Recent Waiver Timeline

[moormoor]

Yes Pray79!  I just got another email from my senator today that they can not expedite waivers based on job offers cause this is why everyone wants a waiver! She also reminded me that H1B premium processing takes only 15 days so I should not worry so much! I just have to wait for my turn. I have heard they are processing applications faster now so...

[j1waiver2015]

I sent all my ppwk on may 30th, 2015. They received my docs (Reason of statement, fees, ds3035, others) on june 5th, 2015, my NOS from my home country was received on june 16th, 2015. My case still shows pending, I have sent a bunch of emails and the only answer I get is "The cases are taken in order received, they assure me that my rqst will be processed asap." I know it hasn't been so much time yet, but it is driving me crazy. since my visa expires on the first days of September.

Does anybody has sent docs by the same time and has gotten an answer yet? I'm just trying to find a way to keep track of my case, since they can't give me a better answer.

Another question, are most of the waiver request granted if there are not government or home country founds?

 

[Rimpy]

Hello Newbie,

 

I send all my documents on may 27th via express mail and the documents reached there on 28th may as per the tracking number. but they have not yet updated any info on the website (not even that they have received my documents). if I check the online status Currently, there is no information regarding the status of your case.

I wrote an email to ask about my application 7 days before, but there is no reply yet.

Is there any other way to contact them?

 

I am highly tensed now....

any suggestion will highly be appreciated. 

[moormoor]

Finally! DOS has sent my Fav Rec on Friday! It could have been my Senators letter or just that they are moving faster these days.

[cristinasan]

My J1 waiver case is pending since May 8. I went to an USCIS office last week and they told me that the employer can file the H1B visa or renewal with the waiver pending so that you can stay in the country / start working.

[j1waiver2015]

I don't know why Dept of State takes so long, plus we have to wait from USCIS after, it makes it even longer. It's driving me crazy. Do you think that sending a letter with my barcode will work?

[romariopan]

Hi everybody!

 

I am from Brazil and I went to the US in 2012 and came back in July 2013 in a J1. I met the love of my life and I decided to come to America to visit him in October 2014 in a tourist visa. We decided to get married in the day I was coming back to Brazil and I end up staying. I applied for the waiver in January 2015 and I haven't received the Favorable decision neither the USCIS final decision. I would like to share my timeline: 

 

Funding Source Memo Sent May 28, 2015 Unknown Requested May 28, 2015 No Objection Statement Received March 11, 2015 Fee Received February 23, 2015 Form DS-3035 Received February 23, 2015 Form DS-2019 Received February 23, 2015 Passport Data Page Received February 23, 2015 Statement Of Reason Received February 23, 2015 Other Received February 23, 2015 Unknown Sent

February 23, 2015

 

 

 

As you can see, since May 28th my status still the same: PENDING.

 

I have some questions:

 

1) What does the funding source memo actually means?

 

2) I am doing this process without a lawyer. Is there anyone doing it without a lawyer as well? What would a lawyer help in my process? Should I get one?

 

3) I always send email to the waiver review division and they use to answer me in about 5 days but, the last one I received was in Jun 3rd. Since then, they are not answering me anymore. Is there anyone in the same situation?

[blahblahblog]

At this point a lawyer won't change anything. What was your J-1 for?

[mehhhh]

romariopan,

I have emailed the DOS on July 5th but they have not replied yet. It seems like they are not replying to emails as quickly as they used to...

[romariopan]

My J1 visa was for a undergraduate exchange (biomedicañ training) that was supposed to be for 6 months. I extended for more 5 months. The first 6 months I received money from the Brazilian Goverment (capes). The other 5 months my department in the school I was payed me.

Does anyone could explain me how the "Funding source memo" works? Can I do something to make it fast?

[sonal2302179]

Hi Rimpy,

 

I had the same situation. I sent all the documents and fees in Feb. Fees was deducted on 4th of March but then after that no update. I emailed them several time and also sent letters. Finally they replied and asked me to refile!! I reapplied on 7th of July and sent all my documents and fees (again) on 9th which they recieved on 10th of July. I saw that fees was deducted on 14th of July and so far no update!!

I would say write to them again and ask if you need to refile. They won't write to you if there was any problem in the form ot anything. In my case the application was not fwded to the Department of State, Washington DC :(

[sonal2302179]

Did you hear anything Rimpy?

[mehhhh]

The DOS finally gave a favorable recommendation on my waiver application. The DOS received my application in late April, NOS in late May, and favorable sponsor view from my J-1 sponsor mid July. So for me, what took the longest was getting a favorable sponsor view issued. But once the DOS received a favorable sponsor view, it only took about one week to get a favorable recommendation. 

 

Thanks to people who posted on this forum; I was able to remain sane (more or less) throughout this process! 

[pray79]

My timeline:

DS3035 received - Apr 30th

NOC-May14th

SV requested - July 9th

SV received-July 17th

Fav reco - July 21st

Reco sent - July 23rd

 

I contacted local congressman (Maryland) and they followed through with DoS, it was done in 2 days after congressman contacted DoS.

[rajibchem]

J1 waiver.

 USCIS has received DOS fevarable recommendation letter on JUNE 17. Still pending my case for final approval. My DS-2019 ending by Sept30. How long it take to get the final waiver from USCIS?

[munish123]

whats the current DOS time for conrad 30 waivers. my application was received on 25th july

[traveller1]

I visited these pages many times during my J waiver process so I guess it's my duty to contribute too. More so, as today I got my J waiver (NOC). The information are:

1. Applied on April 15th to DoS.

2. I had already got all letters from India 3 years before applying.

3. New York Consulate was very helpful in sending the NORI. But they need all 3 letters and not 2.

4. The DoS sent favorable recommendation on July 1st 2015 but it reached USCIS on 14th July and they prepared I-612 (they do it themselves) on 21st July.

