I-194 Waiver Forum

Waiver application processing times

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Doug

Just a quick update, I sent a status request today - now almost 6 months from application date - and the auto reply confirming the receipt of the request included in red at the bottom of the standard reply this

Attention To Those Inquiring About the Status of a Waiver Recommendation Sought in Conjunction With a Nonimmigrant Visa (NIV) Through U.S. Department of State (DOS) Consular Processing:

The CBP-ARO does not provide status updates on visa applications. The DOS waiver recommendation is part of the DOS visa application process. The information pertaining to a visa application is considered confidential under Section 222(f) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). Any additional inquiries regarding a visa application may be directed to the U.S. Department of State.

Further, it is important to note that the DOS database used for processing visa applications and associated waivers of ineligibility, Consular Consolidated Database (CCD), has experienced significant and ongoing technical issues. These database issues have caused substantial delays in the CBP-ARO processing of DOS waiver recommendation, causing current processing times to extend to approximately 180 days.

Moozeee1 Trusted

Ok update -- after almost 7 months in I get an email from the ARO saying pending the results of required security checks! If you read my thread on here it's my 2nd Waiver renewal. What does this mean. Has anyone else got this response? I throw in the towel I think.

frankd

@Moozee1 did anything change since your last application. Also in your original post you said you provided the ciminal record with your first waiver. Did you not include that with your renewal app?

Also when did you hear back from them. As I have been mailing them weekly and no response. Mine is different as they said they mailed a decision. But I never got it and now 2 months latter requesting them to re-mail and nothing. Now wondering if I should file a new petition or file an i-824. i-824 is only for approved petition.

Moozeee1 Trusted

@frankd - the first Waiver included all the documentation. Including the letter of criminal charges and an "in my own words" explanation of what lead to the charges and the end result and what I did to turn my life around and my charges were a long time ago but still I sent the letter with the application. With my 2nd waiver renewal I was told by a professional agency who prepared my waiver renewal application that I did NOT have to include the criminal offences letter so I didn't. Then in early September the ARO sent me a letter requesting that therefore I sent it the next day via overnight express courier to their offices as in a month ago. Then last week I sent an email enquiry and got the "pending required security checks". Seriously don't know what's going on.

MY FIRST WAIVER was mailed to me in just over 90 days. You should have got yours in the mail within 2 weeks of their email. I am totally fed up with this process. If they changed the rules they should let people know. I am even more mad because I have already had a Waiver. And was told the renewal is faster. Yea ok. I sincerely hope I answered your question. Good luck! Please let us know when you get yours. Thanks !

Doug

Just an update...after almost 6 and half months, I finally received my waiver. This was my first renewal and it is good for 5 years. My first waiver was for 1 year and took 4 months.

:: @Doug added on 21 Oct ’15 · 14:17

I should also mention that I sent an email requesting a status update on October 10, and did not receive a reply.

Kiwi

Great news Doug, good for 5 years even better.

Kiwi

Moozeee1 Trusted

@Doug - wonderful news. Thanks for sharing. If you don't mind telling, what province are you in. My story is similar to yours. And I am almost at the 7 month timeframe my last email from the ARO said still pending review. I am happy to hear good news.

Doug

@Moozeee1 I am in Manitoba. Waiver professionally prepared. I didn't include the offences explanation letter.

Moozeee1 Trusted

@Doug - yes I realized after I went back on the forum you were from Manitoba. Sorry to have asked again. Now I am confused as I may have got a disgruntled ARO Review officer. Lol. I guess one day I will receive my Waiver and hopefully it's longer than a year like my first one. Might I ask if you had offences that were from long ago and perhaps only 1 or 2 charges? I had a few but 2 from like 30 plus years ago and really minor. I am so wondering why I am being raked over the coals. Really happy for you and everyone else out there that is getting their waivers as only a handful are on this Forum. Cheers! Happy travels too.

