First-time applicant. Got 5 years. The offense was marijuana possession in 2011.
Thanks for this forum giving me all the tools to successfully do it myself. Quick question: My job has changed since I applied. What would be the best time and way to mention it?

4/24/2025, 6:30 AM EDT: Status changed to Completed
5/7/2024, 6:30 PM EDT: Status changed to Submitted to ARO
3/27/2024, 3:25 PM EDT: Status changed to Paid
3/27/2024, 3:22 PM EDT: Status changed to Signed
3/15/2024, 12:01 PM EDT: Application Created

Hey! I’m april 26… starting to wonder what’s going on ! Why do you think mine isn’t there yet?

@hans1969

Congrats Hans!

For anyone wanting to know why you need a waiver without a record, about a third of my clients have never been arrested, but they have "misrepresentation" or some "immigration" offence or sometimes they simply went to the US to claim asylum, were turned away, and went to Canada instead. Then when they try and travel, they get denied because of the asylum years earlier. Very common.

I don't know Hans situation, and some people are shy about details, but this is why sometimes a record isn't what makes you inadmissible.

Second application - 1 year first time, 2 year this time.
no criminal record

4/17/2025, 09:30 AM MDT : Status changed to Completed
5/8/2024, 06:30 PM MDT : Status changed to Submitted to ARO
4/30/2024, 07:46 AM MDT : Status changed to Paid
4/30/2024, 07:44 AM MDT : Status changed to Signed
4/22/2024, 12:34 PM MDT : Application Created

5 year waiver. Re-app she had applied with someone else and got a 1 year first

2006 - Theft Under - Cond Disch
2007 - Possession of Scheduled Substance x2

Ironically BOTH of these are now off the record, no pardon needed because
1. Discharges can be removed easily
2. Sequestration means the possession is removed.

Unfortunately, the US denied her so she needs waivers.

Application Status
Completed
Documents Shared With You
ARO Decision
Please review the documents
Status History (5)
4/16/2025, 03:00 PM EDT : Status changed to Completed
5/6/2024, 04:30 PM EDT : Status changed to Submitted to ARO
4/30/2024, 11:27 AM EDT : Status changed to Paid
4/30/2024, 11:23 AM EDT : Status changed to Signed
4/29/2024, 03:46 PM EDT : Application Created

@Ana

Sorry, got busy and didn't see the request.

The 1 year to 1 year had trafficking, but it wasn't So recent to get him another 1 year waiver, we had drug tests, re-wrote the personal letter, so the 1 year again was a surprise. I thought at worst a 2 year. I think they are just being a bit tougher and tighter, but I have other examples where they gave a similar client a 1 year, then a 5 year.

There seems to be a bit of arbitrariness to be honest.

I went to the border on May 8th 2024.

Status is still “submitted to ARO”

Hopefully some news soon!

Waiver Denied

Trafficking in 2015 -219 days in pre sentence custody and he had $95 000 on him when caught.

Documents Shared With You
ARO Decision
Please review the documents
ARO Decision
Please review the documents
ARO Decision
Please review the documents
Status History (7)
4/15/2025, 08:00 AM EDT : Status changed to Completed
10/30/2024, 04:28 PM EDT : Status changed to Request for More Information Response
10/8/2024, 02:30 PM EDT : Status changed to Request for More Information
11/30/2023, 09:07 PM EST : Status changed to Submitted to ARO
11/16/2023, 04:12 PM EST : Status changed to Paid
11/16/2023, 04:10 PM EST : Status changed to Signed
11/9/2023, 01:50 PM EST : Application Created

@J Rogers can you please share a little more about the top one that is a 1 year renewal - how much time has passed since conviction/criminal activity? Trying to see if enough time has passed which warranted another 1 year.

I am sure you ensured the renewal app made a strong case or showed evidence of reformation/rehabilitation.

Thanks.

The top one is a re-application. 1 year to one year. Trafficking, but we are disappointed to have 2 1 year waivers back to back.

The bottom is prostitution/border but no record. She admitted to 10 years of activity, then was less that 2 years in making the application form the time she last admitted to prostitution. I was pretty sure it was going to be a "no" but she wanted to try anyways. I am telling her to wait a full 3 years and she should be fine.

