Submitted in person Feb 9 at Sault Ste Marie. Received my third 5yr approval today.
Good luck to all.

well - that was epic. 5 years approval, 6 months to the day from payment…
making it to the opera on August 3 after all!
whew :)

7/19/2024, 03:30 AM PDT : Status changed to Completed
1/19/2024, 08:38 AM PST : Status changed to Submitted to ARO
1/18/2024, 03:50 PM PST : Status changed to Paid
1/18/2024, 03:48 PM PST : Status changed to Signed
1/10/2024, 10:17 PM PST : Application Created

Submitted application January 9, 2024. Received 5 year approval today July 17, 2024. 6 months and 8 days.. they must be catching up a bit on the backlog. This is my 3rd waiver. Good luck to all.

@Wanderlust You are overthinking it. I have posted 1 year waivers but the ratio is about 75-25 mainly because most people who do a waiver have either old records or old immigration problems. Whether it takes ARO 5 minutes or 5 hours, it should not matter, its how soon they can look at your file. Again assuming everything was done correctly.

@fastswimmer we’re in the same boat. It’s my first time submitting waiver, sent to Aro on December
3, offence was over a decade ago.

I thought when a waiver was initially approved it was for 1-Yr but I haven’t seen any of those granted in this forum in some time. Or maybe they’re just approving 5-Yrs for all regardless of first time or renewal, at this point…?

Also thinking for first time waiver they do a more thorough of a scan and that’s why it’s taking longer.

@fastswimmer
I submitted my first waiver as well on Nov 30th and I am still waiting.

Hello, are the processing times longer for the first waiver?

Submitted a waiver initially a few years ago, and was denied after further review. Was advised by a colleague who works in the field that I applied to early and didn't provide enough enough in my personal statement.

I submitted a brand new waiver request. Package was redone by colleague, with much more support and rewritten personal statements. It has been about 7 months and 10 days now.

I am just wondering if the processing time is much longer for the first waiver?

Finally, the wait is over. Submitted US Waiver Renewal on December 20th, 2023; received 5 year waiver this morning July 15th, 2024

Anyone else still waiting from start of November?
Should I be worried about my renewal submitted November 6, 2023?

US Waiver Renewal submitted on November 24, 2023; received on July 8, 2024; 7 months and 14 days.

US Waiver Renewal submitted on November 9, 2023; received on July 2, 2024; 7 months and 23 days.

US Waiver Renewal submitted on November 7, 2023; received on July 2, 2024; 7 months and 25 days.

Super excited just got my waiver today.

07/02/2024, 10:00 AM EDT : Status changed to Completed
11/04/2023 , 11:41 AM EDT : Status changed to Submitted to ARO
10/30/2023, 09:26 PM EDT : Status changed to Paid
10/30/2023, 09:24 PM EDT : Status changed to Signed
10/08/2023 , 01:37 PM EDT : Application Created

This would be my 4th waiver. Received a 5 year waiver.

@GotCaught why would you think the application would be faster if you paid someone to do it? Same line-up. Now if it expedited getting it filed, then yes. But Homeland Security has a pretty consistent line, so once it is filed, it doesn't matter HO)W it was done, as long as it is done correctly. If it is a GOOD place, they should quote you "7 months 17 days" If they say "6 months to 12 months" then that place is NOT trying to be accurate at all.

I submitted the Nov 21st, 4th waiver; clearly, I am still waiting, and an associate applied via a prominent US firm about 30 days later and is still waiting. Thought via a lawyer would be faster than my self application but don't seem to be the case.

I submitted mine to aro October 30th and still have not received.

[ mike c appended this reply on June 26, 2024 @ 5:32 pm ]

it's a renewal as well. Figured it would be faster since it was a renewal but apparently not.

I'll definitely update . . . I am obsessively checking every timeline possible, almost daily. It's like watching a pot, waiting for it to boil . . . can't be good =) We have already missed 2 booked weekends in Seattle that were in place based on the "old" (aka: reasonable) timelines. Now it's been 5 months and 6 days. If it gets to 7 months, we'll be missing a third that was booked for August (we have opera seasons tickets in Seattle - ya, I'm real "high risk" lol)

@jackster

@Jackster

1. Follow the timelines posted here. They are processing October waivers, you are a couple of months away. The email is a waste of time.
2. You are in a long lineup. They don't know you are a renewal until they open the file. Whether it takes them 5 minutes or 5 hours is not the point. Renewals are not fast tracked. 10 waivers or 2 waivers, its all the same to them.

Is there any way to contact USCBP for an update on the status of my waiver application submitted on Jan 25th 2024. Also I'm wondering if they fast track renewals as this is my 10th renewal.