOS!! This is a crazy amount of time at DOS which makes it extremely hard to plan our careers.

 

 

Wow, 20 MONTHS! I am happy for whoever this is but this is depressing for me. I am at 13 months now waiting for the DoS. Does anyone know of a case that recently got approved around the 13-14th month mark? Just wondering if 17-20 months is the new pattern or if only the outliers are posting here. 

[Hardship_waiver 50]

On 5/20/2023 at 10:58 AM, Timotheus_X said:

Wow, 20 MONTHS! I am happy for whoever this is but this is depressing for me. I am at 13 months now waiting for the DoS. Does anyone know of a case that recently got approved around the 13-14th month mark? Just wondering if 17-20 months is the new pattern or if only the outliers are posting here. 

I am in my 15th month now. Saw many cases pending from last quarter of 2021, so I think 17-20 months is quite common now. 

[J1 hardshipwaiver 1]

On 5/20/2023 at 9:58 AM, Timotheus_X said:

Wow, 20 MONTHS! I am happy for whoever this is but this is depressing for me. I am at 13 months now waiting for the DoS. Does anyone know of a case that recently got approved around the 13-14th month mark? Just wondering if 17-20 months is the new pattern or if only the outliers are posting here. 

I am a week short of 16 months! 

[Saysono 5]

I’m about a week short of 16 months too. Went to DOS in early feb 2022

[PeterW 17]

10 hours ago, Saysono said:

I’m about a week short of 16 months too. Went to DOS in early feb 2022

To what I know some cases went to DOS in March had been recommended. But the April cases are still waiting.

[SMARCA4 15]

10 minutes ago, PeterW said:

To what I know some cases went to DOS in March had been recommended. But the April cases are still waiting.

Waiting since November 2021!

[PeterW 17]

22 minutes ago, SMARCA4 said:

Waiting since November 2021!

Oh!! I guess it will be recommended soon. Maybe this month.

[Motheus 1]

15 hours ago, PeterW said:

To what I know some cases went to DOS in March had been recommended. But the April cases are still waiting.

@PeterW thanks for your comment! For the March case you are referring to, do you know if this was a spontaneous decision by DoS, or if the applicant filed a Writ of Mandamus suit? I am seriously considering that now.

[Hardship_waiver 50]

Nobody knows exactly what is happening. No pattern and several end 2021 cases are still pending. 

[Saysono 5]

I guess the bigger concern is that they are rejecting some cases despite a long wait. 

[Wyboxcx 45]

39 minutes ago, Saysono said:

I guess the bigger concern is that they are rejecting some cases despite a long wait. 

There is really no reason for such extremely long wait, makes receiving a rejection even more devastating. 

[lennikov 34]

I have a feeling the long DOS review time is sort of penalty for those who file for a waiver with the message as follows "You took an obligation to spend 2 years in your home country, nobody forced you to take it, but you took it anyway, now you are trying to break this obligation by whatever reason, while your reason might be valid one we make sure that you wait the same two years or even longer while waiting for us to make a decision on your case". There are absolutely no reason for exceptional hardship cases to have such insane waiting times. On top of that if you wait long enough the applicant circumstances may change to the point that they would ether no longer have the exceptional hardships or they would no longer pursue the life and career in the US. The whole J-1 is unconstitutional and should be replaced with something more sensible and humane. Yes in most cases there is no problem with the 2 years home residency but what if the home country of applicant is in war, or no longer exist or applicant no longer have the right to live in that country by whatever reason yet J-1 is super inflexible on that regard. The very least they should remove physical presence in the home country it is reasonable to request to leave the US, but not rigidly stipulate for a person to live in his home country. 

[Fisha 3]

Hello everyone, 

 

I am seeking your assistance. I submitted my exceptional hardship case to the Department of State (DOS) in March 2022, and it has been pending since then. I have some updates regarding my son's medical condition, which I believe can support my case and improve my chances of receiving favorable recommendations. 

I am wondering whether I should submit a completely new hardship case or just send an updated hardship statement to the DOS. 

I would be grateful for your insights and suggestions on this matter. Thank you.