Kr1234

Thank you! My case was received on may 23rd in Vermont office, never got updated online I just received the approval on my mail

Wow you answered all my questions thanks a million. I appreciate the time you took to explain.

Good news!

Yes Bro. They updated my status few days later to Recommendation (sent). So they update yours very soon. 

By the way, one of my friend got USCIS decision from Vermont center in 7 weeks but he got the NOA after one week.

This is mine

Ok Jwaiver2019 thanks for your reply

Thanks Filipi!
 
I can share good tracking experience of mine for new applicants and if want to follow the same approach since I am able to track DOS mail using tracking number that I have used for returned envelopes (I kept other part of USPS tracking sticker saved in my file).
 
DOS mail is on the way with expected delivery time tomorrow. I got DOS online status update yesterday morning and when I checked tracking number (pasted on returned envelopes) last night, it showed that 'mail arrived at the USPS facility around 8.30pm'. So in my case, they mailed decision by mail on the next day of favorable decision. So you should be able to get it sooner since it usually takes 2-3 weeks for international mails and also depends on different mailing zones internationally.
 
I actually submitted 'Priority mail returned envelopes' with tracking number in my DOS packet and I found it was a good decision so I am well aware of situation now and tracking DOS mail and can recommend the same to follow for others.
 
Thanks for sharing USCIS experience and I will wait for another week and then call them to see if I can get case number over phone. This is not urgent for me since I am able to proceed with my rest of documentation process using DOS letter.
 
Thanks again Filipi! I appreciate.
 

Hi everyone
 
Me too applied for J1 waiver under no objection category and I wanted to share my status so far....
 
I sent the DS 3035 application package on Jan 31st 2019 through USPS priority mail and the package got delivered on Feb 3 2019.
I also sent the package to houston embassy on Jan 30th through fedex and it got delivered on 1st Feb 2019 and i picked up the package (copy of the NOS forwarded to DC embassy) from local fedex location on 7th Feb 2019
I got the copy of NOC statement forwarded to DOS from DC embassy on 15th February 2019 
My status was updated (documents received ) in DOS website on 15th february 2019
I am aware of the new processing timings, but Im worried whether DOS missed my NOC and I badly need this waiver as soon as possible as I wanted to take break and change to H4 visa and move to my husband place, as me and my husband are living separately.
  Still waiting for the NOS received update in DOS website😩 . Anybody in my situation and sharing the same timeline with me? Thoughts and updates on your case are  appreciated. Thanks!

Thank you JWaiver_2019. I wish you too to get good news soon

Guys Mine too got updated.... It took exactly 4 weeks for me to get No objection statement received update. Also Indian washington embassy is only sending No objection statement only via emails from 2017 its seems, so Indian friends no need to get panic. 
 
 

Hi Kr1234,
 
I was worried as well because my embassy (Brazil) informed they have sent the NOS electronically to DOS. It took about a month to have it updated in the system.
This is my current timeline:

 
So I think you are good. Hope your status updates soon.
 

Yes, this shouldn't be problem since some Embassies are sending NOS by emails too. You are right that DOS recommends mail but it again depends from country to country but I believe you are good. NOS status takes 4-5 weeks to update on DOS site but there are few lucky examples with shorter timelines, I am not at least.

So your case looks straight and simple to me. Yes, I hope it will be updated next week ideally otherwise no later than the following week!

Do not estimate any thing based on last year's timeline that put new applicants in panic situation this year: 
This year timelines are comparatively different than last year such as 'documents received' status update time increased from 20 days to 6-7 weeks this year as per recent posts in different threads. So I am summarizing all posts' conclusion here to give new applicants better experience update from new members recently submitted applications to prepare their application packet and send it using efficient mechanism and don't face panicking situation that many of us have faced due to recent shutdown and increased timelines (not related to shutdown). So here is my opinion and timeline based on personal experience and observations in this forum:
 
My timeline:
Application packet was sent to DOS by USPS Priority Mail:                            December 26th 2018
Packet received (USPS confirmed by email due to issues with tracking):    December 28th 2018
Embassy received J1Waiver NOC from home country:                                    January 21st 2019
Embassy sent NOS by mail:                                                                                  January 21st 2019
Embassy confirmed that documents received by DOS (tracking):                 January 23rd 2019
DOS updated status – Documents received:                                                     February 11th 2019
More updates to come as received ……..
 
Issue I have faced using USPS postal services:
USPS tracking is still showing “Schedule Re-delivery” for tracking number provided for my application packet, whereas upon investigations (based on my request from USPS customer services that involved days of communication), USPS has already sent me email (mid of January 2019) confirming that my packet was delivered on December 28th 2018 but post office scanned other packet for my tracking by mistake. So my advises are below to avoid some of such situations and other experienced in this forum:  
Lessons learned for future applicants:
Sending your application packet: Use courier service Fedex or UPS with guaranteed delivery service + tracking Sending Application Fee: Send Cashier’s Check so you could track if it has been cashed easily (please note USPS money order tracking is not easy and takes minimum 30 days with fee. If you have to use money order, then consider Money Gram etc with possibility to track when it is cashed). Contacting DOS by email before documents received status update: I sent around 8 emails to DOS email address to get status if they have received my package since there was issue with USPS tracking after waiting for 20 days as per past timeline experience but have not received a single response for any email. Contacting DOS by phone before documents received status update: They cannot help with this issue since it is handled by different unit and they can only help after receiving documents (based on one phone call discussion). Wait time for documents received status update: According to recent experience shared by applicants on this forum, it is tacking between 4-7 weeks to get status update from date of delivery of documents. So no need to check last year’s timeline for such estimates that may lead to panic situation. For NOS status update, it is taking another My personal advice: Try to send documents with guaranteed courier service and cashier’s check to avoid all issues some of us are facing. Check with courier and bank if mail has been delivered and check has been cashed then sit back on chair and check status once a week (ideally weekends) if you can wait.  
These are my personal opinions based on experience and nothing is official so take you own decision based on our experience using your own wisdom.
 
Please keep all posted with your status updates.
 
 
 

New update in my timeline!
 
My timeline:
Application packet was sent to DOS by USPS Priority Mail:                            December 26th 2018
Packet received (USPS confirmed by email due to issues with tracking):    December 28th 2018
Embassy received J1Waiver NOC from home country:                                    January 21st 2019
Embassy sent NOS by mail:                                                                                  January 21st 2019
Embassy confirmed that documents received by DOS (tracking):                 January 23rd 2019
DOS updated status – Documents received:                                                     February 11th 2019
No Objection Statement received:                                                                        February 20th 2019
More updates to come as received ……..

With the new 2019 estimates on processing time for J1 no objection, I thought I will post the timeline for my application. Note that I started my application during shutdown, and some delays in status updates could be because of it.
 
1) Sent documents to DoS using USPS -- Dec 24th, 2018
2) Documents received at St. Louis, MO on Dec 27th, 2018 as per USPS tracking.
3) Cheque cashed on 3rd Jan, 2019 as I found out from my bank.
4) Status finally updated in DoS webpage on Jan 22nd, 2019. 
5) NOC received by DoS on Jan 24th, 2019.  But I received a copy of the letter from my embassy on Jan 7th, 2019.
6) Favorable recommendation on Mar 7th, 2019
 
So it took about 6 weeks from DoS receiving NOC, and about 10 weeks from when I sent the documents.