J1 waiver 2020 NOS update timeline

[Selcuk 4]

Hi guys I sent my documents on may 15th still no results I've been waiting for about 130 days .about when will all my transactions end Tank you 

Edited September 27, 2021 by Selcuk

[WaiverFinder 13]

3 minutes ago, Selcuk said:

Hi guys I sent my documents on may 15th still no results I've been waiting for about 130 days .about when will all my transactions end Tank you 

I have a very similar timeline. Still to date, the No Objection Statement from my embassy is not posted.

 

In addition, I asked one local congressman to inquiry about my case at DoS. On month later, they got a reply from DoS with no meaningful information whatsoever.

[Selcuk 4]

Things are moving very slowly and very meaninglessly in America.😞

[Natasha Sichula 6]

Hi everyone, 

 

My student visa was the J1 visa, but it clearly said “Not subject to the two year home residency." However, when my hospital was applying for my H1B visa, the hospital lawyer said he had never seen anyone who had a J1 visa who was not subject to the 2 year home residency. He claimed that the US Consulate in Zambia (My home country) may have made a mistake, and that if they just go ahead and file my H1B visa the J1 issue might come back to haunt me. 

 

My work lawyers submitted all my documents for the J1 waiver on May 25, 2021 while the Zambian Embassy sent their No Objection Letter on May 21. However, the No Objection Letter was not being reflected, and my lawyers asked me to have my embassy resent the No Objection Letter which they did on August 11. Upto now no update has been made on my case and my student visa expires in December. Please advise on what I should do?

 

 

 

[Natasha Sichula 6]

On 8/31/2021 at 12:05 PM, WaiverFinder said:

Hi all,

 

I sent all the documents to DoS on 25th of May (2021) and they showed up on their website in the first days of July. My embassy sent (via e-mail) the NOS twice, on 29th of May and on 7th of July. However, even to date (31st of August) the NOS doesn't show up on their website.

 

Anyone else finding a big delay (3 months+) before the website reflects the NOS? My J1 expires mid October.

 

I find this process one of the worse: no transparency whatsoever, random delays, no answers, and misleading information (e.g., website says "that 12-16 weeks after we received all the documents", should be "12-16 weeks after an arbitrary, unknown point in the future when we feel like we'll update the case to reflect the document that we received"). I understand that the COVID19 situation slow things down, but the process seems really broken to me.

 

I've asked twice DoS via e-mail about the status of my NOS and I never received a response back (except the two automatic e-mails with contradictory information -- "we'll get back to you in 10 business days" and then "we'll get back to you in 25-30 days"). I've tried to ask help from two senators and none of them were able to help (my experience is that they can help once the case is at USCIS, but not so much when it is at DoS).

 

Finally, I have more than four J1s, do you think that this may cause a delay? None of them were government sponsored.

 

Thanks.

Very similar story, but my NOS is still not reflected

[cherp 13]

On 9/15/2021 at 12:16 PM, OKF said:

Hi,

 

I am glad to inform that I also received Favorable Recommendation from DOS. 

Just an email stating that request for status update and mentioning its been 18 weeks beyond normal

processing time did work for me. Got FR within 24 hours

I'm jealous. This did not work for me. Reaching 20 weeks now. Wonder if I should send another email...

[cherp 13]

The wait continues...

 

[vabhi6's friend 3]

Hello folks,

I am glad that my wait is finally over. It seemed like a never ending nightmare, but this forum did keep me sane! Best wishes to all of you, hope you get your waivers soon!! Timeline attached.

We did reach out to both our senators in the 14th week to inquire with the DOS. They both responded to our request in a week and two respectively,  but their staffers suggested that enquiries to DOS take time. We are not sure if approaching them really helped our case or not. We got the recommendation at around the 18 week mark. Last week, we did receive an email from one of the senator's office with a response from DOS that they had already given a recommendation. 🤷‍♂️

It took 12 days for USCIS to approve I-612 (better than we expected). 

Will be happy to answer any questions.

 

Good luck to all you folks and to my fellow visajourney lurker @vabhi6

 

[Coco8 1,039]

On 9/28/2021 at 2:22 PM, Natasha Sichula said:

Hi everyone, 

 

My student visa was the J1 visa, but it clearly said “Not subject to the two year home residency." However, when my hospital was applying for my H1B visa, the hospital lawyer said he had never seen anyone who had a J1 visa who was not subject to the 2 year home residency. He claimed that the US Consulate in Zambia (My home country) may have made a mistake, and that if they just go ahead and file my H1B visa the J1 issue might come back to haunt me. 

 

My work lawyers submitted all my documents for the J1 waiver on May 25, 2021 while the Zambian Embassy sent their No Objection Letter on May 21. However, the No Objection Letter was not being reflected, and my lawyers asked me to have my embassy resent the No Objection Letter which they did on August 11. Upto now no update has been made on my case and my student visa expires in December. Please advise on what I should do?

 

 

 

 

Your No Objection statement is missing. There is a Fax they can send it to rather than send it by mail.

 

The fact that someone else from Zambia says they are having the same issue makes me think whether the embassy is sending it to the wrong place or not sending it.

 

 

Edited September 30, 2021 by Coco8

[Natasha Sichula 6]

Would you mind sharing their faxing details

[abed mika 0]

Hi guys,

Can someone help me with this...

I received my Fav. recomm. (FR) on the USDoS on Sept 01, and still until now didn't receive the tracking/receipt number of my case from USCIS.

I am worried and would like to call them since by now I should have received anything from USCIS.

Is there a contact number that I can call/email other than EMMA.

 

Thanks in advance,

[cherp 13]

Just a quick update. They asked for sponsor reviews on my case. The sent the request yesterday.

[RP26 4]

33 minutes ago, cherp said:

Just a quick update. They asked for sponsor reviews on my case. The sent the request yesterday.

mine is still same not any change online

[darius8 2]

47 minutes ago, cherp said:

Just a quick update. They asked for sponsor reviews on my case. The sent the request yesterday.

Scary part! I guess I will need sponsor views too. Hope your sponsor provides favorable ones. Good luck!!!

[Waiver_Seeker 7]

1 hour ago, abed mika said:

Hi guys,

Can someone help me with this...

I received my Fav. recomm. (FR) on the USDoS on Sept 01, and still until now didn't receive the tracking/receipt number of my case from USCIS.

I am worried and would like to call them since by now I should have received anything from USCIS.

Is there a contact number that I can call/email other than EMMA.

 

Thanks in advance,

 No other way to reach USCIS for receipt no, but via Emma. Ask Emma for a live chat and ask the LIVE AGENT for a receipt no. If he/she/they don't find it, ask them to raise a service request for you. Service requests can be raised for J1 waivers after 30 days of approval by DoS.