Finally I got my first waiver (5yrs) last week. I want to thank @J Rogers immensely. I can attest to he his expertise and service regarding pardons and waivers. I have had a bad experience with a well known Lawyer in the past who charged me a bomb and then just asked a junior associate to work on my case who knew very less about waivers other than basically fill the application.

@Magnus

I think probably volume as more applications are processed but its hard to know for sure.

@J Rogers
Why do you think the timeline has increased so dramatically? More volume, less staff or something else? More rigorous adjudication perhaps?

My three latest from this week, Notice the timeline is around 50 plus days from the point of going to the border right now.

All three were 5 year waivers.

5 YEAR WAIVER

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Status History (5)
6/1/2022, 08:00 PM EDT : Status changed to Completed
4/6/2022, 02:00 PM EDT : Status changed to Submitted to ARO
3/28/2022, 09:34 PM EDT : Status changed to Paid
3/28/2022, 09:32 PM EDT : Status changed to Signed
3/23/2022, 10:53 AM EDT : Application Created
______________________________________________________
5 YEAR WAIVER

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Status History (5)
6/1/2022, 12:00 PM EDT : Status changed to Completed
4/8/2022, 11:30 AM EDT : Status changed to Submitted to ARO
4/5/2022, 02:57 PM EDT : Status changed to Paid
4/5/2022, 02:56 PM EDT : Status changed to Signed
12/14/2021, 10:33 AM EST : Application Created
______________________________________________________
5 YEAR WAIVER

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Status History (5)
6/1/2022, 05:00 PM EDT : Status changed to Completed
4/6/2022, 01:00 PM EDT : Status changed to Submitted to ARO
4/4/2022, 04:32 PM EDT : Status changed to Paid
4/4/2022, 04:29 PM EDT : Status changed to Signed
4/4/2022, 03:09 PM EDT : Application Created
___________________________________________________

@J Rogers
Have you had any responses back yet for anything submitted April 11th or later?

@Beezur

Gun offences. Possession of a gun without a permit. Illegal possession of a firearm. Misunderstandings at the border like "I tried to get asylum, but was rejected and I came to Canada".

I do a lot of waivers for people with no criminal record, probably far more than anyone else because of my location.

Old convictions, drug convictions, having done a few waivers before, marijuana.....I have not seen ANY of these result in September Letters. Yet.

@J Rogers Would it be possible for you to give the circumstances surrounding the September Letter(s) that you are seeing?

Obviously there are more September letters granted currently, than I can remember. They must be considered for more than just crimes that are NOT of moral turpitude. Are they being granted for very old convictions of such charges?

For example, I'm wondering if it is possible for a 30 year old fraud conviction to warrant a September Letter? I suspect it would depend on a lot of different factors such as the magnitude and circumstances surrounding the crime and the demonstration of rehabilitation, however I am wondering if it is even possible or if there is some other reason an unusual amount of September Letters are being granted.

B.

My most recent 3 waivers. Have a good weekend everyone!!!

5 YEAR WAIVER

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Status History (5)
5/12/2022, 07:00 PM EDT : Status changed to Completed
4/4/2022, 01:00 PM EDT : Status changed to Submitted to ARO
3/28/2022, 09:13 PM EDT : Status changed to Paid
3/28/2022, 09:11 PM EDT : Status changed to Signed
3/14/2022, 03:31 PM EDT : Application Created
_____________________________________________________________
SEPTEMBER LETTER

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Status History (5)
5/13/2022, 07:00 AM EDT : Status changed to Completed
3/11/2022, 12:30 PM EST : Status changed to Submitted to ARO
3/7/2022, 09:01 PM EST : Status changed to Paid
3/7/2022, 08:56 PM EST : Status changed to Signed
1/31/2022, 01:53 PM EST : Application Created

_______________________________________________________________
5 YEAR WAIVER

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Status History (5)
5/16/2022, 05:30 PM EDT : Status changed to Completed
3/31/2022, 02:00 PM EDT : Status changed to Submitted to ARO
3/16/2022, 08:48 PM EDT : Status changed to Paid
3/16/2022, 08:47 PM EDT : Status changed to Signed
3/11/2022, 09:46 AM EST : Application Created
____________________________________________________________________

@KatM

I can't be 100% sure, and timelines have changed. Rejections generally take much longer. I think 4 months but that is just a guess, I don't track the no's as well as I do the yes's.

Here is one that's recent.

10/29/2021 Submitted to ARO (went to border)
3/17/2022 Completed

That is about 4.5 months and it was a "no".

