Should we take appointment with POE office to give biometrics at peace bridge or can we just walk in any day after paying fees and submitting the esafe application?
( It says you have 45 days to report to a designated e-SAFE port of entry to complete the biometrics portion of the application.)

Should we we also take covid test before going to POE for fully vaccinated people?

@J Rogers

I only ask because the DNA sample is such a controversial measure and I’m curious if there’s a pattern of BIPOC folks getting singled out for it.
Knowing how America works and their treatment of non-white folks this is a very real possibility as that group of folks is often targeted and criminalized.

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/03/doj-moves-forward-dangerous-plan-collect-dna-immigrant-detainees

Here are four waivers that came in this week, just to give general timelines. Note the one asked for further information (a panel doctor) so it took much longer than the others. Still pretty fast though, and I assume it will stay fast for the foreseeable future. eSAFE is incredibly efficient.

Documents Shared With You
ARO Decision
Please review the documents
Status History (5)
12/2/2021, 05:46 PM EST : Status changed to Completed
10/29/2021, 02:00 PM EDT : Status changed to Submitted to ARO
9/22/2021, 04:10 PM EDT : Status changed to Paid
9/22/2021, 04:09 PM EDT : Status changed to Signed
9/20/2021, 01:35 PM EDT : Application Created

Documents Shared With You
ARO Decision
Please review the documents
Status History (5)
12/2/2021, 05:46 PM EST : Status changed to Completed
10/29/2021, 08:30 AM EDT : Status changed to Submitted to ARO
10/26/2021, 09:35 AM EDT : Status changed to Paid
10/20/2021, 03:46 PM EDT : Status changed to Signed
9/2/2021, 10:13 AM EDT : Application Created

Documents Shared With You
ARO Decision
Please review the documents
Status History (7)
12/9/2021, 10:00 AM EST : Status changed to Completed
12/9/2021, 08:24 AM EST : Status changed to Request for More Information Response
10/5/2021, 02:03 PM EDT : Status changed to Request for More Information
9/20/2021, 09:30 AM EDT : Status changed to Submitted to ARO
8/31/2021, 11:34 AM EDT : Status changed to Paid
8/31/2021, 11:31 AM EDT : Status changed to Signed
8/25/2021, 11:26 AM EDT : Application Created

Documents Shared With You
ARO Decision
Please review the documents
Status History (5)
12/9/2021, 01:00 PM EST : Status changed to Completed
11/17/2021, 10:00 AM EST : Status changed to Submitted to ARO
11/8/2021, 04:36 PM EST : Status changed to Paid
11/8/2021, 04:34 PM EST : Status changed to Signed
11/5/2021, 11:47 AM EDT : Application Created

@Magnus

Not everyone. And not everyone is getting fingerprinted. I only have a handful at the BC border, and nothing out in the Prairies (Michelle can comment on that) but at Niagara Falls its really varied. Every time I think there is a pattern, it changes.

Are you still seeing the collection of DNA samples when doing biometrics when at the border?

Interesting case. He had the following record;
2002 Conspiracy to Commit Fraud
2002 Fraud Over $5000
2002 Breach
2015 Driving While Ability Impaired

They sent him to a panel doctor. VERY unusual. Today he got a waiver, 5 years.
The letter they had sent said "based on your alcohol related driving conviction, you may be inadmissible under 212 (a)(1)(A)(iii) of the INA. Then in short "may result in a person having a class A medical condition...."

Anyways, as always trying to keep all of you updated on anything out of the ordinary, as well as the ordinary. I would have NEVER guessed he would be sent to a panel doctor, and once he was, I was pleasantly surprised he got 5 years. First time waiver, he is a truck driver.

Documents Shared With You
ARO Decision
Please review the documents
Status History (7)
12/9/2021, 10:00 AM EST : Status changed to Completed
12/9/2021, 08:24 AM EST : Status changed to Request for More Information Response
10/5/2021, 02:03 PM EDT : Status changed to Request for More Information
9/20/2021, 09:30 AM EDT : Status changed to Submitted to ARO
8/31/2021, 11:34 AM EDT : Status changed to Paid
8/31/2021, 11:31 AM EDT : Status changed to Signed
8/25/2021, 11:26 AM EDT : Application Created

@Denis9981 the result is almost always simply a waiver.

@J Rogers When you have filed both together, did the decision for both come at the same time?

@Denis9981 I don't usually file them together, but sometimes the person clearly has been told to file both, so we do both at the same time. They just get the waiver in the usual time period, but remember, its not a common occurrence anyways, so this is anecdotal.

@J Rogers

Thank you, John. I'm obviously being hopeful. I felt that them asking for more information pertaining to charges that were dropped - which I was able to prove - was a somewhat of a "good" request. Who knows.

Have you ever filed both an I-192 & I-212 at the same time using e-safe? If so, did the approval or denial for both applications come at the same time, or at different times?

