Recent J1 waiver timeline 2017

[msngupta 0]

On 3/9/2017 at 6:34 PM, BrazilianJ1 said:

Hi all,

I am writing to share my exhausting experience to get the J1 waiver bases - no objection. I had one year fellowship from my country in 2014/2015 than one year fellowship from my lab 2015/2016. After finishing my PhD I got a job offer from the same lab in US, to change my status I had to apply for the J1 waiver. My country embassy gave me the no objection letter right after my defense on December 9th 2016. Here I will share my timeline:

 

- DS-3035 and all documents needed sent on December 8th, 2016

- No objection statement (NOS) from Brazilian embassy sent on December 9th, 2016

- DOS received the documents on December 28th, 2016

DOS did not update the NOS as received, I emailed DOS on January 8th, 2017. I received a reply on January 12th saying that DOS did not receive the NOS and provided me a number to ask my embassy to fax the NOS in my behalf. 

- DOS received the NOS on January 13th, 2017.

- DOS recommended my J1waiver application and sent to USCIS the letter on February 16th, 2017

- The USCIS received the DOS recommendation on February 23rd 

- The USCIS notice of my application acceptance was received by me (in my country) on March 9th, 2017.

 

If you are applying for the J1 waiver email the DOS to follow up your process. Unfortunately that may not speed up your process but will help out if something goes wrong at some point (in my case they lost the NOS letter from my embassy). If you are changing your status you may not need to wait for the USCIS I-612 (waiver) form. Once your new visa is processed you can make you appointment in your embassy and they will be able to check that DOS recommended your waiver. 

 

Best of lucky! 

    

Hi BrazilianJ1,

 

I am in the same boat as you. USCIS received the recommendation for my case from DOS on March 7th, 2016, and still there is no update in my case.

Is there any change in your status?

Do you know anything about how long it might take?

 

Thanks

 

[BrazilianJ1 2]

Hi Msngupta,

 

USCIS did not update my status, however if you are seeking a visa status change you may not need the USCIS final document of waiver approval. Good luck in your journey.

[msngupta 0]

18 hours ago, BrazilianJ1 said:

Hi Msngupta,

 

USCIS did not update my status, however if you are seeking a visa status change you may not need the USCIS final document of waiver approval. Good luck in your journey.

My employer is waiting for this approval to apply H1 visa for me. I have seen on internet forums that we can apply with DOS letter, but my attorney was not so sure about that.  

Yesterday after consulting with other experienced attorney, she said we can apply with DOS letter. Hope everything works out.

 

Thanks 

 

[BrazilianJ1 2]

In my case just using DOS letter worked to get my H-1B, I am returning to US today. However, I can't say if would be same for your case. Best of luck!!!

Edited March 31, 2017 by BrazilianJ1

[msngupta 0]

1 hour ago, BrazilianJ1 said:

In my case just using DOS letter worked to get my H-1B, I am returning to US today. However, I can't say if would be same for your case. Best of luck!!!

Thats great, congratulations. I hope it works out in my case too.

Thanks

[daisy8762 0]

USCIS denied my husband J1 waiver on his birthday here our timeline

• June 2015 married US citizen which is me
• found lawyer in 2015
• Dec 2015 pay money for j1 waiver to be sent off
• Dec 2015 send j1 waiver fear of persecution
• same month DOS update website
• Aug 2016 request more evidence from us
•  Feb. 2017 my husband birthday
• beginning of Feb j1 waiver out of normal processing time request sent on USCIs website

Note: they sent us an email that stated a denied letter has been sent but we still have not received this letter been over a month since we received this email. Also DOS has not update the website it is still pending as of today.by the way my husband Fulbright scholar.

 

• Feb 2017 ,received phone call from NEW York saying case was denied but they are still doing investigation of home country
• March 31, 2017 still waiting  checking mail everyday my spouse feel terrible
•  

Edited April 1, 2017 by daisy8762

[KurosawaSan 52]

4 hours ago, daisy8762 said:

USCIS denied my husband J1 waiver on his birthday here our timeline

• June 2015 married US citizen which is me
• found lawyer in 2015
• Dec 2015 pay money for j1 waiver to be sent off
• Dec 2015 send j1 waiver fear of persecution
• same month DOS update website
• Aug 2016 request more evidence from us
•  Feb. 2017 my husband birthday
• beginning of Feb j1 waiver out of normal processing time request sent on USCIs website

Note: they sent us an email that stated a denied letter has been sent but we still have not received this letter been over a month since we received this email. Also DOS has not update the website it is still pending as of today.by the way my husband Fulbright scholar.

 

• Feb 2017 ,received phone call from NEW York saying case was denied but they are still doing investigation of home country
• March 31, 2017 still waiting  checking mail everyday my spouse feel terrible
•  

What country is your husband from? Why are you applying based on fear of persecution?

[msngupta 0]

On 3/31/2017 at 8:23 AM, BrazilianJ1 said:

In my case just using DOS letter worked to get my H-1B, I am returning to US today. However, I can't say if would be same for your case. Best of luck!!!

