Recent J1 waiver timeline 2017

[Cadem 1]

Hi !

I am a French researcher who benefits from a Dos international visiting program of two weeks last year and then subject to the 2 years requirement. I found a job in a US University and need to ask for a J1Waiver. Here is my timeline, they are waiting for the sponsor views of my visiting, who is the DoS. Do you think I need to write to the responsible of my visiting program in the DoS to hurry up things? My job in the University begin mid August but I feel the timing will be tight, what is your opinion? How long does it take between the DoS recommandation and the time we can ask for the H1B visa? I saw it can be very long in some cases. Thank you very much !

 

[Coco8 1,039]

6 hours ago, Cadem said:

Hi !

I am a French researcher who benefits from a Dos international visiting program of two weeks last year and then subject to the 2 years requirement. I found a job in a US University and need to ask for a J1Waiver. Here is my timeline, they are waiting for the sponsor views of my visiting, who is the DoS. Do you think I need to write to the responsible of my visiting program in the DoS to hurry up things? My job in the University begin mid August but I feel the timing will be tight, what is your opinion? How long does it take between the DoS recommandation and the time we can ask for the H1B visa? I saw it can be very long in some cases. Thank you very much !

 

The sponsor views will come from the specific office in DOS that organized your trip. You can look that up in the DS 2019.

If you applied through the embassy or the Fulbright office in your country, they might contact them as well.

 

Instead of asking them to hurry, I would give them the heads up that this is coming and to please tell you when they submit it so that you can make sure it appears on the system.

 

You will have difficulties finding an email for the office. I got one looking through grants they office posts. It was for a specific person and there are less than 10 people in the office so they all know each other. You can check the DOS directory to see how they are organized.  https://www.state.gov/documents/organization/112065.pdf

 

I went through something very similar last year. The office submitted the views but the office managing the waivers lost it, so online it appeared as they had not sent it for a long time. So I contacted the office that had to send the views and they said they had already sent them. So the waiver people had to contact them again, they resubmitted their views, and then it got into the system. I basically got the DOS waiver end of July and I got the waiver from USCIS (after DOS) the first week of August. Because I was inside the US, the H1B with premium processing was approved in like 3 days and I was able to start on time (also mid-August). But I was so stressed that mid-July I got sick!

 

If you are in the US, don't leave. It will be much faster to change to an H1B inside the US that going through the consulate. Plus, if you are in the US you can apply to the H1B once you get the waiver from DOS and you do not have to wait for the official paper you get from USCIS, which can take 10 days to 2 months.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Cadem 1]

Thank you so much for your answer Coco8 !

 

What was your status when you were in the US before having the waiver?

I am currently in France but I plan to move in the US in July if it is possible. If you say that it is going faster in the US it could be great, but I have to be sure I can change my status. I benefit from an ESTA (so my status is visitor on the Visa Waiver Program WT) to enter in the US but I am not sure we can change it to an H1B. 

[mathiah 0]

Hi Coco,

I have applied for a waiver last fall and have been following this forum for a bit now. I think I might be in a similar situation as you. My sponsor views were requested more than 5 months ago but I haven't heard anything since. I was told to not get in touch with anybody and just wait, as it can lower my chances to win the waiver (which is consistent with what I have generally seen). Your case however seems to be a counterexample and it makes me a bit worried about my case and if I should take any action. How long did you wait until you contacted the office in charge of the sponsor views and how did they respond? Were they upset that you got in touch with them? Also, it sounds like your sponsor was also the Department of State, do you know which part (were you on Fulbright)?

Thank you!

[Coco8 1,039]

6 hours ago, Cadem said:

Thank you so much for your answer Coco8 !

 

What was your status when you were in the US before having the waiver?

I am currently in France but I plan to move in the US in July if it is possible. If you say that it is going faster in the US it could be great, but I have to be sure I can change my status. I benefit from an ESTA (so my status is visitor on the Visa Waiver Program WT) to enter in the US but I am not sure we can change it to an H1B. 

 

I was with an F1. 

 

You cannot change from ESTA to H1B inside the US. You will have to go through consular processing. 

 

You should ask your university or department to pay the premium processing fee if you are short of time in the end. My department paid for it. You might be able to pay for it if they don't offer to do it. 

 

I would try to contact the office at DOS and keep an eye on it. It is possible to finish the process and do the H1B on time. If anything happens, you could delay your start. Be honest with the department if you have a class lined up for the Fall so that they can make any changes. You don't have to tell them right away. See whether you can get a reply from the DOS office that has to submit your views first. You don't want to get them nervous if there is no need to.

 

Good luck!

 

 

 

 

[Coco8 1,039]

3 hours ago, mathiah said:

Hi Coco,

I have applied for a waiver last fall and have been following this forum for a bit now. I think I might be in a similar situation as you. My sponsor views were requested more than 5 months ago but I haven't heard anything since. I was told to not get in touch with anybody and just wait, as it can lower my chances to win the waiver (which is consistent with what I have generally seen). Your case however seems to be a counterexample and it makes me a bit worried about my case and if I should take any action. How long did you wait until you contacted the office in charge of the sponsor views and how did they respond? Were they upset that you got in touch with them? Also, it sounds like your sponsor was also the Department of State, do you know which part (were you on Fulbright)?

Thank you!

 

Hi! I was not on Fulbright. They always say no to waivers.

 

You can always ask waiver division to request your sponsor views again if you don't want to contact the office. You can tell them you have reason to believe they sent it and they never got it. Be very brief and explicit about what you want them to do. 

 

I waited a 1 1/2 months until I went crazy and started trying to contact people. I had to start my job mid August. My timeline is below.

 

Fee/DS-3035/DS-2019/Passport Data Page/Statement Of Reason/Other March, 23 2017

No Objection Statement Received April, 06 2017

Request for Sponsor Views Requested May, 04 2017

Sponsor Views Received July, 11 2017

Recommendation Sent July, 20 2017

 

USCIS NOA 1 August 2 (I received the letter, it was mailed July 28)

 Final UCSIS Approval August 7 

 

 

 

 

 

[D'Man 0]

On 4/16/2018 at 1:21 PM, Sidzz said:

I received my Notice of Action today (April 16, 2018)  from USCIS on the green paper dated April 5 stating they are granting the Waiver of the two year  foreign residence requirement. Best news! The wait is over. 

Hello,

 

I'm just about applying to adjust my status. Got married earlier in the year, and presently on a B2 visa with 9 years more on it. Was an exchange visitor in 2014 for 6 months and it was not government sponsored. I did not leave my home country as I moved to Canada, where I'm presently living as legal resident. Quite difficult for my wife and I to live together due to distance, so we decided that I should move.

 

I will like to know where to start the procedure. Please, I will appreciate your help as I found various confusing materials online