@J Rogers what’s the longest processing time you’ve experienced from eSAFE? If they were to deny you, do they still make you wait a long time before doing that?

3 - 5year waivers, and a 1 year. The one Year is an importing cocaine in 2010 with a big sentence so no surprise its just a 1 YEAR to start.

Timelines 35-40 days in most cases from the biometrics at the border.

5 YEAR WAIVER.
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Status History (5)
5/10/2022, 07:30 AM EDT : Status changed to Completed
4/4/2022, 11:00 AM EDT : Status changed to Submitted to ARO
3/29/2022, 02:34 PM EDT : Status changed to Paid
3/29/2022, 02:31 PM EDT : Status changed to Signed
3/29/2022, 10:38 AM EDT : Application Created
___________________________________________________________________
5 YEAR WAIVER
Documents Shared With You
ARO Decision
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Status History (5)
5/11/2022, 09:30 AM EDT : Status changed to Completed
4/5/2022, 09:30 AM EDT : Status changed to Submitted to ARO
3/31/2022, 10:33 AM EDT : Status changed to Paid
3/31/2022, 10:28 AM EDT : Status changed to Signed
3/28/2022, 03:48 PM EDT : Application Created
____________________________________________________________________

5 YEAR WAIVER
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Status History (5)
5/12/2022, 08:00 AM EDT : Status changed to Completed
4/4/2022, 03:00 PM EDT : Status changed to Submitted to ARO
3/25/2022, 03:54 PM EDT : Status changed to Paid
3/25/2022, 03:52 PM EDT : Status changed to Signed
3/16/2022, 02:11 PM EDT : Application Created
________________________________________________________________________
1 Year Waiver

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Status History (5)
5/11/2022, 08:00 PM EDT : Status changed to Completed
3/31/2022, 04:30 PM EDT : Status changed to Submitted to ARO
3/22/2022, 02:52 PM EDT : Status changed to Paid
3/22/2022, 02:50 PM EDT : Status changed to Signed
3/21/2022, 09:41 AM EDT : Application Created

I am on a streak of 5 consecutive clients with 5 year waivers. 5 out of 5 for 5. So I better post them before someone breaks the streak!

Timelines look to me at just under or around 40 days from going to the border. Before covid it was about 60 days from that point, but they were not eSAFE.

5 YEAR WAIVER
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Status History (5)
5/9/2022, 10:00 AM EDT : Status changed to Completed
3/31/2022, 05:00 PM EDT : Status changed to Submitted to ARO
3/24/2022, 02:35 PM EDT : Status changed to Paid
3/24/2022, 02:33 PM EDT : Status changed to Signed
3/21/2022, 02:14 PM EDT : Application Created

____________________________________________________________
5 YEAR WAIVER
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ARO Decision
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Status History (5)
5/9/2022, 01:00 PM EDT : Status changed to Completed
4/1/2022, 08:30 AM EDT : Status changed to Submitted to ARO
3/28/2022, 08:46 PM EDT : Status changed to Paid
3/28/2022, 08:43 PM EDT : Status changed to Signed
3/15/2022, 02:19 PM EDT : Application Created

_________________________________________________________________
5 YEAR WAIVER
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Status History (5)
5/9/2022, 12:00 PM EDT : Status changed to Completed
3/31/2022, 12:00 PM EDT : Status changed to Submitted to ARO
3/28/2022, 04:05 PM EDT : Status changed to Paid
3/28/2022, 04:01 PM EDT : Status changed to Signed
3/28/2022, 09:39 AM EDT : Application Created
____________________________________________________________________

5 YEAR WAIVER
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ARO Decision
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Status History (5)
5/9/2022, 02:00 PM EDT : Status changed to Completed
3/25/2022, 03:30 PM EDT : Status changed to Submitted to ARO
3/24/2022, 10:54 AM EDT : Status changed to Paid
3/24/2022, 10:53 AM EDT : Status changed to Signed
3/24/2022, 10:20 AM EDT : Application Created

5 YEAR WAIVER.

Documents Shared With You
ARO Decision
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Status History (5)
5/10/2022, 07:30 AM EDT : Status changed to Completed
4/4/2022, 11:00 AM EDT : Status changed to Submitted to ARO
3/29/2022, 02:34 PM EDT : Status changed to Paid
3/29/2022, 02:31 PM EDT : Status changed to Signed
3/29/2022, 10:38 AM EDT : Application Created

@Magnus
Being denied entry at all is a tiny negative, but the "waiver math" is way more important. I do make a big deal about it when a client voluntarily files a waiver, but does it really help? Maybe if the waiver was borderline. Maybe.