Hi

 

Can you please share your timeline of J1 waiver application and H1b visa? Is your H1B done through premium processing?

 

Thanks

[BrazilianJ1 2]

Here is my timeline with the H-1B processing time

 

- DS-3035 and all documents needed sent on December 8th, 2016

- No objection statement (NOS) from Brazilian embassy sent on December 9th, 2016

- DOS received the documents on December 28th, 2016

DOS did not update the NOS as received, I emailed DOS on January 8th, 2017. I received a reply on January 12th saying that DOS did not receive the NOS and provided me a number to ask my embassy to fax the NOS in my behalf. 

- DOS received the NOS on January 13th, 2017.

- DOS recommended my J1waiver application and sent to USCIS the letter on February 16th, 2017

- The USCIS received the DOS recommendation on February 23rd 

- My University got the DOS recommendation letter on March 6th

- H-1B premium petition was submitted on March 7th

- H-1B approval was update at the system on March 15th

- H-1B approval was received by my University on March 20th

- I received the H-1B approval documents on March 24th

- I had my US consulate interview on March 27th

- Start date at work on April 3rd.

[msngupta 0]

11 hours ago, BrazilianJ1 said:

Here is my timeline with the H-1B processing time

 

- DS-3035 and all documents needed sent on December 8th, 2016

- No objection statement (NOS) from Brazilian embassy sent on December 9th, 2016

- DOS received the documents on December 28th, 2016

DOS did not update the NOS as received, I emailed DOS on January 8th, 2017. I received a reply on January 12th saying that DOS did not receive the NOS and provided me a number to ask my embassy to fax the NOS in my behalf. 

- DOS received the NOS on January 13th, 2017.

- DOS recommended my J1waiver application and sent to USCIS the letter on February 16th, 2017

- The USCIS received the DOS recommendation on February 23rd 

- My University got the DOS recommendation letter on March 6th

- H-1B premium petition was submitted on March 7th

- H-1B approval was update at the system on March 15th

- H-1B approval was received by my University on March 20th

- I received the H-1B approval documents on March 24th

- I had my US consulate interview on March 27th

- Start date at work on April 3rd.

Thank you and congrats again.

[Angeleno 0]

Is anyone waiting a really long time to get a favorable review from the DOS? My timeline is at 11 weeks and it still says pending...they replied to an email inquiry (after waiting 2 weeks for a reply) that said it was in review ...but its still just sitting there. Its a no objection waiver. 

Are they just backed up right now due to the massive leadership loss at the DOS?

[Coco8 1,039]

6 hours ago, Angeleno said:

Is anyone waiting a really long time to get a favorable review from the DOS? My timeline is at 11 weeks and it still says pending...they replied to an email inquiry (after waiting 2 weeks for a reply) that said it was in review ...but its still just sitting there. Its a no objection waiver. 

Are they just backed up right now due to the massive leadership loss at the DOS?

 

The number of weeks is counted since the time they received the "no objection" letter from your embassy. The website says 8 weeks so 11 weeks is not that far off. 

 

I don't think leadership at DOS matters. This is bureaucracy stuff. At most, they could have been behind due to the holidays or something like that. 

 

You didn't receive government funding or something like that, right? 

Edited April 5, 2017 by Coco8

[Angeleno 0]

11 hours ago, Coco8 said:

 

The number of weeks is counted since the time they received the "no objection" letter from your embassy. The website says 8 weeks so 11 weeks is not that far off. 

 

I don't think leadership at DOS matters. This is bureaucracy stuff. At most, they could have been behind due to the holidays or something like that. 

 

You didn't receive government funding or something like that, right? 

Its the 11th week since they received the no objection letter from my country. It wasn't a government funded program. I hope the status changes soon!

[logisticamente 152]

I'm so worried!! after over a month my embassy hasn't even sent the NOS to the DOS and they they never answer the phone nor their emails!  I thought I could be back in the US by the end of the year but I guess that is just a dream...

anyone has any suggestions on how can I push this forward?

[Coco8 1,039]

11 hours ago, logisticamente said:

I'm so worried!! after over a month my embassy hasn't even sent the NOS to the DOS and they they never answer the phone nor their emails!  I thought I could be back in the US by the end of the year but I guess that is just a dream...

anyone has any suggestions on how can I push this forward?

 

Without the NOS there is no way to move it. Sometimes DOS seems to make the decision fast when the NOS takes too long to arrive. So the fact that your file is sitting there, helps you or at least it won't hurt you too much.

 

Are you in the US? If you are in the US you could go to DC and talk to people at the consulate. Try calling the consulate instead of the embassy, they are supposed to be available.  

 

On the other hand, the embassy is supposed to send your request to the Foreign Ministry in your country and they process it. Figuring out which office processes the NOS can be hard because a lot of countries do not have phone directories for each office, but if you are in your country you can also try to contact them or go there and ask people.  In my case, the office that processed the NOS seemed to be within the area in charge of all the consulates/embassies.

 

 

 

Edited June 6, 2017 by Coco8