Royalpalla

Hi all,

DOS sent a favorable recommendation on January 10, 2019.

I received it in the mail January 22, 2019.

I did NOT receive anything from USCIS. How long is it gonna take to receive the Notice of Action? I would like to have the receipt number to accompany my case in USCIS.

Please let me know how long it took for you.

Thanks

Hey NIWJunkie,

I read in one of your replies that you asked the Embassy to resend your NOS. Did they do that?

I am afraid because my NOS had been sent way before my documents arrived at DOS.

Hey folks,

I have read the entire topic. I will post my timeline. I'm from Brazil.

Oct 29: Embassy sent NOS

Oct 30: FEDEX Tracking show they received my packet (ds3035, etc etc).

Nov 01: Fee has been cashed! (I sent a Cashier's check).

Nov 13: documents are shown as received on the website

Currently I am waiting for the NOS to appear as "received". I found that some people had the same issue (i.e., NOS arriving BEFORE the other documents). These people claimed they did not have any problem. Also, I e-mailed public inquiries about this. They told me: "The No Objection Statement is placed in a holding file, as we anticipate other documents will be forthcoming."

Hello all,

1. As a Short-Term Scholar funded by my home government, I am not subject to the 12 and 24-month bar, but I am subject to the 212(e) section, the two-year home residency requirement;
2. I will apply for Ph.D. programs in U.S. which start usually in August/18. This means that I would not have the 212(e) requirement fulfilled;
3. However, Ph.D. programs are (usually) done on F-1 visas, meaning that there is no trouble for me to start a Ph.D. program;
4. I understand that I will still have the 212(e) requirement to fulfill. In a case where I get a job offer in U.S. after the completion of the Ph.D. program, I will have to apply for a Waiver before changing the F1 status to a immigrant visa status, am I correct? As long as I have the No-Objection letter from my home government, do any of you think I would have any trouble with regard to this requirement (i.e., the 212(e))?
5. Assume I get into a Ph.D. program. Suppose I bring a F-2 spouse. Would she be subject to 212(e) based on my previous J-1 visa? I did not bring any J-2 spouse here. I would like to know if bringing someone on other visa (in this case, F-2) would make her subject to 212(e). I don't think that makes sense, but I did not find this information anywhere.
6. I am able to get a No-Objection Letter. However, I intend to study in U.S. and there is no need to use the no-objection letter until I get a job offer. Can a J-1 Waiver be used even if I don't have a job offer? Or should I use it only when needed?
7. In number 5, I mentioned a hypothetical scenario where a F-2 spouse could be subject to 212(e) based on my previous J-1 visa. If this is true, then can the J-1 Waiver be used to overcome this?

Best Regards,

An Aspiring Academic

Hello all,

1. As a Short-Term Scholar funded by my home government, I am not subject to the 12 and 24-month bar, but I am subject to the 212(e) section, the two-year home residency requirement;
2. I will apply for Ph.D. programs in U.S. which start usually in August/18. This means that I would not have the 212(e) requirement fulfilled;
3. However, Ph.D. programs are (usually) done on F-1 visas, meaning that there is no trouble for me to start a Ph.D. program;
4. I understand that I will still have the 212(e) requirement to fulfill. In a case where I get a job offer in U.S. after the completion of the Ph.D. program, I will have to apply for a Waiver before changing the F1 status to a immigrant visa status, am I correct? As long as I have the No-Objection letter from my home government, do any of you think I would have any trouble with regard to this requirement (i.e., the 212(e))?
5. Assume I get into a Ph.D. program. Suppose I bring a F-2 spouse. Would she be subject to 212(e) based on my previous J-1 visa? I did not bring any J-2 spouse here. I would like to know if bringing someone on other visa (in this case, F-2) would make her subject to 212(e). I don't think that makes sense, but I did not find this information anywhere.
6. I am able to get a No-Objection Letter. However, I intend to study in U.S. and there is no need to use the no-objection letter until I get a job offer. Can a J-1 Waiver be used even if I don't have a job offer? Or should I use it only when needed?
7. In number 5, I mentioned a hypothetical scenario where a F-2 spouse could be subject to 212(e) based on my previous J-1 visa. If this is true, then can the J-1 Waiver be used to overcome this?

Best Regards,

An Aspiring Academic