HELP - COVID-19--- VACCINE WAIVER - -Form I-601A- QUESTIONS - MEXICO - PROCESSING TIME -

[Talitha333 0]

Hi, I am new here! 👋

 

We are now in the process of waiting for an interview appointment in the US Consulate in Mexico for the next step in our application process. For immigrant visa interview medical, COVID vaccines are a requirement.

 I am the petitioner, and my husband (the principal applicant) doesn't have any COVID-19 vaccines. 

 

I would love any help / personal experience you can share with me, I have some questions. ❔

 

* If choosing to not get vaccinated due to personal religious belief, could we have a strong case in proving my claims to USCIS if we do not have letters from a personal doctor or a religious leader?

 

If choosing under moral? any success/approval cases here? list of questionable ingredients in the vaccines, is this sufficient or would it affect our case due to my husband having some vaccines but choosing not to get the covid-19 ones? 

 

-- would it help in any way if I (as his wife) also write a letter? 

 

-- how much longer does the 1-601 waiver delay/ add to the process?

 

** DOES THIS WAIVER TAKE A YEAR TO GET APPROVED???     COUNTRY: MEXICO  - CUIDAD JUAREZ CENTER

 

COULD SOMEONE CONFIRM THIS? I found it here on a post:

 

Quote

"You file the waiver and pay the fee after interview. Then you have to wait outside the US while the decide your case. Then I think it takes about 1 year before they reach a decision. "

 

 

* if he goes to Mexico does he have to remain in Mexico to wait for the approval of the waiver??? -- 

 

 

Any experiences with the second interview or wait times?

 

THANK YOU SO MUCH for your TIME!

 

PROCESSING TIME & JUAREZ LOCATION FEEDBACK, ANY INPUT YOU HAVE IS GREATLY APPRECIATED.

 

BE BLESSED!!!

 ❤️

 

[Lemonslice 4,555]

Others will be able to provide more details on the waiver, but just be aware that you will add quite a few months to your separation.  

[Talitha333 0]

Thank you for your quick response @Lemonslice 👏

[Redro 4,600]

@Talitha333 having the other vaccines weakens your waiver case. especially if he received vaccines in the last 3-4 years or at the medical. 
If you haven’t been vaccinated either, writing a letter to the fact can help your case but if you are vaccinated it could hurt the case. 
Your husband will have to remain in Mexico while waiting for the waiver to be approved.  Then you will have to wait for the second interview- which can take several months as you are not in the regular IV interview line but the “second interview” line. 
I’ve read many success stories of waivers when the applicant is already inside the US but not many share stories of success if the case was processed outside the US- unless they requested a waiver on religious grounds and showed evidence of not being vaccinated for anything- with letters of support from religious leaders. 
Are you and your husband at peace with the possibility of not being able to live in the US after the interview? 

[Crazy Cat 39,261]

56 minutes ago, Talitha333 said:

if he goes to Mexico

Is he inside the US right now? Your title mentioned an I-601a.  EWOI?

Edited March 16 by Crazy Cat

[Crazy Cat 39,261]

***I have moved this topic to the waiver forum area where similar topics are discussed***

-VJ Moderation

[Talitha333 0]

@Crazy Cat Yes. He is in the US right now.  He will be traveling to Mexico for his interview.

[Talitha333 0]

@Redro thank you so much for your response. None of us have any covid 19 vaccines. We are both in the US. 

 

Quote

Your husband will have to remain in Mexico while waiting for the waiver to be approved.  Then you will have to wait for the second interview- which can take several months as you are not in the regular IV interview line but the “second interview” line. 

 

So for his second interview he will have to remain in Mexico as well, correct? I am afraid this waiting period for the "next or second" interview would mean months... 

 

Is there a strong case of religious grounds without a personal religious leader?

 

Thank you once again @Redro 🙌

 

 

[Redro 4,600]

8 minutes ago, Talitha333 said:

@Redro thank you so much for your response. None of us have any covid 19 vaccines. We are both in the US. 

 

 

So for his second interview he will have to remain in Mexico as well, correct? I am afraid this waiting period for the "next or second" interview would mean months... 

 

Is there a strong case of religious grounds without a personal religious leader?

 

Thank you once again @Redro 🙌

 

 

Not months. 1-2 years. And if the waiver is refused your husband will either have to get vaccinated OR he will not be allowed to return to the US. 
Has the I601a been approved? If you received assistance from a lawyer I suggest you ask them to help you construct a strong vaccine waiver case. Or request a referral… the information you used in I601a might be able to be reused in the next waiver package. 

[Talitha333 0]

@Redro This is really sad. We do not want to be apart for years. 

7 minutes ago, Redro said:

I601a been approved?

Yes it has been approved. 

 

We are now waiting for his consular interview, so that he can receive his permanent visa. The country is Mexico and its months of waiting time just to get this consular interview scheduled.

 

But no matter how strong the case is, the waiting time would still be the same 😪

 

thank you @Redro

[Redro 4,600]

5 minutes ago, Talitha333 said:

@Redro This is really sad. We do not want to be apart for years. 

Yes it has been approved. 

 

We are now waiting for his consular interview, so that he can receive his permanent visa. The country is Mexico and its months of waiting time just to get this consular interview scheduled.

 

But no matter how strong the case is, the waiting time would still be the same 😪

 

thank you @Redro

Okay. I would speak to a lawyer NOW and discuss the information you will submit for the waiver vaccine. I have seen one case out of Vietnam where they submitted the waiver after I130 and waiver were approved but before interview. you can submit the waiver now if you wish. This will shorten the waiting time AFTER the interview. Google waiver COVID visa journey for some information on what others on VJ have done and the lawyers they used. 

[Redro 4,600]

Here is a compilation of posts I made a few years ago…

https://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/781051-form-i-601-religious-exemption/?do=findComment&comment=10646845

[Talitha333 0]

36 minutes ago, Redro said:

they submitted the waiver after I130 and waiver were approved but before interview.

This is a question I actually had, and haven't found the answer. I was hoping this was an option. Thank you @Redro

 

 

37 minutes ago, Redro said:

Google waiver COVID visa journey

I will do this.

 

35 minutes ago, Redro said:

https://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/781051-form-i-601-religious-exemption/?do=findComment&comment=10646845

I will check this out.

 

 

thank you so much for your time @Redro all the information you have shared is truly appreciated!

[Boiler 43,438]

I 601 fee is about $1k, Legal Fees are no doubt more.

 

Will take about 1 to 2 years.

 

I think all the ones I have seen have been approved, obviously this assume proper presentation.

[SalishSea 16,774]

5 hours ago, Talitha333 said:

@Redro This is really sad. We do not want to be apart for years. 

Yes it has been approved. 

 

We are now waiting for his consular interview, so that he can receive his permanent visa. The country is Mexico and its months of waiting time just to get this consular interview scheduled.

 

But no matter how strong the case is, the waiting time would still be the same 😪

 

thank you @Redro

How is he legally in the US while waiting for CR-1 visa?