Recent Waiver Timeline

[entangled11]

Hi WaiveMe

 

I submitted my application on 2nd august. when i checked my status it shows they received all documents and embassy letter   on 29th august. its more than 6 months now but there is no any progress. my new  employer is ready to file H1 visa premium processing. but without waiver i am unable to do that. can you please explain me how you filed H1 before you received your waiver? any contact no to call USCIS regarding my case. my visa is going to expire in 10 days. so i have only week to receive waiver and file H1 otherwise i need to leave country.

My employer could file H1B based on Dept of State (DOS) approval, but without USCIS response. However, they won't go for premium processing until I get final USCIS response. If you have DOS approval, please ask your employer to file H1B BEFORE J1 expiry date on your DS2019. As I learned recently, this will allow you a longer wait time in US (i.e. longer than the standard grace period of a month given for people on J1 visa)

[WaiveMe]

So can i apply for premium processing based on just the USCIS receipt, but without the getting the final approval? I am sorry for this sort of questions. I find it annoying that USCIS does not maintain a good record of possible senarios and associated laws online.

 

Hi WaiveMe

 

I submitted my application on 2nd august. when i checked my status it shows they received all documents and embassy letter   on 29th august. its more than 6 months now but there is no any progress. my new  employer is ready to file H1 visa premium processing. but without waiver i am unable to do that. can you please explain me how you filed H1 before you received your waiver? any contact no to call USCIS regarding my case. my visa is going to expire in 10 days. so i have only week to receive waiver and file H1 otherwise i need to leave country.

 

Hi asha and entangled,

 

Sorry for the late reply...wasn't being active on this forum anymore. My company's lawyer was OK with filing my H1B with the State Dept letter and the USCIS receipt letter. Luckily USCIS worked pretty swiftly on my case and we got the final approval within 1-2 weeks after the receipt letter. I actually think our H1B application help sped up the waiver process, but I could be wrong...

[entangled11]

Update:

--> Favorable recommendation from DOS on 7th Aug, 2015.

--> USCIS received I-612 from DOS on 15th Aug.

 

They didn't respond for over 2months, and I had already entered the grace period. So I contacted local congressman, provided him a letter from my employer on how imp it was for me to be back to work. The USCIS responded within a day.

 

--> Oct 20th 2015 : the website shows approval.

 

I had also signed up to receive my USCIS case update on phone and email. Received the update on both. 

 

HELP HELP! My next dilemma, can i use USCIS email that is showing approval... as a proof of waiver... for my H1B-premium application? I don't know when I will get paper version of the approval. Will they send me an RFE if I use just the email?

[DiVa10]

Step I and II.

 

04 Apr 2016 - Submitted fees & received attested Bio-data and Affidavit from Chicago Consulate General of India (CGI).

08 Apr 2016 - Docs reached India for Family to submit hard copies at Lucknow-Home Dept. and Lucknow Passport Office (since permanent address in India is in Kanpur, U.P.).

21 Apr 2016 - Lucknow-Passport Office issued NORI (obtained copy through guardian going to office personally, several times). Original reached CGI Chicago, USA directly.

10 June 2016 - Lucknow-Home Dept. passports division issued NORI after the Police Clearance procedure.

30 June 2016 - Original (NORI from Lucknow-Home Dept.) reached USA home address.

08 Aug 2016 - Submitted NORI application online (MHRD) & uploaded Notarized scans.

09 Sept 2016 - MHRD Delhi issued NORI online (www.nori.ac.in)

 

Got a new Postdoc position hence put a hold on step III of the J-1 waiver process.

 

Proceeded with Step III in 2017 (emergency circumstances, Lab to shut down June 30 2017).

 

Step III

 

24 Feb 2017 - Mailed J-1 waiver docs to DOS- ST Louis,MO  (except NOS)

27 Feb 2017 – J1 Waiver Application material reached DOS by USPS post (except NOS).

27 Feb 2017 - Chicago Indian consulate was requested for NOC. Received a copy for self of the Waiver certificate from CGI Chicago the very same day.

