从J1豁免到H1b approval

. Χ感觉我的case的buff叠满了，给大家分享一下时间线，希望能帮大家避个雷什么的
背景：
大四J1 intern
某美校F1 PhD
F1 OPT 1年
-baidu 1point3acres时间线：
2021年9月13：递交中美双方豁免材料

9月15：Cashier check cashed

10月29：中方发出NOL

2022年1月12左右update：

• Form DS-3035 Received September, 14 2021
• Form DS-2019 Received September, 14 2021
• Statement Of Reason Received September, 14 2021
• Passport Data Page Received September, 14 2021
  

1月20：No Objection Statement Received January, 19 202



2月2：Recommendation Sent February, 02 2022

2月12: 收到FR纸质copy

2月15：H1b petition submitted with FR，premium processing


February 17, 2022 We accepted your Form I-612, Application for Waiver of the Foreign Residence Requirement (under Section 212(e) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, as Amended).

February 18, 2022 We received your Form I-612, Application for Waiver of the Foreign Residence Requirement (under Section 212(e) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, as Amended), at this office from another office.

3月3：H1b RFE 要豁免的final approval

March 8, 2022 Case Was Approved

3月11：收到豁免的I797 action notice

3月15：USCIS收到RFE

3月23：H1b通过

我的OPT是2020年12月开始的，所以2021年12月就到期了。9月才开始豁免是因为被E-verify坑了。我当时拿到博后offer第一件事就去查了这个学校是不是E-verify。在E-verify官网查到了学校的名字，就没多想。9月开始准备OPT extension的时候发现
E-verify is a U.S. government program that allows employers to verify the social security number and employment authorization status of employees through government databases. XXXX is a limited E-verify employer and is rarely allowed to employ students using the STEM extension of OPT.
我当时给E-verify打电话，前台都不知道还有这种E-verify。
总之第一个雷总结给小伙伴们，一定要多方确认自己在的地方支不支持OPT extension。

缓更。。


补充内容 (2022-03-26 00:30 +8:00):
豁免申请递交之后等了很久网站还没有更新，就急着开始找Sonater，Sonater回复比较慢，而且最后要只是拿到WRD的统一回复：
We have checked our files and there is no record of having received your application.  If you have submitted your package along with the fee to the U.S. Bank in St. Louis, MO, your package will be forwarded to the Waiver Review Division in Washington, DC where it will be entered into the Waiver Review System.  At that time, you will be able to view the status of your case.  You should allow approximately 12 weeks from the time all documents were submitted before checking your status online.
中间试图加急，回复是：
Based on your email, it seems you are suggesting that your research at your prospective employer could represent a clear and significant U.S. government interest.  Should at the time we have a complete application package, you desire to submit another request for expedited processing, in order to make this determination, please provide further documentation to support your claim.  This documentation should come in the form of a letter from your current/prospective department/division chair and should outline the following information:
• The study/research in which you are involved
• Whether or not you are a principal investigator
• How much funding for your project (both amount and percentage) comes from official U.S. government sources
• How this study impacts the U.S. national interest  

This documentation should also include confirmation of your institution’s support for your expedited processing request as well as the impact to both the studies and the institution were the request to be denied.  Please be sure to explicitly address all of the points outlined above.



补充内容 (2022-03-26 00:37 +8:00):
收到这个回复我立刻让老板准备了letter发了过去，然而：

Expedited processing is reserved for those cases in which there is a significant humanitarian need or in which there exists a clear and significant U.S. government interest.  Cases must also contain all of the required paperwork in order to be considered for expedited processing.  Since our office has not received your application, your request for expedited processing is denied.  However, upon receipt of the application, you may submit another request for expedited processing if you believe that your case meets the criteria outlined above.  Please include any documentation that you feel would support your case.   


Should you choose not to submit another request for expedited processing, upon receipt of your application, WRD will process your case in its normal first-in, first-out queue.  Current processing times may be found at this website; please note that these times are estimates only, and individual processing times may vary.     

然后我就等了12周，重新找了Sonater，又找了学校所在区的Congresswoman，Congresswoman Office的回复和操作都很快。可能是因为管辖的人少或者更能理解学校人员的诉求。她们甚至帮忙联系了lock box。不过最后在她们得到dos的回复前，case online了。当然不排除她们的催促起了作用。

期间她们没有得到回复是不会主动跟申请人联系的：

Unfortunately, I have no updates for your regarding your case with the Department of State. Congressional liaisons have a 35-day period to respond to any office that is seeking assistance on behalf of the constituent and if there is no response within that period we send a follow-up.

这里的小结是Congressman可能比Sonater更高效。

自占楼2，感觉一楼不够用

补充内容 (2022-03-26 00:52 +8:00):
为了避免豁免结束前身份过期，同时本来就有一定打算的前提下申请了老婆所在学校的硕士。走的正常申请入的正规program。
本以为学费可以通过spouse benefit cover。HR给了信，ISSS给了I20（写明学费来源）。结果Financial office说不行啊，我们这只支持undergraduate program。所以again，各种policy一定要多方确认。（同e-verify，类似的问题，两个人一起犯了两次相同的错误）
正规program真的正规去上课了。
而且：
While your application is complete, based on posted processing times and the information in your request, the Waiver Review Division will finish processing your waiver request before the end of the 30-day grace period after the expiration of your F-1 program (based on the recent extension of program date).  Accordingly, your request for expedited review is denied.  Please note that all expedite decisions are final.
不过不知道是不是congresswoman的再一次神助攻，收到这封邮件后不久就FR sent了。
其实这步骚操作可能是多余的，甚至差点further delay waiver approval。因为现有case来看，除非真的开始申请的特别晚了，不然基本都赶在身份过期前投出了新身份的申请。包括我自己的case，FR sent的时候我的OPT grace还差几天，足够学校用FR投H1b petition。这里的建议是网站没有信息？pending时间太长？间歇性的催一下，不要慌。这里pending时间长的要注意NOL是不是被搞丢了，群里有小伙伴是这种情况。信息online但是NOL发出10来周还没有update，就要和DOS确认是不是NOL丢了。

补充内容 (2022-03-26 00:57 +8:00):
. 1point 3acres 最后一点，很多地方同意用FR申H1b。很多人提过合并处理，但是我的case被RFE，虽然理论上我的case应该也是在J1 waiver的同一个USCIS office。不过没办法吧，多等几周。

大抱熊 发表于 2022-3-24 06:29
自占楼2，感觉一楼不够用

恭喜楼主
来自群友的祝福

恭喜楼主！所以你OPT到期以后J1豁免结束之前这段时间是怎么办的？

恭喜楼主！

yuran5088 发表于 2022-3-24 16:55
恭喜楼主！所以你OPT到期以后J1豁免结束之前这段时间是怎么办的？

补在上面了