@J Rogers

Thanks for the response.

Does the fact that they allowed one to “withdraw your application” have any positive bearing on the adjudication process when one files a waiver?

I understand that being given the opportunity to withdraw an application is a privilege and not a right and not extended to everyone as it’s at the discretion of the CBP officer. This seems to suggest that there must be some sort of positive to being granted this privilege by CBP.

Thus I’m curious as to what effect this may have on how favorably or not one’s waiver application is viewed.

If

@Magnus My experience tells me the following. I did not look this up.

1. If you withdraw your application, you just leave, and are flagged.

2. If you do NOT, then they make a date with an immigration judge, to rule on your admission. I assume you would still be allowed to leave.

Would they hold a person until their hearing? I do not know for sure. If its a criminal record issue, I would say no.

If you are denied entry, it makes no sense to see a judge. Much much easier to do a waiver. Probably cheaper too.

If you’re detained at the border on a suspected immigration violation and they don’t let you through but give you the option of “withdrawing your application” is there any advantage to them giving you this privilege as it pertains to potential future border crossings?

I understand that not everyone is given this opportunity/option.

I post these waivers basically in the order I get them, then I skip a few, then I post more, just so everyone can see typical timelines.

Look at this fluke. A 1 year waiver, a September Letter, a 5 year waiver, and a 2 year waiver. All in a row.

My first 2 year waiver in YEARS by the way. A woman, ex postal carrier who took some mail in 2010 and one other minor offence before.

1 year waiver.

Documents Shared With You
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Status History (5)
4/28/2022, 06:30 AM EDT : Status changed to Completed
3/21/2022, 02:30 PM EDT : Status changed to Submitted to ARO
3/1/2022, 12:19 PM EST : Status changed to Paid
3/1/2022, 12:16 PM EST : Status changed to Signed
3/1/2022, 11:23 AM EST : Application Created
__________________________________________________
SEPTEMBER LETTER

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Status History (5)
4/28/2022, 11:30 AM EDT : Status changed to Completed
3/9/2022, 11:00 AM EST : Status changed to Submitted to ARO
2/25/2022, 03:41 PM EST : Status changed to Paid
2/25/2022, 03:38 PM EST : Status changed to Signed
1/26/2022, 11:14 AM EST : Application Created

________________________________________________________
5 year Waiver

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Status History (5)
4/28/2022, 01:30 PM EDT : Status changed to Completed
3/23/2022, 10:00 AM EDT : Status changed to Submitted to ARO
3/9/2022, 09:05 PM EST : Status changed to Paid
3/9/2022, 09:04 PM EST : Status changed to Signed
2/1/2022, 09:46 AM EST : Application Created

2 YEAR WAIVER
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Status History (5)
5/3/2022, 01:32 PM EDT : Status changed to Completed
3/23/2022, 01:30 PM EDT : Status changed to Submitted to ARO
3/16/2022, 03:26 PM EDT : Status changed to Paid
3/16/2022, 03:23 PM EDT : Status changed to Signed
2/24/2022, 02:58 PM EST : Application Created

@Jay22 You misinterpreted my post.

Your LAWYER isn't slower. He just doesn't KNOW how long waivers typically take, which means your using an expert in law who doesn't have a lot of experience in recent waivers. When they don't know timelines, that is your first clue. I bet reading this forum means YOU know more about current waivers than HE does now.

MY waivers are NOT necessarily faster. Once they reach Homeland Security, the time they take to reach a decision has NOTHING to do with who prepares the application. I make mine problem free and make it easy for them to say "yes" but I have some clients who have complicated cases that take much longer.

You see the timelines. They are everywhere in this thread and others. Not just mine, but DIY posters, and Michelle. I am telling you what is TYPICAL. But the reason i post proof is so you can SEE for yourself.

@J Rogers What makes you say that your waivers are approved way faster? I thought the length of time it takes depends on the nature of your admission - so if you have a lot of criminal history then it takes way longer. Once they open my file, shouldn't it mean that they will take the same amount of time no matter who prepared the application?

[ Jay22 appended this reply on May 6, 2022 @ 5:25 am ]

Doesnt seem to make sense to me that they'll just decide to take 3 more months to ponder over my file just because someone else prepared it vs. you. I mean the checklist of documents is pretty standarized now and plus they'd let me know if anything's missing.

@TB555 It is hard to say. Misrepresentation can vary in severity. Even though this client was very happy, I actually was a little disappointed he didn't get a 5 year.