01 March 2017 – CGI Chicago mailed NOC to Washington Embassy of India.

02 Mar 2017 - Embassy of India received the Waiver Certificate from CGI Chicago.

10 March 2017 - DOS Updated website, as received docs (except for NOS).

16 March 2017 – Embassy of India emailed the signed NOS to DOS-ST Loius MO (1st time).

29 March 2017 – Emailed DOS asking about an update on NOS from Embassy of India Washington.

29 March to 06 April 2017 - Email DOS everyday.

06 April 2017 – DOS denies receiving the NOS. Asks me to inform Embasy of India to fax the NOS.

06 April 2017 – Embassy of India Washington emailed NOS to DOS again (2nd time) (upon request).

06 April to 17 April 2017 - Email DOS everyday.

10 April 2017 – Sent .pdf of NOS copy received at home address to DOS via Email.

17 April 2017 - DOS denies receiving the NOS again and rejects the NOScopy.pdf I sent.

17 April 2017 - Embassy of India Washington emailed NOS to DOS again (3rd time) (upon request).

17 April 2017 - Requested Junior Senator Chicago office to expedite J1 Waiver processing (First to acknowledge having received the NOS from Embassy of India, Washington)

18 April 2017- DOS Updated website, as received NOS from Embassy of India Washington.

01 May 2017 - Requested Junior Senator Chicago office to expedite J1 Waiver processing.

02 May 2017 - Favorable recommendation issued by DOS- ST Louis,MO.

10 May 2017 – USCIS updated website to have received the Favorable recommendation from DOS.

13 May 2017 – Receive Favorable Recommendation letter copy from DOS

15 May 2017 – Unsuccessful in requesting to expedite Waiver process at USCIS.

15 May 2017 – Receive USCIS Notice with Receipt No. on it (starts with EAC).

26 May 2017 – I-612 approved by USCIS (website updated).

30 May 2017 – I-797 Approval Notice from USCIS received at home address.

 

Important Addresses used (permanent address Kanpur, India):

 

Passport Office:

Passport Officer

Passport Bhawan, Vipin Khand,

Gomti Nagar,

Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh

India – 2265010

 

MHRD (apply online; address is for cover letter):

The External Scholarship Division,

Department of Higher Education,

Ministry of Human Resource Development,

2nd Floor, Wing 6, West Block-1,

R K Puram,

New Delhi- 110 066

Home Dept.:

The Secretary
Government of Uttar Pradesh (Department of Home)
Home Visa Section 4
Anubhag, Lucknow - 226001, 
Uttar Pradesh, INDIA

 

List of Enclosures (Home Dept., Passport Office and MHRD (online)):

1. Statement (Application in Original)

2. Affidavit (Original)

3. Photo copies of Old and New Passport (Self Attested Copy)

4. Degree Certificate of Ph.D., M. Sc., B.Sc. and H.S.C. certificate (Self Attested copies)

5. DS- 2019 (Self Attested copy)

Chicago CGI USA (For Step I and Step III):

Consulate General of India, Chicago.

455 North City Front Plaza Dr. NBC Tower Building,

Suite No. 850,. Chicago, IL- 60611

 

NOTE:

            1) Contact your local congressmen OR junior/senior senator ONLY and in the case of EMERGENCY. Keep it as your last resort. They are really helpful/prompt if and when contacted in the hour of need. DO NOT seek help from both, the senator and the local congressmen at the same time.

            2) Write to DOS everyday in order to get a response via Email (212ewaiver@state.gov). They respond once in 10 days. Structure of the email directed to DOS should be the following (NOTHING more than this):

Case number:

Last name:

First name:

Date of birth:

Basis under which you are applying for a waiver:

A brief explanation of your inquiry:

            3) The person responsible at The Embassy of India, Washington USA is very helpful; get in touch with him to get an update as to when they send out your NOS to DOS.

            4) Step III is no longer a month’s process please keep a buffer of 4 months when you start the final step of J-1 Waiver. Took me Feb 24 to May 30 2017 for Step III.

[miner]

DiVa 10, on your timeline you have: "10 May 2017 – USCIS updated website to have received the Favorable recommendation from DOS." Which website did you check? How did you check the status without the receipt number?

For me, DOS has forwarded the favorable recommendation to Vermont service center, but I can't get the receipt number? I don't know how to check the status of my case. When I called USCIS, they said they have no record of my case.