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Because MANY people log on here to see timelines, not discussions, lets keep THIS thread ONLY for timelines. Then people don;t have to sift through to find out how long they are taking. I was trying to amend the old one but it got deleted, so I saved the last page, and added a bit to it. My apologies if you were looking for old info. The page was getting spammed all the time and had a lot of comments on it.
[ J Rogers appended this reply on September 18, 2025 @ 4:02 pm ]
As for the timeline......when the fees went up the backlog slowed these applications down. That backlog is GONE. They could get every application they have done by Thanksgiving if they want. They do NOT want then done quickly. If this seems like "why would they do that?" then you aren't paying attention. Notice Canada has tariffs for made up reasons, and we have been threatened by Annexation. Notice Russia has not a SINGLE TARIFF. Notice Trump met with Putin in Alaska and got embarrassed. And STILL his "friends" have tariffs and the Russians.....nothing.
[ J Rogers appended this reply on February 18, 2026 @ 2:14 pm ]
sorry everyone, my mistake, this is his FIRST waiver. Not a re-application.
2 year waiver
Reapplication, had a 1 year. (but before that a 5 year waiver)
99 days total. Again, a reapplication, NOT a first time.
Interesting history.
Overstay in 1997 and fake passport (misrepresentation)
Got a 5 year waiver in 2015
Then got a domestic assault in 2020.
Applied in 2024 got 1 year waiver in 2025
Reapplied, now a 2 year waiver.
Status History (5)
05/27/2026, 10:11 AM : Status changed to Completed
02/17/2026, 01:30 PM : Status changed to Submitted to ARO
02/09/2026, 03:21 PM : Status changed to Paid
02/09/2026, 03:19 PM : Status changed to Signed
01/14/2026, 02:48 PM : Application Created
1 YEAR WAIVER
Misrepresentation in 2005
First waiver.
348 days, so for you "I went to the border in June people" this is great news. Should mean Junes are coming in now.
05/27/2026, 10:14 AM : Status changed to Completed
06/13/2025, 07:00 PM : Status changed to Submitted to ARO
06/10/2025, 03:37 PM : Status changed to Paid
06/05/2025, 01:58 PM : Status changed to Signed
06/03/2025, 02:30 PM : Application Created
I assume you mean for Waiver clients?
The MAJORITY are telling me they are getting through, but yes, paying $30 every 6 months (instead of $6)
Checking phones, I am not hearing that much from waiver clients. (recently)
They are denying more people, (by %) which makes sense when you have LESS people travelling, they can check more people that way.
Remember, I do not have a waiver, and I am not travelling into the US right now, so its better if people who ARE travelling with a waiver reply.
@J Rogers hey question traveling with my approved waiver for the first time via plane I’m hearing alot of stories of them still hassling you I’m hearing they take your phone etc I’m hearing they charge you money possibly 30$ can you help me figure out if any of this true and or if it’s pretty smooth if you got your return flights hotels and work all confirmed ready for them proof wise
Overdue waivers.
Both of these waivers would be considered "late".
One has a serious conviction, and the other was born in Somalia. I cannot say if that is a factor, but it might be.
Status History (4)
03/17/2025, 04:00 PM : Status changed to Submitted to ARO
03/10/2025, 08:47 PM : Status changed to Paid
03/10/2025, 08:34 PM : Status changed to Signed
03/04/2025, 08:43 PM : Application Created
Status History (4)
02/19/2025, 07:30 PM : Status changed to Submitted to ARO
01/22/2025, 04:39 PM : Status changed to Paid
01/22/2025, 04:37 PM : Status changed to Signed
01/15/2025, 07:39 PM : Application Created
The purpose of this post is to point out that despite "most" first time applications taking 345-365 days, there are exceptions. Lots of them.
If your waiver is not granted YET, and its "late" (over a year is late) just hold on, and do not panic. I would also not bother with that useless email, it was for a time where the waiver was mailed to you. If you used eSAFE, you can log in and see the status, but they NEVER give you more that the same email over and over, so why bother emailing? It does NOT prompt them to view your file, they simply look at the same thing you do, and see it says "Submitted to ARO" and then send you the same email. They even send it if it doesn't show "submitted to ARO" like my client experienced. So do not trust that.
5 year waiver
Re-application (has had previous waivers as well)
1974- Possession of a narcotic
1993- impaired driving
He is 76 years old.