Doug

@Moozeee1 - My offences were from the late 80's early 90's. I had a few theft charges (I was an idiot when I was a kid), and a bunch of breach of probation charges stemming from me not adhering to the conditions - not paying a fine in time, or finishing my community service on time. In all I had about 10 charges that I had to explain. I think you may be right, and got an ARO Review Officer that was having a bad day.

Dan

Congratulations Doug!!!
It is awesome!!!
5 years is great.
Hope that all of us get the waiver before the end of year.

Moozeee1 Trusted

@Doug, thank you for answering my question. On another note I am surprised you are not already on U.S. Soil -- I think I would have booked a trip the same day I received my new waiver lol. At this point for me I am enquiringly weekly to the ARO -- it's already redundant and I have missed several events and seminars in the past month and not too mention my patience level. I have had 2 separate response emails in the past 5 weeks with actual officers names on the response email. Apparently my file is being passed around. Seriously I just don't understand. Nevertheless I am hopeful I will receive my New Waiver EVENTUALLY ... Maybe by years end. Also @Dan ... Yes we must be hopeful that we all receive our Waivers/renewals. It's tough on the nerves plus now I know I cannot make any travel plans -- I guess I learned my lesson. Good luck to all.

Doug

@Moozeee1 - I already have a trip planned. Heading down to the states next weekend. Ironically my waiver showed up the day after we stopped checking the mailbox with anticipation. My wife and I had pretty much figured that I wasn't going to get to get my waiver until sometime in the new year.
Hopefully you guys will get your waivers soon.

Moozeee1 Trusted

Well, now that I have recovered from Friday and the response from my email enquiry from the ARO... I thought I would share that disappointing day with you all regarding my Waiver enquiry. I sent yet another request for an update, get a response back from the ARO saying "On September 3, 2015 we have sent to the address on record a request for more information". Well that is the 3rd response I have got that stated that request. NOTE: the first time I received that email on September 3, 2015 I have long since received the ARO's request for additional info in the mail and promptly sent the info requested to them mid September via overnight courier. I was thrown for a loop on Friday but yet again sent back within 10 minutes a response stating this information was sent back in September with attachments including a copy of my Purolator waybill with tracking information and the package was delivered and signed for at their Herndan, Virginia location.
Less then 10 minutes later (same day last Friday ... I get anither response saying " we are currently reviewing and working on your file and so on (auto response). Has this ever happened to anyone else? I am so confused as to how they just generated 2 different responses within 2 hours. Has me wondering if anyone is truly working on my file at all after well over 180 days. Thinking I might never receive my Waiver renewal. I am still hanging in there but honestly stumped by this nonsense already. If it was my first waiver I think I would be more accepting of this long time from! Sorry this is a long read but I just had to share. Have a nice day.

frankd

Update.. got the waiver... valid for 5 years. First waiver was good for 1 year. Note never got a reply to my emails @ARO after the first email saying they already mailed it... I did mail a letter 3 weeks ago... to Herndan, Virginia... so that might have done it... or it just took them this long to re-send the mail. Total processing should have been 3 months but it took 5 months as never got the original waiver mail.

@Moozeeee1 hang in their... since you got the first waiver the renewal will come.

Moozeee1 Trusted

Way to go! @Frankd. Nice to hear things are working out for you and you got a 5 year Waiverr. As always I am always happy to hear good news. It sure is worth the agonizing wait! Lol My replies remain the same reviewing and processing my application etc. Well over the half year wait for me but I will keep remaining hopeful. Happy travels to all. Everyone else please still keep us posted as it truly is nice to hear good news! 😃. Hopefully some day I will be able to post some good news I don't like waiting and especially since I have missed some very significant family events. Oh well ... It is what it is.

Tinman

@moozeee1 don't be discouraged as you can see they maybe be slow but there is a lite at the end of the tunnel

Moozeee1 Trusted

@Tinman - oh so are you applying for your first Waiver or a renewal and how long did yours take? Thanks for the encouraging words.

tissot

My second Waiver expires next July and am getting ready to file an another request. I was wondering if anyone out here has done it and if it should be some other form, rather than I-194?
Does anyone know what happens after the second waiver is due?
greatly appreciated