5. The gave the waiver on 12th August 2015.

6. I am a physician from India and came to USA to do medical research. I was not sure if I would be granted NOC but I guess my getting letters years before helped.

7. Ministry of health did not give me NOC (which generally gives for doctors in clinical practice) but luckily Ministry of HRD gave (I have 2 letters from my state and one from HRD ministry).

 

Hope this info helps.

 

Traveller

[avel]

I, too, have found this forum really helpful (and supportive during the long months of waiting) and wanted to share my timeline. I received my J1-waiver based on a NoC from my home country, India. Here's how it all went down:

- Early April 2015: Filled in form DS-3035 online and sent in supporting documents and fees to St. Louis, MO.

- *April 23: Received all three letters (this piece only applies to Indian nationals seeking a NoC from the Indian Government) and submitted them to my consulate, which issued me their recommendation to the embassy in DC within a week. They forwarded the same to the embassy on April 30.

- *May 6: Received final NoC from the Indian embassy; the embassy forwarded a copy of the same to WRD

- May 19: DoS online case status updated to reflect receipt of NoC from Embassy. At this point, the state department had everything they needed to make a decision on my application

- June 25: DoS online case status update: Favorable Recommendation; recommendation sent to USCIS on June 26th.

- July 7: Received USCIS' I-612 receipt notice, which stated that the Vermont Service Center had received the recommendation from DoS on July 1. This notice contains the receipt number that you can use to check updates on USCIS' website. Note that until you receive this notice, you have no way of tracking the progress of your application once DoS is done with it and has forwarded its recommendation to USCIS.

- August 13: USCIS case status update - I-612 approved.

- August 17: Received final approval notice from USCIS at my US address

It was frustratingly long, and has made professional planning really difficult for me, but it's finally done. So hang in there, things eventually do work out :)

[GUNYC]

My timeline:

 

Send the documents to DOS on 8/1/2015. Since it was priority mail it was delivered on next working day on 8/3/2015. 

DOS updated the site on 8/25/2015 as they received the documents.

NO objection statement was received on Sep 3, 2015 (although I received my copy well before on Aug 6th). 

Favorable Recommendation was send to USCIS on Sep 17, 2015

Currently waiting for the letter from DOS and final approval from USCIS.

 

thanks.

 

[WaiveMe]

Hi guys,

 

After a long and stressful process, I am finally DONE with my waiver!! Here's my timeline below. As you can see it took almost 5 months for the entire process - mostly stuck at the DOS processing. USCIS took only about a month, which I consider pretty reasonable. All the best for all of you who are waiting for your final approvals. There is light at the end of the tunnel indeed!

 

Process at DOS:

 

Recommendation Sent August 10, 2015 Sponsor Views Received August 06, 2015 Employment Information Received August 04, 2015 No Objection Statement Received May 19, 2015 Fee Received May 11, 2015 Form DS-3035 Received May 11, 2015 Form DS-2019 Received May 11, 2015 Passport Data Page Received May 11, 2015 Statement Of Reason Received May 11, 2015

 

Process at USCIS:

Case received at USCIS: 20 August 2015

Case approved by USCIS: 23 September 2015

[fresh15]

Hi guys,

 

After a long and stressful process, I am finally DONE with my waiver!! Here's my timeline below. As you can see it took almost 5 months for the entire process - mostly stuck at the DOS processing. USCIS took only about a month, which I consider pretty reasonable. All the best for all of you who are waiting for your final approvals. There is light at the end of the tunnel indeed!

 

Process at DOS:

 

Recommendation Sent August 10, 2015 Sponsor Views Received August 06, 2015 Employment Information Received August 04, 2015 No Objection Statement Received May 19, 2015 Fee Received May 11, 2015 Form DS-3035 Received May 11, 2015 Form DS-2019 Received May 11, 2015 Passport Data Page Received May 11, 2015 Statement Of Reason Received May 11, 2015

 

Process at USCIS:

Case received at USCIS: 20 August 2015

Case approved by USCIS: 23 September 2015

 

 

Hi WaiveMe,

Which USCIS service center handled your case? Mine was received by USICS Vermont Service Center on August 20 as well by but since then no movement. Mine is based on No-objection.

[WaiveMe]

Hi fresh15,

 

Mine was also handled by USCIS Vermont and based on No-objection. I also had substantial US government funding. My status was "case received" since Aug 20 'til it was finally updated as "case approved" on Sept 23. I'm not sure whether this is a factor that helped speed up my case, but my organization submitted my H1B application (premium processing - California Center) in Mid-Sept after we received a copy of the USCIS case receipt.

 

You'll get yours soon!

 

Hi WaiveMe,

Which USCIS service center handled your case? Mine was received by USICS Vermont Service Center on August 20 as well by but since then no movement. Mine is based on No-objection.

[fresh15]

Thanks WaiveMe.

It seems yours was processed soon based on your H1-B premium processing. I would have to wait longer. Lets see when they process it.

 

Hi fresh15,

 

Mine was also handled by USCIS Vermont and based on No-objection. I also had substantial US government funding. My status was "case received" since Aug 20 'til it was finally updated as "case approved" on Sept 23. I'm not sure whether this is a factor that helped speed up my case, but my organization submitted my H1B application (premium processing - California Center) in Mid-Sept after we received a copy of the USCIS case receipt.

 

You'll get yours soon!

[asha kumari]

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.

[entangled11]

Thanks WaiveMe.

It seems yours was processed soon based on your H1-B premium processing. I would have to wait longer. Lets see when they process it.

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.