Status History (5)
05/18/2026, 09:34 AM : Status changed to Completed
02/12/2026, 05:33 PM : Status changed to Submitted to ARO
02/09/2026, 02:02 PM : Status changed to Paid
02/09/2026, 02:00 PM : Status changed to Signed
02/06/2026, 02:19 PM : Application Created
This is a client who has an OLD previous waiver from about 2006. So technically a re-application, but in reality, they have put him in the NEW application line.
Note that he is still waiting, close to a year. (8 more days) He is probably a "slam dunk", VERY old record (remember, he got a waiver in 2006!)
Status History (4)
05/22/2025, 05:00 PM : Status changed to Submitted to ARO
05/20/2025, 08:09 PM : Status changed to Paid
05/20/2025, 08:06 PM : Status changed to Signed
05/20/2025, 06:13 PM : Application Created
As soon as a waiver comes in, I post it. The situation has changed, and you will see that the line you are in was about 11 months, so you WOULD have it around now, but recently it went from 345-347 to 365 (as far as the results show) But Look every week on eSAFE just in case.
@sebastian Do the math. If May 5 20025 are coming in May 2026, and you applied in June, when should you get it? Not in May. IN JUNE.
Scroll down. ALL first time applicants who applied in 2025 are getting waivers in 2026. I post waivers DAILY. Here are a couple. This topic is FULL of examples. This one is 365 days
5 year waiver
1997 Fraud Over (Social Services fraud)
She said she had a waiver in the past but it was old.
took 365 days to the day. She was also born in Somalia.
05/01/2026, 11:19 AM : Status changed to Completed
05/01/2025, 10:00 PM : Status changed to Submitted to ARO
04/25/2025, 03:44 PM : Status changed to Paid
04/25/2025, 03:42 PM : Status changed to Signed
04/07/2025, 07:57 PM : Application Created
Here are two more recent ones.
1 YEAR WAIVER
Status History (5)
05/05/2026, 09:55 AM : Status changed to Completed
05/23/2025, 06:00 PM : Status changed to Submitted to ARO
05/06/2025, 08:11 PM : Status changed to Paid
05/06/2025, 08:02 PM : Status changed to Signed
04/23/2025, 05:45 PM : Application Created
5 YEAR WAIVER
05/05/2026, 10:07 AM : Status changed to Completed
05/23/2025, 07:00 PM : Status changed to Submitted to ARO
05/09/2025, 03:44 PM : Status changed to Paid
05/09/2025, 03:42 PM : Status changed to Signed
05/07/2025, 07:54 PM : Application Created
About my posts.
For anyone who is a casual reader, you might wonder WHY I post the information I do. For example, I sometimes post the offence, the age of the person, the gender and also "where they are from" although ALL Waiver clients are Canadian Citizens.
99% of the people on this board are looking for comparisons for THEIR situation, and they only have THEMSELVES to compare to. So I offer details I think are important, so you can perhaps see a pattern that you might be a part of. For example, people from Somalia, Iran and Pakistan, as well as some Sikhs, seem to get "picked on" at the border. It may not matter, but I also want to put up enough data so if it DOES matter, and I miss the connection, others might.
I should also point out that the personal letter is ULTRA important. I am very good at writing personal letters, because I SEE rejection letters, (people send them to me all the time) and that gives me INSIGHT into what Homeland Security is using as a basis for rejection.
-TIME. Biggest factor. It can only be manipulated so much. They want to use the END OF YOUR SENTENCE, not the date you committed the offence.
-severity of sentence - sometimes you have to explain this and use it to mitigate the details.
-what happened. the personal letter is supposed to be a DETAILED recounting of what happened. And be honest, because transcripts will make you look stupid. You can shape the narrative, but you cannot always blame your friends, or always be convicted of trafficking, but its just "wrong place wrong time".
-Contrition. This isn't just saying "I am sorry". Its showing an understanding of how you IMPACTED others and society.
-Weapons bans. If you have a weapons ban, you need to understand that to Americans, this is SEVERE. You need to EXPLAIN why that legislation was put in place, and why you agreed to it. (if you plead guilty, which most do) Saying "oh, it wasn't a gun crime" is completely missing the mark. Do you think the US cares about GUN CRIME? I can get you a SEPTEMBER LETTER if you had illegal gun possessions or even threatened someone with a gun. But you get an assault or Trafficking and "lose your right to have a gun"? They think this is TERRIBLE. It MUST BE ADDRESSED.
If you have overstays, you MUST explain why this will not happen again. In detail.
I like to also use age differential. I use ANYTHING I can as a tool to "win" a waiver for my clients. No stone is unturned.
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