1 year waiver

Documents Shared With You
ARO Decision
Please review the documents
Status History (5)
4/11/2025, 01:00 PM EDT : Status changed to Completed
5/2/2024, 01:01 PM EDT : Status changed to Submitted to ARO
4/30/2024, 02:59 PM EDT : Status changed to Paid
4/29/2024, 05:08 PM EDT : Status changed to Signed
4/23/2024, 03:00 PM EDT : Application Created

Waiver Denied

Application Status
Completed
Documents Shared With You
ARO Decision
Please review the documents
ARO Decision
Please review the documents
ARO Decision
Please review the documents
Status History (5)
4/11/2025, 01:00 PM EDT : Status changed to Completed
4/25/2024, 07:00 PM EDT : Status changed to Submitted to ARO
3/29/2024, 08:19 PM EDT : Status changed to Paid

@Portfolio99

Withdrawing your application for K1 is irrelevant now. I would not suggest it.

I hope in your personal letter, you did not call in a "criminal absolution".

I am assuming you have a conditional discharge. This means you plead guilty to something. It is no different that a regular conviction, other than HOW it is removed.

Some clients make the mistake (usually because the lawyer is trying to brag what a great job they did) of telling the US that "this isn't a big deal" or saying they were NOT convicted. In fact, you get a discharge of ANY type because you plead guilty. You have to be careful about the wording.

@J Rogers "I have traveled to the U.S. my entire life. After submitting a K1 application and attending the consulate interview, it was discovered that I have a conditional absolution for a minor altercation from 17 years ago. In Canada, this absolution does not create a criminal record; however, the U.S. does not recognize conditional absolutions, as pleading guilty is a requirement for them in Canada.
I applied for a waiver 13 months ago, but I am still waiting for a response. I wonder if this delay is related to my K1 application. Should I withdraw my K1 application? Could the K1 application affect the decision on my waiver?"

@J Rogers Confirmed. I am only excluding reapplications which are substantially outside the CBP-quoted range on e-SAFE of 274-365 days. It's a bit of a bodge, but I don't want the averages pushed too far down (or up) by outliers. Unfortunately the wait times do appear to be on an upwards trajectory, so the tracker (and forums) help users plan ahead and get moral support from others in the same position.

@joolsjools

Re-applications are the ones being processed in September October, but not ALL. I have reapplications in June, July and August that have not been touched.

So including them would probably throw the date into chaos.

@J Rogers Tracker spreadsheet is showing a 1 year rolling average for I-194 waivers of 314 days from submission to completed, with most from mid-April 2024 in the 320-330 range. The only May 2024 result so far is 342 days. They're all within the current CBP range of 9-12 months - 274 to 365 days.

I have excluded your "September/October reapplications" from the data as these do seem to be being processed differently.

Quick note on times.

-During covid I was able to get waivers in 5 days. The "standard" was always 90 days. So this "delay" is not the usual, its UNUSUAL.

-Waiver took as long as this after 9/11 so this happens sometimes.

-There are CLEARLY 2 lines.

---Line 1 is first time applications. They seem to be just getting into May. Meaning, if you went to the border in early May/late April, you should be hearing right about now. So almost a year.

---Line 2 is some re-applications. (not all) These are for people who went to the border in September/October. ONLY people who have had a waiver before get in this line.

Why is it this way? I am not actually sure. But lets not try and apply logic to a country who elected a man with 25 allegations of rape and 34 felony counts. Maybe chaos makes....more chaos?

@Some guy. Congrats

Just got my waiver, approved for 2 years. Was a renewal of a first 1 year waiver for drug trafficking, break and enter, and possession from pre- 2015

Submitted to ARO May 1 2024
Completed today April 8 2025

@PGH469 Please see "NIV VISA / I-194 / ARO Waiver of Inadmissibility wait times" thread for link to external tracker spreadsheet.

Mr. Rogers, do you ever see first applications being completed in less than 7 to 8 months? Or does it always take 10 months or more?