@Denis9981

Waivers that are "easily" granted are usually the fast ones. When it takes longer, your chances of getting the waiver are less, but obviously I have had waivers granted and denied when they went longer.

When they ask for further documentation, its not actually an indication that they will give you the waiver or not. My 2 most difficult cases so far asked for more documents, and both were denied (as I predicted). I have had clients with 3 or 4 waivers get asked for more documents (although it is not common) and even have the waiver granted the next day.

Your chances of getting the waiver still depends on the circumstances that made you do a waiver. If you have had waivers before and they just asked you to prove something was withdrawn, then you are probably fine. Also, you only have to do the I-212 once. Although you will continue to do waivers, you don't have to keep doing I-212's.

@J ROGERS @Michelle

I posted about my below applications, both an I-192 and I-212 earlier in this thread. A few weeks back, as you can see from the statuses below, I received a request for additional information on the I-192 application only, which I responded to a few hrs after receiving the request. There has been no changes since on either application.

My question: With your experience, when they ask for additional information, and you provide indisputable evidence in response, does that usually favor an approval or denial in any way? They asked me for two things: 1) A certificate of disposition showing that all charges from a prior arrest in 2008 were indeed dropped (FYI, I was never asked for this information in prior applications which were approved), and 2) a copy of my removal order from the USA back in 2009 in relation to the charge that makes me permanently inadmissible to the USA (which I why I need a waiver). I supplied both pieces of information.

And I simultaneously applied for the I-212 at the same time due to an overstay. There is no way to know for sure, but I'm just wondering if any of the information I provided would lead you to believe that they're leading towards an approval or denial.

Is tough playing the waiting game, hence why this forum is so great as a sounding board.

Thanks!

I-192 WAIVER APPLICATION

Status History (6)
11/22/2021, 03:53 PM AST : Status changed to Request for More Information Response
11/22/2021, 01:00 PM AST : Status changed to Request for More Information
10/5/2021, 09:30 PM AST : Status changed to Submitted to ARO
10/2/2021, 05:03 PM AST : Status changed to Paid
10/2/2021, 05:02 PM AST : Status changed to Signed
4/14/2021, 09:13 AM AST : Application Created

I-212 WAIVER APPLICATION

10/5/2021, 09:30 PM AST : Status changed to Submitted to ARO
10/2/2021, 09:03 PM AST : Status changed to Paid
10/2/2021, 05:12 PM AST : Status changed to Signed
4/14/2021, 01:52 PM AST : Application Created

@Michelle

I think the fee increase as proposed, was just because Trump took 25% of the Homeland Security budget and was giving it to ICE.

That was scrapped. Remember Homeland Security increases fees when they need to take into account increases in budgetary concerns. Since we know that they are not allowed to have a profit or a loss, I assume their decreased workload due to the pandemic will allow them to keep the fees the same. (Or only a slight increase).

I have also found that clients doing Re-applications are NOT being fingerprinted at the border. Since we know Homeland Security pays the FBI just over $11 per set to process them, I assume this is a cost saving measure.

This was all presented in the published paper Homeland Security put out when they were proposing to increase all fees, but specifically the waiver fee was increasing to $1400USD.

That is correct folks, the waiver is not a "money grab". The fee is EXACTLY what Homeland Security needs to cover their costs. If they have a profit at the end of the year, their budget gets cut. If they have a loss, they have to cut staff. Congress does not allow Homeland Security any extra money for operations, they have to end up at zero.

@John, any thoughts on the USA fee increase? It was placed on hold, but I am wondering if January they will move forward with it? What do you think?

@Denis9981

I agree, its discretion.

@Magnus

I have clients who vary from infrequent travelers who do day trips to snowbirds who spend the whole 6 months. I also have clients that are Canadian Citizens, but its clear they live in the US. I even have clients who live in the Caribbean, and only come to Canada to renew their waiver.

The Waiver gives you the ability to be back to "normal" status, other than the fact you need the waiver.

@Magnus Upon entering the USA an officer will admit you for however long he or she deems appropriate, and at their sole discretion. Whether you have a waiver or not, each person who crosses into the USA receives either B1 or B2 status via an 1-94, which has a validity period. That said, typically you will receive 6-months, but I've received as little as 5 days, which was the intended duration of my trip. Hope this answers your question.

Just a question out of curiosity…

If you have a waiver does it allow you to stay in America for 180 days ( per year) as per the regulations for Canadian tourists, “Snowbirds” etc… ?

BC - Oroville-Osoyoos Border is doing bio-metrics for e-safe, no appointment required. I still advise to call ahead.

@Magnus

Yes, I should mention it more here, but Michelle and I do fingerprints, and although she is a bit further from Ottawa that I am (Regina vs Brampton) fingerprints for most things, including waivers are generally under 3 weeks every time. The further you live form Ottawa, add a day or two, but everyone should be about 2 - weeks.

Just a FYI for folks here:
Had fingerprints done and got them back in 2 weeks from the RCMP. I heard it was going to take at least a month.