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PROCEDURE FOR
J WAIVER APPLICATIONS
The J waiver procedure has four
steps.
STEP 1: Applicants must
first complete a Data Sheet. They must then forward that Data
Sheet along with two self-addressed, stamped, legal-sized envelopes
and a check or money order for $230 U.S. dollars per application
payable to the U.S. Department of State to:
Via US Postal Service:
US Department of State/Waiver Review Division
P.O. Box 952137
St. Louis, MO 63195-2137
Courier Service:
US Department of State/Waiver Review Division
Box 952137
1005 Convention Plaza
St. Louis, MO 63101-1200
Please write on the check or money
order applicant's full name, date of birth and social security
number, if any. Also, remittances must be drawn on a bank or
other institution located in the U.S., and made payable in U.S.
currency to the U.S. Department of State. In addition, if the
applicant outside of the U.S. at the time of application, remittance
may be made by bank international money order of foreign draft
drawn on an institution in the U.S. and made payable to the
U.S. Department of State in U.S. currency. Back to top.
STEP 2: Once the Waiver
Review Division has received applicant's Data Sheet, they will
use the self-addressed, stamped, legal-sized envelope to send
a case number and instruction sheet on how to proceed with the
application under the basis designated on the Date Sheet. This
information will include a list of documents that applicant
must submit to complete the waiver review application. After
receiving the case number, the applicant must write the full
case number on any documentation submitted as well as on the
outside envelop of all future correspondence with the Waiver
Review Division. If the case number is not written on all correspondence
and the envelope, documents submitted will be returned to applicant.
Back to top.
STEP
3: Once the Waiver Review Office
has sent applicant the checklist of
items necessary to complete review
of the application (see Step 2, above),
the Office will NOT follow up on documents
not received. Rather, the applicant
or his/her representative must ensure
that the file in complete. The status
of applications may be checked ONLY
online
or by calling (202) 663-1600. To obtain
case status, an applicant must provide
his/her full case number.
The applicant should submit all
requested documents at the same time. Some letters (such as
a "No Objection statement from the applicant's government)
must be submitted directly to the Waiver Review Division by
the Embassy. In such case, the applicant must request that the
Embassy write the full case number on the "No Objection"
statement and also on the outside of the envelope to be sent
to the Waiver Review Division. If the third party agrees, an
applicant may have all documents forwarded to the Waiver Review
Division via that third party. However, ALL documents sent to
the Waiver Review Division must have the file number clearly
visible on them, as well as on the outside of the envelope in
which they are submitted, or they will be returned to the applicant.
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STEP 4: At the end of the
review process, the Waiver Review Division will forward its
recommendation directly to the Immigration and Naturalization
Service (INS), and the applicant will receive a copy of that
recommendation at the address listed on the Data Sheet. If the
application is denied, applicant will be notified directly.
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Note that the above information
is general in nature and may not take into account the complexities
of each case, as each J Waiver case is different. Therefore,
it is not meant to serve as a specific guide for the J Waiver
process, but rather, is meant to provide general guidelines
concerning a J Waiver.
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