Determining Case Status on Waivers filed outside the US

Determining case status is one of the most frustrating parts of the current waiver process outside of the US. CIS offices not only differ on processing times for waiver submissions, but there is usually no way of finding updated information on how long a case is taking. The first place I always recommend is reviewing the consulate's website. Access the US Department of State's website for a list of consulates. Some of these consulates have links to the CIS office assigned to the consulate. Certain CIS offices post processing times in terms of the average monthly processing times. Others, such as the Athens office, allows applicants to track their case by the case number.

CIS Headquarters in the US has received complaints about this inability to track up to date processing information for many overseas offices. As of June 2011, CIS reports that they are trying to implement a "case status online" system for international cases much like that found for cases filed in the US and accessible through www.uscis.gov, but this international system is many months away. Always consult your immigration attorney to determine if there are more recent, available methods for the particular CIS office where your file is located to find out updated processing times.