Please comment. J1 waiver still pending at DOS

[sea_sg]

Hi,

I applied for J1 waiver with NOS on October. All my documents including NOS from my home country were received on December 22, 2015.

 

It has been 10 weeks. Status of Department of State Decision is still Pending.

 

I wrote an email last week,  I didn't get any response yet. Everyone I know, got their results within a couple of days from DOS. 

 

Do you have any idea about what is going on?  Is it normal to wait that long for DOS decision?  Do you know if there is a phone number of waiver division to talk?

 

Thanks a lot for you comments,

 

 

Department of State Decision: Pending

 

No Objection Statement    Received    December 22, 2015
Fee    Received    October 06, 2015
Form DS-3035    Received    October 06, 2015
Form DS-2019    Received    October 06, 2015
Passport Data Page    Received    October 06, 2015
Statement Of Reason    Received    October 06, 2015

[sea_sg]

Anyone have any idea?

[bk478]

Mine has been pending for 5 weeks and I was getting impatient. They might have taken vacation whole December and might have a backlog, who knows...

 

No Objection Statement Received January 27, 2016

[sea_sg]

Could you tell us when you have any update?

[bk478]

I will let you know if I get an update. I will also try emailing them next week, when it will be pending for 6 weeks.

I'm guessing your case will be updated before mine, since you are waiting for 10 weeks.

[sea_sg]

Finally, it is updated as favorable recommendation. it took 11 weeks - 80 days since they got every document.

Good luck to you.

[bk478]

sea_sq,

Did you get final certificate from USCIS yet?

 

My case took 9 week on DoS side:

 

Recommendation Sent April 01, 2016

No Objection Statement Received January 27, 2016

 

I'm wondering how long USCIS will review it now.

Thanks.

[minionaire]

Hi bk478

 

I'm 5 days behind your timeline and waiting for USCIS as well - have you received the letter with info to check the status online yet?

 

Also are you currently in the US or abroad?

 

Thanks!

[bk478]

minionaire,

My case was received by USCIS on Apr 6. I got a letter a few days after with receipt number. I'm in US.

Cheers.

[minionaire]

Thanks bk478! I never received a letter with receipt number unfortunately but this might be due to the fact that I'm not in the US. 

Could you update this thread once USCIS approves your waiver? I have a rather tight timeline for waiver + actual visa until my start date in the US and it'll help me understand if it's actually realistic. Thanks!

[bk478]

minionaire,

USCIS shows that my case was approved on 4/26/2016!

 

So the whole timeline:

 

2016-01-27 NOS Received

2016-04-01 Favorable recommendation sent

2016-04-05 USCIS received the case

2016-04-26 Case is approved at USCIS.

Waiting for paper mail from USCIS.

 

Cheers.

[minionaire]

Congratulations bk478! Must be such a relief that the wait is over :)

 

My case was received on April 12, so it took a few days longer by post but hopefully I have news next week as well!

 

Thanks for sharing!

[Jasmine_]

Hi, 

 

I want to ask if anyone had trouble with the whole process about this waiver?

 

Here is my timeline:

"Incomplete Information Letter" & "Other" stands for my passport copy which is funny since I have mailed it with every document I sent to DOS the first time. I think they lost it somehow and I had to resend it via Fedex, via email, via fax.... Still didn't heard back from them. I hope they received it.

 

Incomplete Information Letter Sent May 12, 2016 Other Requested May 12, 2016 No Objection Statement Received April 29, 2016 Fee Received February 04, 2016 Form DS-3035 Received February 04, 2016 Form DS-2019 Received February 04, 2016 Statement Of Reason Received February 04, 2016

 

I asked DOS if anything is missing at the moment but no chance of reaching them.

I don't know how long it is going to take and don't know if it is going to be approved.

This is really worrying.

May you please comment on the timeline? It feels like I am going to wait forever but I don't have that time :(

 

Thanks.